Blue Hawaii (Vinyl) - ElvisNews.com

A special 2-disc 180-gram vinyl set. Supplied in a new gatefold sleeve, the original release is complemented by a special soundtrack companion album featuring many stereo outtakes not previously available on this format.

ElvisNews review

Last month, during our vacation I received the two vinyl releases by FTD, Blue Hawaii and Standing Room Only. Are they a worthy addition to the FTD collection?

Design

Blue Hawaii never was my thing. I know it’s just for a movie, but I still it’s a kind of silly to have an adult on an album cover with a baby guitar, although I have to admit that the front of the FTD release is better than the original. The package of the double album is beautiful (disregarding my opinion of the content). I never got rid of my old vinyl (and actually play it quite regular)… and it still feels fantastic to hold something and be able to read everything without a problem. The back of the “new cover” holds the track list of the extra LP with bonus material, while the original cover has the original back. The LPs are fit in cardboard full with pictures, memorabilia and information, one of them in full color, the other in black and white.

Standing Room Only is more my piece of cake and has the same beautiful production. Both inner sleeves contain color pictures (and black and white), while the inside of the album is filled with liner notes and memorabilia. The back contains the track listing in that typical 70’s style with a commercial for other great albums to enjoy (Now and He Touched Me).

Content

As my review of the CD clearly showed, Blue Hawaii is not my piece of cake, not only visually, but also not musically. Still I put it on my turntable and gave it a swing; the sound is okay, but not exceptional, then again… who is waiting for lullabies in exceptional quality ;-).

Standing Room Only, in opposition to Blue Hawaii, has been played several times. The studio tracks sound marvelous, warm and very detailed. The live tracks sound fine too, but the CD version sounds fuller, which fits the live tracks better. These LPs will find their way to my turntable more often in the future, that’s for sure!

Conclusion

It is great to have some “new” vinyl again, the first LPs since Elvis At Sun. Call me old fashioned, but I only play CDs because it’s easier. Wonderful to really hold something while listening!