Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley – Elvis Sings Flaming Star (1968/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 20:45 minutes | 415 MB | Genre: Rock, Country
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © SBCMG

In the spring of 1969, after a trough of several years, the public finally seemed genuinely interested in Elvis Presley again — the NBC special had been broadcast, the first of the Memphis-based, Chips Moman-produced comeback albums was about to be released, he was being heard on the radio again, and it probably seemed like a good idea to test the waters with some budget-priced product. That’s the only possible explanation for the existence of Elvis Sings Flaming Star, a low-priced LP that showed up in the late winter of 1969, encompassing songs drawn from across eight years of Elvis’ recording history. Even more astonishing is how this seemingly haphazard assembly of material — including a title song (from one of his best movies) that had not previously appeared on an LP, a live cut from the 1968 NBC special, and a two-song Texas medley that would be completely embarrassing in the hands of anyone else — holds up as well as it did. It is the voice, of course, that matters here — Presley’s singing was so good at the points captured on this nothing-seeming little budget release that he could make even the most dubious song seem worth two minutes of one’s time. And on “Too Much Monkey Business” and “She’s a Machine” you even get the hard, edgy side of Elvis that had been obscured by too many third-rate movie songs. The rock music critics who were around in 1969 were never quite sure what to make of this album because it was a given that it was nothing but the most superficial scratching of the surface of that library, yet time has allowed it to age well, as a strange and idiosyncratic (but strangely satisfying on its own terms) compilation. If it added nothing to his reputation in 1969, then it at least offered an inexpensive way for the curious and the unfamiliar to get a smattering of some of his work that was otherwise mostly unavailable at the time.

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Elvis Presley – Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis (Legacy Edition) (1974/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:23:41 minutes | 2,94 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

How much did Colonel Tom Parker flood the Elvis marketplace in the early ’70s? Between 1969’s From Vegas to Memphis to 1974’s Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis, Presley was releasing a live album nearly every year (1971 was skipped). Each one was tied to an event — a televised concert from Hawaii, his first concert in New York — but, decades removed from this era, it’s easy to forget that at the dawn of the ’70s, seeing Elvis on-stage was in itself event, as he spent the better part of the ’60s making movies instead of playing live. In fact, the last time he had played in Memphis, Tennessee was in 1961, so even though it was the last in a long line of live records, the homecoming concert captured on 1974’s cumbersomely titled Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis was something special: it captured a beloved hero returning home. Presley made sure he was prepared for the occasion, running through much of the set two days prior the March 18 Memphis concert at the Richmond Coliseum. The 2014 Legacy Edition of Recorded Live on Stage contains that concert as its second disc (this second disc also has five very relaxed, very spare, quite appealing rehearsals from August 1974, cut just prior to an appearance in Vegas) and it’s quite a bit different in tenor than the released record; it’s loose and rollicking, with Elvis and the TCB band feeding off the energy of an exuberant audience. In contrast, the Memphis concert — here on the first disc, in the expanded, full-concert addition originally released on Follow That Dream Records in 2004 — is precise, professional, and deadly, a testament to the Presley team being a well-oiled machine. As this full-length Legacy Expansion reveals, far from being just another Elvis live record, Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis is a little bit of dynamite, proof that on a good night in 1974, Elvis was still as good as rock & roll got. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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Elvis Presley – Elvis Now (1972/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 43:22 minutes | 910 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

Elvis Now is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on February 20, 1972. The only single from the album, “Until It’s Time for You to Go” / “We Can Make the Morning” reached number 9 on the Easy Listening chart in the US in March 1972 and number 5 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1972. The album was certified Gold on March 27, 1992, by the RIAA. “Sylvia” became a hit for Elvis in Brazil in the 1970s.

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Elvis Presley – Elvis Is Back (1960/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 32:17 minutes | 702 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

Elvis Is Back! is the eighth studio album by Elvis Presley. It was released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo in April 1960. Recorded over two sessions in March and April, the album marked Presley’s return to recording after his discharge from the U.S. Army.

In 1957, as Presley’s fame was soaring, he received a draft notice from the Memphis Draft Board, but was given a deferment so he could finish his latest film production, King Creole. During Presley’s two-year military service in Germany, RCA Victor and Paramount Pictures progressively released material he had completed prior to enlistment. During his last months in the Army, Presley experimented with new sounds and worked on further improving his performance. He also prepared material for his first session in Nashville, which was scheduled to take place upon his return. Presley returned to the United States on March 2, 1960. The singer reunited with his original band The Blue Moon Boys, excepting bassist Bill Black. The first session was held on March 20–21 and the second session was held on April 3–4, completing the album.

Elvis Is Back! was released on April 8, 1960. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and reached number two in Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s. Initially, the release received mixed reviews. Throughout the years the album’s critical reception became progressively more positive, while it was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1999.

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Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 3 (1963/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 30:03 minutes | 653 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

Elvis’ Golden Records Volume 3 is a greatest hits album by the American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor as LPM-2765 on August 11, 1963. The record was the third volume of a five volume collection. It is a compilation of hit singles released in 1960, 1961, and 1962.

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Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Golden Records (1958/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 33:51 minutes | 400 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RevOla

This was rock & roll’s first greatest-hits album, and it set the standard for all others to follow. As originally conceived, it was a 14-song collection of most of the King’s biggest hits up to that time, released on the eve of his start of military service — a dearth of material being in the offing, it seemed only logical to assemble these hits. Each of the 14 songs had earned a Gold record award for a million sales, a record unequaled at that time by anyone else in rock & roll. The album wasn’t intended as a history lesson, so “Hound Dog” and “Loving You” precede “Heartbreak Hotel” — the 1997 remastering also tampers with the concept a bit, adding six bonus tracks. Elvis’ singing never sounded richer or more expressive, and one can fully appreciate in vivid detail the delicate nuances of his phrasing on songs like “Too Much.” On the downside, the remastering has made the sound so clean on some of the harder songs that some of the raw, “dirty” ambience that characterized this stuff on the radio and the original 45s is lacking. Still, Scotty Moore’s groundbreaking lead guitar part on “Hound Dog” and the Jordanaires’ backup singing never came through more sharply or cleanly, and the all-important rhythm section is almost upfront in the mix. Those who own the first Elvis box from RCA, covering the ’50s masters may hesitate to pick up this or the other parts of this latest remastered series, but the sound has been upgraded one more level, and Elvis’ Golden Records does give a bite-sized glimpse of where Elvis had come from and where he was going (for better or worse) musically on the eve of heading into the Army. ~ Bruce Eder

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Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 30:41 minutes | 442 MB | Genre: Rock, Pop, Christmas
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA Victor

Elvis’ 1957 original Christmas album is one of his most inspired early outings and the first time he tackled anything resembling a thematic concept. Split evenly between rockers and bluesy numbers like “Santa Claus Is Back in Town,” “Blue Christmas,” and “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me,” perennials like “White Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “Silent Night,” and straight-ahead gospel favorites like “I Believe,” “Peace in the Valley” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” the disc revealed a different side of the rocker for the first time on a public instead conditioned to expect something outrageous. One of the King’s shining moments, this is quite simply still one of the best holiday albums available. ~ Cub Koda

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Elvis Presley – Elvis Back in Nashville (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 04:55:19 minutes | 5,43 GB | Genre: Rock, Country
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

What turned out to be Elvis Presley’s final Nashville session brought music that was originally overlooked. The original recordings found their way on the holiday themed Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (1971), the gospel He Touched Me (1972), Elvis Now (1972) and Elvis (1973). Yet, to hear this music, a half century after it was recorded – now wiped of overdubs – reveals some of the most compelling singing of Presley’s career. There may not be a better set of tracks in his catalog that benefits more from un-dubbing the masters. No longer weighted down, Elvis shines.

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Elvis Presley – Elvis At Stax (2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 54:31 minutes | 1,08 GB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

Elvis At Stax celebrates the fortieth anniversary of these legendary recordings. Following the success of Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite, Presley returned to his hometown of Memphis and spent time at Stax Recording Studios. Elvis At Stax bristles with energy and dynamism. Included are the hits “Promised Land,” “Raised on Rock,” “I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby,” “My Boy” and much more.

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Elvis Presley – C’mon Everybody (1971/2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 23:05 minutes | 443 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA Camden

C’mon Everybody is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley released by RCA Records on July 1, 1971. The album was certified Gold on January 6, 2004 by the Recording Industry Association of America.

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Elvis Presley – Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Deluxe) (2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 50:48 minutes | 1,04 GB | Genre: Christmas, Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalogue division of Sony Music Entertainment, celebrate the 2017 holiday season with the release of “Elvis Presley: Christmas With Elvis And The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra”. The album brings together Elvis Presley’s best-loved performances from ‘Elvis’ Christmas Album’ (1957) and ‘Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas’ (1971) re-imagined with sublime and exquisite new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This Deluxe Edition features four bonus tracks (The Peace In The Valley EP).

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Elvis Presley – Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 36:13 minutes | 768 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra brings together Elvis Presley’s best-loved yuletide performances from Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957) and Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (1971) re-imagined with sublime and exquisite new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Produced by Nick Patrick and Don Reedman and recorded at Abbey Road Studio 2, Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra follows in the phenomenal worldwide success of 2015’s If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (which has sold more than 1.5 million copies) and last year’s The Wonder Of You: Elvis Presley with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (which sold more than 800,000 copies worldwide).

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Elvis Presley – Blue Hawaii (1961/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 32:26 minutes | 706 MB | Genre: Pop, Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

“Blue Hawaii” was released in 1961 and is the soundtrack to Presley’s film of the same name. It spent 20 weeks at #1 and 39 weeks in the Top 10 on the US Top Pop Albums Chart, and was certified Gold in December 1961, and 3x Platinum by 2002. It is second only to the soundtrack of “West Side Story” as the most successful album of the 1960s.

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Elvis Presley – Back In Memphis (1969/2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 32:09 minutes | 686 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA Victor – Legacy

Originally the second LP of the two-LP 1969 opus “From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis”, “Back In Memphis”, released on its own in November 1970, is the second part of Elvis’ hugely successful sojourn to Chips Moman’s American Studios that also yielded the classic “From Elvis In Memphis” during the summer of 1969.

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Elvis Presley – Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden (1972/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 52:44 minutes | 1,13 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RCA – Legacy

Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden is the exhilarating live album by “The King.” Of all the live recordings in Elvis Presley’s illustrious career, none were more significant than his long-awaited New York City show at Madison Square Garden in June 1972. This multi-Platinum masterpiece captures Presley’s thrilling live energy and uncanny stage presence. Presley performed the chart-topping hits “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” “Love Me Tender,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “All Shook Up”

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