Review of Elvis Presley - The Tupelo Mississippi Flash

idiomag - personalized music magazine. Music News, Reviews, Videos and Playlists personalized just for you.

There can be no denying that one of the defining moments in the history of pop was the day the working class truck driver Elvis Aaron Presley stepped through the doors of the hallowed Sun Studios. The moment he committed vocal to acetate the course of modern culture and fashion would change forever. Raw and untapped almost feral and oozing sex and wantonness like a rabid wild cat Elvis was the real deal, early recordings for Sun blended country with the blues while revealing - though not obvious at first listening - traces of Elvis gospel inspired upbringing. If James Dean had provided Hollywood with its first silver screen poster boy for the new found teen masses of America then Presley provided music with its youth voice. Of course once RCA got their prize the instructed detail was longevity, the label had spent heavily securing the Presley signature if rock n roll was a flash in the pan as everyone had predicted then the label needed to polish their rough diamond and hope like hell that they could tame him. The label neednt have worried. Presley was no fool, hed been reared surrounded by poverty, barely out of his teens when he committed to RCA he had seen the trappings of wealth and the comfort of financial security and was in no great hurry to return to the bondage of a low paid 12 hour working day. For the die hard Presley obsessive this four CD set offers nothing new though competitively priced (the cost of CD) it might prove a worthwhile one stop shop gathering those all important and vital early recordings. However for the Presley enthusiast - the one who dips in and out of the Elvis catalogue CDs 2, 3 and 4 petty much - without the exception of my happiness and harbour lights - replicate CDs 1, 2 and 3 of Volume 1 of the complete 50s masters box set taking you from those crucial early career Sun recordings right through to the September 57 Christmas album sessions - which if my maths is right is a gathering of 82 tracks time lining 1954 to 1957. Its pointless appraising the tracks as theyve become part of the worldwide consciousness, obviously the Sun material is and always will be impeccable - in fact Ive always maintained that faced with being stranded on a desert island and allowed only one album for company - then the Sun Sessions would be it. Admittedly listening to these archives now by and large it seems pretty tame - its importance and relevance lost on the youth of today - but way back then Elvis sounded (and if reports are true - looked) like hed stepped of a space craft from a different world -mystery train even to this day still sends a shiver down the spine. Elsewhere Hound Dog still has for me one of the moments in guitar playing ever - the seeds to garage and punk were laid at precisely 1.22 at the hand of Scotty Moore while (your so square) baby I dont care instantly transports me back to my childhood and into the front room parlour on a Sunday morning with mum whooping it up while waiting for Sunday lunch to cook. Of course there are turkeys by the cart load hot dog was reputedly written for the Loving You film score and titled such purely because a scene depicting Elvis by a hot dog stand was deemed a perfect moment for a spot of boogie - you couldnt make this up if you tried. Of course old shep lurks on disc 3 as do the gospel sessions peace in the valley et al proving - whether you like it or not - that in such a short time Elvis had matured from wildcat to man for all seasons. Disappointingly enough one night of sin is erroneously omitted in favour of two takes of dont leave me now. Aside the studio recordings theres a nifty 50 page booklet penned by Adam Komorowski which sets out a brief stall as to the importance of the period - though we recommend )if you havent done so already) securing a copy of Guralniks excellent last train to Memphis tome. And then there are the live recordings. Thirty three of them culled from 1954 to 1956 (all have previously been released I some shape or form) and featuring in the main selected performances from the legendary Louisiana Hayride shows and his appearance on the Steve Allen Show. By and large - okay we are talking the Sun Sessions and the live material - this is the bollocks. Any questions? Key cuts - Mystery Train Maybellene (live) I was the one (live) Baby lets play house (your so square) baby I dont care Treat me nice paralysed

By Mark Barton

Elvis Presley

Review of Elvis Presley - The Tupelo Mississippi Flash

idiomag - personalized music magazine. Music News, Reviews, Videos and Playlists personalized just for you.

Related Articles