Elly Roberts reviews
Elvis Presley:
Elvis At Sun
Distributed by
BMG UK & Ireland
CD: 
LP:
- Year: 2004
- Rating: 9/10
- Cat. No: 82876613082
Track listing:
1. Harbour Lights
2. I Love You Because (alternate take 2)
3. That’s Alright
4. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
5. Blue Moon
6. Tomorrow Night
7. I’ll Never Let You Go ( Little Darling )
8. Just Because
9. Good Rockin’ Tonight
10. I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine
11. Milkcow Blues Boogie
12. You’re A Heartbreaker
13. I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone ( slow version )
14. I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone
15. Baby Let’s Play House
16. I Forgot To Remember To Forget
17. Mystery Train
18. Trying To Get To You
19. When It Rains It Really Pours
Before Elvis Presley was whisked off to RCA, he began his
recording career at Memphis Recording Service, 706, Union Avenue.
It’s motto was – ‘ We Record Anything – Anywhere – Anytime ‘. For just $3.98
anyone could walk in off the street and walk out again with an acetate bearing
the sound of their voice. And that’s exactly what Elvis did in the summer of
1953 .He laid down two songs – My Happiness and That’s When Your
Heartaches Begin. But it wasn’t without a struggle.
Early rehearsals didn’t impress his backing musicians Moore and Black.
Eventually Sam Phillips believed he’d found what he’d been looking for -
"a white man with the Negro sound and the Negro feel". Unfortunately, the kid
with the sideburns’ recording debuts don’t appear here.
What you do get is a 19 track indication of his future world domination. Under
the scrutiny of this legendary producer Sam Phillips, this definitive 19-track
collection sees him at his best – the stripped down sound allowing his
fledgling beautiful voice to shine. It includes all 5 of Elvis’s original Sun
singles (A & B sides), plus rare alternate takes. It also includes what is
regarded as the first rock’ n ‘roll record – Arthur ‘ Big Boy ‘ Cudup’s “ That’s Alright .“
A subtle blend of rhythm and blues, blues, blue – grass, country, rockabilly –
all performed by Elvis, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. Nothing
was fun for Elvis unless he could share it – and that’s what he does here.
"Before Elvis there was nothing", said John Lennon – and he was right.
The accompanying booklet, includes recollections by Phillips’ son Knox, rare
Elvis photos. Elvis expert Ernst Mikael Jorgenson gives a track – by – track
commentary. A limited edition vinyl LP is also available.
Elly Robert's Elvis DVD and CD reviews:
DVD Elvis: '68 Comeback Special: Deluxe Edition
DVD Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii: Deluxe Edition
CD Elvis: Elvis At Sun
CD Kings of Rock 'N' Roll: Various Artists
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008.
