Reviews (page 12 of 13)
A smoky casino, a quaalude downed with a swig of whiskey, big hair and heavy eyeliner, waking up to static on the tv. A relic of the past.
I dunno kinda boring Nnn
I standby my previous album reviews. Some albums have one or two popular songs and it’s made the book. I’ve heard suspicious minds enough to last a lifetime, I didn’t need the rest.
Not very interesting. I'm neither pro Elvis nor anti Elvis. It's an icon that never made too much sense to me. A bit scam-like in my head.
I've never been a big Elvis fan. This album sounds like something your grandparents would play at dinner.
This album just didn't connect with me at all.
irgendwie tönt jeder song nach Elvis - kann sein dass mir das einfach nicht zusagt. In The Ghetto und Suspicious Minds kannte ich, auch als cover, daher wohl meine favorites.
I just don't get it. One of the few artists who regularly appears and I just think why. The only thing saving him from 1* is I didn't skip every song and yesterday I had Ice Cube's AmeriKKKa's most wanted which puts things into perspective a bit.
Not my thing, and all sounds very similar.
Not my favourite Elvis stuff. I didn't really fancy listening to all of it.
1969 Elvis ain’t it.
I guess this was more interesting than a lot of Elvis stuff. Still not really my thing though. 2.5
Not a big fan i guess, but I could appreciate some songs. Favourite song: Don't cry daddy
Never really been an Elvis lover. But I can see it's importance
Meh
The man can sing and steal culture for sure. This is pretty boring and for all the emotion he tries to convey, you know none of this is his work at all. The man was just a meaty speaker spurting sounds he hoped you’d pay him for.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Meh. I mean, it's Elvis - the king and all. So I appreciate who he is to the industry. But the music did not grab me. Where's AC/DC???
No. If I'm going to listen to Elvis, I'd prefer earlier stuff.
not terrible? good voice? dunno. samey. fine. 2.5
A large sigh came out of my face when this one popped up. Surprisingly, I quite enjoyed the first two tracks. A hillbilly R&B vibe. Maybe even a little Otis Redding-like. Then the 'ol Hound dog Howl kicked in… I suppose that it was iconic but nah… 50 years of Elvis impersonators may have ruined the brand but still makes my skin crawl. "Elvis… was a hero to most but he never meant shit to me” (Fuck him and John Wayne)
I don’t personally see the appeal of Elvis, and I never have. I understand his cultural impact for the time - but I never connected with much of the material he sang. He was a mere performer, and I think others did rock n’ roll better before his time, during his time, and after his time. This LP did not change my view on it. It’s well produced, and there isn’t any particularly bad songs on it. It’s just standard ass Elvis to me. The whole time I listened to it, I kept thinking of other artists who could probably do these songs more justice; with the exception of a couple of tracks.
Meh, it's Elvis doing old blues/countries tunes.
Suspicious minds. A classic. Everything else felt over produced. I could hear Elvis’ age in his voice.
Just meh for me. I’m not a huge fan of the late sixties, sepia-tinged version of the King; give me the 50s, influencer of early rock n roll, Sun Records icon version every time. He hit like pure cocaine on those early cuts, far removed from the slightly schmaltzy, Southern-Gospel flavored Elvis we get on this one. He may not be at Las Vegas, “Fat Elvis” gawdiness yet but he’s clearly on the road to it, unfortunately. One highlight is you can’t deny his amazing voice; I liked “Any Day Now” as one standout track.
I just don't appreciate the Elvis lore. A couple of popular tunes make this better than a 1 for me: In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds and a lot of echoes and production.
Nja...
To be honest most of the songs on this album are very mediocre - at best but of course with a couple of gems
50/100 My second Elvis album in a row :) Only this elvis is a decent singer and doesn't bore me to death :)
Thank you mama ….. I have given the King his due a handful of times now and although I can appreciate it it just isn’t for me. Best song: Suspicious Minds Worst song: half the record ..
Mäßig interessanter Country Blues.
I've just never been a big fan of Elvis. He does have a good voice, but I've never liked the sound of it.
could i write poetry to this? n
I'm just not an Elvis kind of person. This explains my disdain for Neil Diamond, as well.
In The Ghetto and Suspicious Minds are bangers. The rest of the album is pretty inessential
the king is dead and will be forgotten. 2
Mid
Just got kinda bored with it. It was a higher 2 though
Boring.
again fine.. nothing to write home about 2/5
I'm not a massive Elvis fan, but I do know that there are albums of his that are far more worthy of inclusion in this challenge. Meh
talented musicians - doing something I’m just not that into. Felt lacking in passion and authenticity - I appreciate a bit more grit
You’re just a bit mid Elvis, sorry.
It's fine. I mean, it's Elvis. I quite liked In The Ghetto. Still. Still some die hard fans out there.
Used to love Elvis when I was a kid, but I didn't really enjoy this. Was a bit boring.
Elvis is elvis
This was a real mixed bag. None of it was all that good though. The musicianship is top notch, but it felt like Elvis was just given a bunch of random songs to sing. Is it a country album? Is it gospel? Is it soul? Nobody knows. Also most of the songs were boring, suspicious minds was good. He butchered Gentle on my mind.
From Elvis in Memphis was zo slecht nog niet. De backing band Memphis Boys zorgt voor de country-soul style, Elvis voor de rock n roll. Suspicious Minds is echt heerlijk, Kentucky Rain is mijn 2e favoriet. De blazers zijn echt sterk op dit album. Ook de backing vocals werken goed. Toch is Elvis echt niet mijn favoriet, en ben ik daarom ook streng: het is voor het meerendeel van het album niet mijn pakkie an. Toch redelijk kunnen genieten van een paar songs. Rating: 6,5 Highlights: Suspicious Minds, Kentucky Rain
Dit album markeert een beetje de overgang van Rockabilly Elvis waar ik wel van hou, en gekke pakjes showboat Elvis waar ik over het algemeen van walg. Het heeft elementen van beiden, begint sterk met een paar songs waarin ik zijn iconische stem wel echt geloof. Later wordt het wat te veel show en act, en voelt het bijna als Lee Towers. De achtergrondzang maakt het erg soulful, waardoor Elvis moeiteloos switcht tussen country, blues, en soulmuziek. Waardeer de verscheidenheid wel, maar te weinig echt epische momenten zoals in 'Suspicious Minds' en de uitstekende cover van 'Gentle On My Mind'. De controle die hij heeft over z'n stem is subliem, maar had hem liever wat vaker iets meer risico zien nemen. 6/10 Highlights: Suspicious Minds Gentle On My Minds
Tja, Elvis. Ik word er vaak niet heel warm van Op zich is dit wel een prima plaat. Hij maakt duidelijk een transitie door. Weg bij de hounddog-rock uit de jaren 50 en op weg naar de Las Vegas Elvis met de dikke speknek. Tuurlijk, zijn stem is waanzinnig. Zo kenmerkend en onder controle, maar echt spannend is de muziek gewoon niet. Saaie koortjes en wat strijkers, maar voor eind jaren 60 verwacht je meer experimenten of uitprobeersels. Prima, was leuk. 6,5/10 Highlights Power of my love Gentle on my mind In the Ghetto Suspicious minds
startte veelbelovend... maar echt wel iets te veel crooners... Elvis heeft heel wat betere platen gemaakt dan deze... sorry voor de fans, maar dit is echt middelmatig
Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: als ob all die posthumen Las Vegas Strip-Imitatoren schon bedrohlich lauern... Mix: fett abgemischt, viel Hall in Vocals Musik: \"Suspicuous Minds\" und \"In The Ghetto\" bleiben geile Nummern - der Rest ist mir zu sehr Country-Pop und das braucht die Welt nicht Wertung: 🍔🍔/5
I really loved listening to this album. The only problem is that I really enjoyed the accompanying band a lot more than Elvis himself. I read up on this one and he specifically chose this studio due to the fact that the back up band's soulful sound and to me it really carries the album for him...and isn't that the whole gripe with Elvis stealing the sound of other musicians in the first place? I think it's an amazing album but it feels weird to give Elvis all that credit.
Good for his time, but not exactly exciting music anymore
If you love Elvis, this album is for you! Not for me, sadly.
Primer acercamiento a Elvis en formato LP. Contra todo pronostico, este lado no tan rockero de él encaja bien en las composiciones. No obstante, lamentablemente ninguna canción del álbum resonó conmigo del todo (quizás Power of My Love). 2.5/5
I was going to give this three stars -- it's nothing special, but it has some hits. But this is just so mostly boring. Elvis has some great slow songs, but if that's all he had, he wouldn't be even a quarter as popular or influential. And that's mostly what this album is. 2 stars.
Thank you, Elvis, for all of your work, but this is version of Rock n Roll is too old for me
Very talented musicians, but the songwriting feels soulless, like a hastily manufactured money grab
Never been into Elvis
I’ve never been a huge Elvis fan, but I do see how he’s inspired many when I listen to his music. I liked a few of the love songs on this, “In the ghetto” makes me laugh because of an episode of New Girl
It was kinda slow with not much happening, and Elvis’ voice can be a bit annoying at times. Not the most enjoyable
Kinda boring for Elvis
Quite like the Sun Sessions Elvis. However I feel that by 1969 Elvis was becoming a bit of a parody - one step away from eating deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and shooting at TV sets with a pearl handled revolver
I like both Elvis and Memphis, but I didn’t find the album super listenable. Some of it is this kind of music being out of style, but other than Suspicious Minds, there weren’t any big hits. Additionally, “In the Ghetto” is very cringeworthy to listen to nowadays. Based on looking up the songs from Elvis that I know, it seems like there are multiple albums that are better than this. I’ll be interested to see what else makes the list.
And with this record, Elvis has left the building.
This wasn't the Elvis i was looking for.
Still just not an Elvis fan. I would never choose to put this on.
For the fist time we can recall on any album, side B is significantly better than side A. We actually remember a couple of the songs from the radio; In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds got some play into the 70s. Listening to a complete Elvis album from start to finish brought L back to her childhood. This was the first time J ever listened to an Elvis album. That said: (2.2*s)
I appreciate the age of the album but I found the sound mixing overall rather bad. Long Black Limousine is the stand-out track. I prefer the Dolly Parton version of In the Ghetto.
There's something chilled out about his voice/music but I wouldn't choose to listen to Elvis. There is barely anything good on this album, I don't understand how this made the cut. Highlights: Wearin' That Loved On Look Suspicious Minds Power of My Love
Probably never given Elvis a proper listen before, aside from the obvious tracks... This had a lot less oomph than I was expecting. Less joie de Vivre! All a bit mopey. He does have a good voice though, pretty soothing I didn't think Elvis was my thing, and this did nothing to persuade me otherwise. This type of music has not stood the test of time for me. I didn't hate it, but not my thing and didn't hear anything to change my mind. Maybe there will be better things from Elvis on the list, but this wasn't it
2.5 mostly lame old crooning Elvis with some bangers sprinkled in
Not loving this Elvis.
Not my favourite style of Elvis
At this stage of the game ('69), this is a career-defining album for Elvis. Cheesy songs, cheesy arrangements, cheesy background vocals and cheesy over-production. There's some truly awful stuff on here and there's not enough good stuff to save this album.
Don’t be a □ If the choice is Beatles or Elvis, I’m definitely a Beatles man. Hard to believe this came out anywhere near the Summer of Love.
After thoroughly enjoying my first Elvis album on the list, this was disappointing.
not a fan of elvis. this was listenable, but nothing I would need to hear again
Rhythm section was on point. Hard to take the rest of it seriously, though.
I was so bored. . . I get why the album is impactful, it's just not for me.
Not a big Elvis fan
Elvis is a mixed bag for me. My mom was a big fan, so I grew up hearing a lot of him. As I aged, I discovered I like his early work that was much more blues influenced rather than his later more country and gospel inspired work. This album is interesting, as it has a strong country influence, but the backing by a soul band gives it a sound that is distinctly different than most country albums.
Nice and bluesy. Feels just how I thought it would, and a departure from Elvis' earlier stuff. Not super compelling, but nice enough to put on in the background and not think about while still having substance enough to dissect.
Elvis is Ok. More than a tad overrated. This album bores me.
Elvis is an important enough musical figure to necessitate a spot on this list, despite how controversial his legacy is. That said, I'm not head over heels for what's been picked here. Wearin That Loved On Look, Power of my Love, and Any Day Now are my personal highlights, though I have less to say about them than I do my least favorite cuts. The Glen Campbell cover was a vast downgrade for one of my favorite songs I found last year, and Very White Man Elvis playing a song called In The Ghetto leaves a bad taste in my mouth even disregarding his past of allegedly stealing from black artists (I don't know the reality of the situation and I don't want to say something definitive one way or the other while uninformed).
If you couldn't hear me, it would look like I was singing along. I was yawning
The few people that rate this low probably saw the dislike button and thought it said "Dis I Like"!!!
Gaaab hvor er Elvis fra denne tidsperiode røvsyg. Det mest flødede intetsigende musik
Learned through this album that Dangerous Minds is an Elvis song and Dwight Yoakam Cover
Sadly, this was a bit underwhelming. Coming hot on the heels of Presley's 'legendary' 1968 Comeback Special, the album sees him stuck in the musical doldrums, still desperate to reestablish his relevance following years in the musical wilderness. This sad state of affairs had arisen due to two things: following his explosion onto the scene in 1956, his inexorable rise had been stopped in its tracks when he was drafted into the military, a sort of state imposed neutering of this dangerous individual. Second, his movie contract following the end of his military service led to a string of successful hits but few of any quality or substance. This at the time of the 'British invasion' and the development of a less deferential form of music in general had cut Elvis adrift from the musical zeitgeist. 'From Elvis in Memphis' just doesn't cut it. Though his voice is strong throughout, the songs and performances are largely pedestrian, though one near classic emerges in the final track, 'In the Ghetto'. I blame the malign presence of Tom Parker. What a shame!
Suspicious Minds: 🕺 Don't Cry Daddy: 🤢
I like me some Elvis, but I probably wouldn't pick this album to play. Fun to listen too. He sure sings about crying a lot.
Mostly awful and hard to get through. But afew saving moments. And some neat moments when I felt like I was in a movie and it was the soundtrack. Some long shot in a Quentin Tarantino movie...
I can’t really see myself listening to this again, but suspicious minds and in the ghetto were bops.
Easy listening background music. It's not bad music, just not my thing. Other than suspicious minds, none of the tracks particularly stood out. I think I would prefer his more bluesy/rocky stuff.
Sinatra followed by Elvis. Ironically, both albums are mostly made up of cover songs the famous crooners sang and made their own. In the Ghetto and maybe one or two others are the only original songs on the album. I respect the history and the story of Elvis, but he just doesn't do it for me. I went in with an open mind but nothing really wowed me. I wish I would have given Sinatra a three because in retrosepct, I liked it better than this one.
This sounds like Elvis just dialed in his performance. The band sounds like it’s made up of competent studio musicians, but not much soul. The album is chock full of forgettable songs and just got more boring as the album progressed. If it wasn’t for In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds, the two extremely well known hits, this album would be a complete and total dud to my ears.
Ik heb niet zo veel met Elvis. Suspicious minds is een goed nummer, maar de rest kan me echt heel weinig boeien. Ik moet zeggen dat tot nu toe 2024 nog niet echt lekker van start gaat met deze albums.
20/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 Suspicious Minds narrowly saved this from getting 1 star. It feels more like a consumer product than like art. Late Elvis felt more like a Vegas act than like the earlier version of himself.
Some good musicians, but bad material to work with, and Elvis should have just retired in the 50s
Interessiert mich irgendwie nicht
Some serious shit going on...in the ghettooooooo.
Filler with a big hit on the end. Very much of the "get along lil' doggie" variety of country-style pop music. I mean he has a great and distinctive voice, but there's not much else going on.
Don’t Cry Daddy is creepy AF. Otherwise pretty much your standard Elvis crooner fare. Meh.
I tried. I don't like him and never have, but don't deny his appeal and talent. Suspicious Minds is a stone cold banger. But the rest is a very light scrape against the church wall of gospel and soul. So syrupy and middle-of-the-road makes Tony Bennett sound like Motorhead. In the Ghetto and Daddy Don't Cry made me cringe so hard it's going to take a week to unfold myself.
Elvis is obviously an important figure in the history of modern popular music and this album marks a return to form after nearly a decade of mediocre film soundtracks. It is also heavily influenced by the Memphis scene. As important as Elvis was in the 50s, by 1969, rock and roll had left him far behind. For Elvis fans, it's undoubtedly a noteworthy album. But I am just not an Elvis fan.
Meh. I like the one song I knew (Suspicious Minds) but the rest felt really dated and cheesy.
More corny than anything. I do like Suspicious Minds, but most of the rest feels like bad Vegas music.
The longer this album went on, the less I liked it. Rock moved so fast that he was really left behind I guess. Like he skipped the dad rock phase of his career. Poor Elvis. I did like the band though as well as Suspicious Minds of course.
my grandma likes elvis. Saw him in concert apparently. I'm not a fan
Maybe I'm just tired but this album pretty much put me to sleep. Seems well-performed and well-recorded (though the production choice of switching drums and bass left/right between songs is really... Something), and it does a great job of showcasing his voice, which is probably the point. It's just sort of boring (and it's not like 1969 was a boring year for music in general).
Aside from the singles, most of this wasn't really enjoyable to me. I'm not really a fan of Elvis in general - I appreciate what he did for rock music and bridging the gap, but I just don't like listening to his music. I think I agree with most of the other reviewers in that "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds" are the standout tracks on the album. "Gentle On My Mind" was also nice to hear.
yes. that is what Elvis sounds like. everything went as expected and there was no last chance nick powell to save the day.
Where was Nick Powell at the back post? Feels like a missed opportunity.
Compared to early Elvis or even the comeback special this record has no balls. Tunes for the pop chart. He sounds like Cher.
meh tbh
2 songs are pretty good. Not bad for a weirdo that dated a 14 year old
oldschool
This isn’t one of my favorite Elvis albums.
Hopefully, this isn't the only Elvis album on the list, because In The Ghetto is the only track the has any heart whatsoever. I found the rest hollow and soulless.
It's fine. That's it, just fine. It's not something everyone must hear before they die. Suspicious Minds aside, the rest of the album just makes me shrug and then move onto something else.
It's Elvis. Nothing exciting. He's got a good voice. Not really different or mind blowing. It's got a very 60's feel to the music almost surfer music with tame blues.
Elvis aint for me. 2
According to Wikipedia, Elvis Presley is known as the "King of Rock and Roll." However, this album was unfortunately more country than anything else. While Elvis' sweet sweet vocals were absolutely moving, this album was not to my taste.
Not my scene. Lovely voice, but maudlin to the max.
Thanks, I hate it
not my fave, plenty of moments i wished i could just listen to the instrumental version of the songs. lots of repetition, I'll hold you in my heart was easily the best song on the album
my favorite songs were “Wearin’ That Loved On Look,” and “Suspicious Minds.” it was fine but that’s really it. just fine.
Some good stuff here and there, but it is overly saccharine and simplistic at times. Not awful by any stretch, but nothing that I'll ever return to.
Sounds a bit like Jim Reeves doing Elvis impersonations. Never quite understood why he morphed into this sugary soppy ballad singer - the rest of the world moved on.
Just ehh
I'm not an Elvis fan. Was wondering when I would get him. This wasn't bad but none of his hits were on this one. Still not a fan.
One banger. Mostly a bit slow and forgettable. Not his best.
Got a bit bored of this one, didn't enjoy it as much as elvis is back
it was Elvis. again.
It's just a bunch of samey rip-off tracks from rock and roll's cringey uncle. Why do I need to listen to this? It sounds like a watered-down version of every other Elvis album on this list. It just swings from unbearably bland to offensively vanilla and back again. Hard pass.
Not for me. At all
i mean, its not terrible
The music here is better than what you get in his movies. But I didn't find this album particularly strong. Unfortunately for Elvis, his cover of "Gentle on My Mind" pales in comparison to the Glen Campbell version, released a year earlier. "Suspicious Minds" was included in the album's re-release in 1998, but that's the "Vegas Elvis" with which I continue to struggle.
I've never really been a fan of Elvis, and this hasn't changed my opinion one bit. In The Ghetto is a lovely piece of music, albeit dated, and Power Of My Love at least has some pep to it. The rest is mawkish, clichéd saccharine gloop. I know, rationally, why Elvis was copied and idolised so much, but this feels like watching a drunk tribute act.
later Elvis, smooth voice, well played, but not really catching me
i just do not vibe with elvis i am sorry
eh
Elvis was never my thing. He's got a few songs I'll listen to, but mostly he was just a good voice. Stole music from a lot of people too.
No
Elvis is just not my thing
Couple of all-timers but not the best.
Learned a little more about Elvis after reading about and listening to this album. The music was slower and more emotional than I'm used to from Elvis. Didn't really like the listen through. In the Ghetto was the lowlight, but I get this album is 50+ years old.
Reminder, to any archaeologist in the year 3000 combing through these reviews: the scores I give are for how the album sounds now, in the year 2023. It doesn't matter if Elvis paved the way for this and that; if there are better options now, I'd rather listen to them. So even though women were throwing themselves at The King in the early 60s, in the modern age his music is tame and cheesy. On top of that, I really can't listen to his songs without thinking of the Black artists I could (should?) be listening to instead. It's not identity politics; I just don't want a watered-down version of the real thing. Anyway, at best it's a passable easy-listening album. It's pleasant enough that I won't complain if I hear it, but it's not something I'm gonna be queuing up. Two stars.
"The Power of My Love" song -- well, the ick is real. lol. "In the Ghetto" -- slightly laughable? I don't think church choir singing and lyrics about the ghetto intersect well. I can't help but giggle/chortle at this song: no disrespect. I like earlier Elvis but this isn't terrible. Not something I would listen to on my own without provocation. I can definitely half-listen to his album and not hate it. It's more pop sounding and less rock and roll. Perhaps more versatile than I give him credit for.
Wow. A LOT of people played on this. I only need Scotty Moore, Bill Black, DJ Fontana, and the King. Anything else is unnecessary. That said, Elvis still had his voice, and it's here. I just wish it was better backed.
Not really my cup of tea
2.5 out of 5
This isn't rock n' roll Elvis, its Vegas showroom crooning Elvis and its just not my cup of tea.
Had to skipp a lot of songs but overall it was alright
Good music. But at this point his singing, to me, is just a parody of himself. I don't get Elvis: never have, never will. I can understand early Elvis, but not the overdone-Vegas sound of his voice. An extra star because the music has aged better than the vocal style.
Hmmm
Don't feel like it does Elvis justice.
This is probably the quintessential Elvis record, at least in regards to most people's popular conception of Elvis before he got held hostage in Vegas and became a fat, drugged up, glittery mess (which to be fair wasn't even remotely his fault and I do sympathize with him a lot, especially after watching the very good recent biopic) I think I'm probably just going to have to reckon with that fact that I don't really care about Elvis outside of his big hits, the two of which that are on here being In The Ghetto and Suspicious Minds which are both excellent tracks worth the hype (especially the latter). The tracks quickly become tedious when listened to one after the other, especially as I don't personally find many of them to be particularly compelling as anything other than background noise. Which doesn't really help when my preferred method of listening (at least critically) is lying back and focusing entirely on the music) If you happen to be an Elvis fan and haven't check this out, fix that. Otherwise just stick to the hits, I'm always going to consider The King more a singles artist.
Well, it’s Elvis…
Man I liked some of them, but Elvis just isn't my cup of tea. I never liked his "crooning" too much, sounded forced. 2/5
Not poorly made, but not for me
okay
Elvis er eins og tómatsósa, óskiljanlega vinsæll og við myndum ekki sakna hans ef hann hyrfi einn daginn. Að því sögðu, þá er þetta fínt suðursálarcountry svo langt sem það nær, og smellirnir tveir (Ghetto minds) eru fínir. En Elvis sjálfur dregur þetta niður.
Suunniteltu livemusiikiksi: tarttuvien sävellysten sijasta levyn biisit ovat kliimakseihin kasvavia rakennelmia. Olisin mielelläni nähnyt esityksen.
Allt í lagi Elvis plata. Hann er ekkert uppáhald hjá mér.
Changed the world...but not in this album.
Some classic Elvis jams, listed this lower because I know he has batter
Ok. Nothing stood out. Feel like Elvis would be a lot better live than on record.
I’ve never bought this bullshit about how great comeback-Elvis was. Sun sessions Elvis was great. Leiber & Stoller Elvis was great. Religious Elvis was great. But this album is the prelude to Vegas Elvis, which generally leaves me cold. Big voice, big ballads and some terribly ordinary material. And when he does cover good songs that had already been hits for others, he crucifies them. Hank Snow’s I’m Movin On is a classic (listen to the version by Matt Lucas) and John Hartford’s Gentle On My Mind was a big hit for Glen Campbell, & even Aretha recorded it. But Elvis does nothing for these songs. I love In The Ghetto, and I have no idea how Suspicious Minds & Kentucky Rain missed the cut from the original album. This record just doesn’t do it for me.
It's just not for me
kid can sing, "Long Black Limousine" was good, a lot of the rest was schmatlzy and overdone
Boring, thanks god came Jerry Lee Lewis
Not bad, would listen to some of these songs again, lots of new ones!
Favourite song - In the ghetto Sing in the shower - In the ghetto One for a swim - I'll hold you in my heart. Fella just isn't my cup of tea.
Not an Elvis fan
Yeah I just don’t get Elvis. Maybe he was super charming or something but without the context and the visual it seems like pub signer covers songs. The Ghetto almost push it up to mediocrity but not quite.
2 tracks of worth. The rest is achronistic (syc)
Skipped.
just hard for me to care for elvis idk
2.4 - decent listen. Suspicious Minds is a solid track. Won’t be revisiting soon.
the last thing my mental state needs is listening to an elvis album. As someone who grew up listening to 90s and 2000s counterculture music this sounds like the source for every backwards deconstruction of rock n' roll tropes. If I didn't know for a fact that 90% of elvis' music was stolen from people lower on the social ladder than him this would be interesting to me. Otherwise it is a boring relic of the past that doesn't stand up to the present in a way that Pet sounds, Velvet Underground & Nico, or Close to the edge do. 3.1/10
The theme was almost all the same. Album was not very interesting. Fun extra instruments. Other works by him are more enjoyable. Not a fan of the vibrato.
I get it. It’s Elvis. Like him or not.
I've never been a big Elvis fan to begin with, and this album didn't change my mind. The songs were ho-hum.
I don't have much of an opinion either way with Elvis but on this album there were some good tracks, a couple of great ones and then a bit meh.
Some classics, goes on a bit
Elvis är så förbannat tråkig
Is this your way of Promoting the new Elvis movie? Anyway, I'm not too crazy about Elvis' music, but this wasn't bad at all. While it was decent for what it was, I honestly don't see myself returning to it anytime soon.
Not enough variation, too many croony ballads (my least favourite type of Elvis song). Also, In the Ghetto is incredibly pretentious, pandering, and borderline offensive. Wild that it's the only hit from this.
Not the king's best album
Fenomenu Elvisa nigdy nie docenię. Rozumiem, że on znaczył coś innego dla poprzednich pokoleń, ale w dzisiejszych czasach pełnych świetnej muzyki słuchanie Elvisa jest dla mnie straszliwie nudne. Brzmi jakby to była jedna piosenka przez cały album. Nieprzyjemne to nie jest, więc 1 nie dam, ale niesamowite nudziarstwo. Highlight - In The Ghetto.
There's some classics on there and I can see how Elvis was a so radical and moving for so many people in the 60s but I just find most of his stuff so cringey and boring. Especially this album maybe the rock and roll I find more interesting and fun but this is such a bore.
i don’t know elvis has never been up my alley which i realize isn’t great because he is one of the most influential singers but i don’t really know it’s just eh some of the songs were alright but
Well, it's Elvis again. There comes a point in a lot of the more/most famous artists in which I wonder whether the album is considered important or great in and of itself or simply due to the artist? Is it even possible to distill the difference at some point? Probably not - so...the music. I like it quite a bit more than the previous/much older Elvis release. The more up-tempo songs are decent; notably the first track "Wearin' That Loved On Look" which according to wiki was the first track Elvis recorded that had electric bass. Gave it a more modern (for the time) rock feel. Songs in that up-tempo/blues ilk I liked well-enough (e.g. "Power Of My Love"); the slower ones just are really not that good. And ok yeah it's "ELVIS" but are these really groundbreaking or even any good or distinctive? Do they stand out as "better" than anything actually original (Elvis never wrote anything as far as I know) or was it his good-lookin'-white-dude bona fides that got him here? Going down a different path with that line of thinking :) to be sure so again all I can rate is the music. It's fine, it's ok, but for this style I'd rather listen to Little Richard or Chuck Berry or Roy Orbison. 5/10 2 stars
A classic but nothing stood out to me too much (perhaps wasn't listening closely enough)
Hmm terrible pathos riven drivel
Elvis was a bit shit really wasn't he?
Overall better than earlier Elvis that we have listened to, but still not something I would ever choose to put on. Got really repetitive towards the end. 2.5/5
Another album with annoyingly extreme left/right separation of instruments.
Just semmosta mitä odotinkin tällä vähäisellä Elvis-tietämykselläni
Easy listening but let's not pretend Elvis wasn't 95% filler (a percentage so high just because of the amount he churned out) and this album is no different. 'In the Ghetto' is obviously a classic but there's nothing else here to get too excited about.
Best Song: Suspicious Minds. At least this one seems to have a bit of hubris? it isn't just more of Elvis's overwhelming "you'll love me no matter what" ego. Worst Song: Only The Strong Survive. The chorus of "only the strong survive" is wholly undermined when the verses reveal that he's actually talking about girls not loving him, not any actual hardship. Overall: Maybe Elvis is a "you had to be there" type of talent. Listening now, I just find myself thinking that there are so many better musicians who can produce this type of music with much more authenticity. Elvis's music sounds like it was stolen, overproduced, and then sold back as a safe and sanitized version of something that ought to have been more raw. He sings like he's playing with house money.
It was fine. I'm not an Elvis fan but it wasn't a bad listen.
Yeah it's Elvis, I get it. It was nice background music but I didn't love it.
Ну вроде ничего так, долбит нормально. Не зацепило, видимо, еще не доросла.
Sigh....Elvis. The King of Rock & Roll. Master entertainer and appropriator of culture. This isn't going to be fun, but I am going to do my best to be objective. This album is an offering of Mr Presley performing a velvety mix of blues, country and soul. The instrumentation is on point. From the string sections in Only The Strong Survive to the honky-tonk piano in It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin', the King may not have earned his crown, but he sure knew how to keep good company. For this writer, however, the musicianship was the only thing putting me through this album. I've never cared much for Elvis to begin with, and the range of styles explored here, extensive as they may be, did little to hold my attention. Give me Chuck Berry any day. I'd rather Johnny B. Goode, because Elvis be bad.
Ich komme auf Elvis‘ Musik nicht klar. In The Ghetto ist ein Bringer.
alright. elvis overrated xx
Not a big fan of this album. Suspicious Minds, however, is a classic.
Very schmaltzy, and not musically interesting enough to make me come back to it.
Sure it is Elvis but that doesn't make it good. It isn't even his best songs. I didn't really enjoy this set of songs.
Lhkhk
Kolejne spotkanie z panem Elvisem, no i kolejny komebek, tym razem powrot od tworzenia muzyczek pod soundtraczki, a nagrywanie tego co pan presley chcialby nagrywac, jako artysta presley to glownie wokal i gitarka, ewentualnie klawisz, wiec kompozycje ktore spiewa sa oparte o klasyczne numery lub tez wielcy lirycy tworzyli dla niego traczki na zamowienie, skoro muzyka popularna to wiadomo, ze wiekszosc kawalkow to beda ballady milosne szczesliwe lub smuteczkowe, ale milosne, bo taki motyw przewodni muzyki popularnej, ktorej elvis jest niekwestionowanym krolem, no i jak to bywa w takich nagraniach na liscie wykonawcow widnieje 30 nazwisk, ktore przewijaja sie przez caly material, cecha charakterystyczna albumu sa soulowe chorkowania na prawym kanale, czemu tylko na prawym, nie mam pojecia, ale tak zmasterowany material, ze wokale backujace slychac tylko z prawego w tym wypadku, a z pewnoscia nie jest to wydanie mono, bo wokal glowny jest podzielony na dwa kanaly, ale instrumenty maja swoje miejsce na danym kanale, ktorego nie opuszczaja, a jednych trakach daje to calkiem dobry efekt, jak na only the strong survive, wyjatkiem od reguly prawego kanalu jest gentle on my mind, gdzie chorkowanie slychac na lewym, no i meskie glosy backujace tam sie pojawiaja, na tym materiale bardziej czuc soulowego funka niz country rocka, co jak dla mnie jest zaskoczeniem jako elvisowego ignoranta, ale jednak na plejke dodam traczka raczej gospelowego czyli zamykajacy orgianlne wydanie in the ghetto, ktory wyroznia sie tematycznie sposrod reszty traklisty, bo jednak zycie i umieranie gettowe to lekkie oderwanie od motywu lowu lowu, drugim kawalkiem bedzie im movin on, czyli cos bardziej klasycznie countrowego, a nawet honky tonkowego, wydanie spotifajowe to jakis dziwny kompromis pomiedzy orginalnym, a cdkiem z 98, bo zawiera 16 traczkow na 50 minutach, a nie jak orginal 12 w 36, ale brak mu dwoch kawalkow do pelnego cdka, lepiej sie tego sluchalo niz elvis is back, ale jednak czuc, ze material ma ponad 50 lat, a nagrywany byl jak byl i teraz mozna tylko maskowac tworzac takie pseudo mono wydania
The king bored me.
It's Elvis. You either like it or you don't.
Elvis’ voice goes back and forth between really good and hilarious because of the prevalence of Presley parodies. Led Zeppelin already existed at this point so he doesn’t get a +1 for Robert Plant loving him.
This record felt about twice as long as it actually was, and I didn't even listen any to bonus tracks that weren't Suspicious Minds. The Memphis Boys have a nice sound that Elvis' voice complements well, but after three or four love songs in a row, it gets a little exhausting staying at the Heartbreak Hotel. None of it's outright bad, but as an album, it's a bit of a rough listen. Key Tracks: In the Ghetto
In the Ghetto is amazing, but culture has changed and as much as I love Elvis’ voice in many ways this album does not stand up today in terms of content
Elvis has an incredible voice. I feel like its not what he is most remembered for, but it can be velvety smooth when used well. The trouble is, he overdoes it at times. If his velvety deep voice is like a warm blanket, sometimes Elvis throws an extra blanket on top and smothers you with it. The songs on this album that lean more into the blues are the standouts, but I'm not feeling the honky-tonk.
Fine as background to our Memorial Day bbq conversations, but I was underwhelmed by this particular album
I don’t know what to say other than this album is mostly boring. The opening song, Wearin’ That Loved On Look, is by far the most interesting song. I’m Movin’ On is also not that bad. A common connection between the two songs is the bass guitar is a driving part of each song. I’ll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms) is soooooo slooooooowwww. It reminds me of the Apollo 13 scene where their cassette player’s batteries are dying. Get on with it already. I was expecting some blues based, hip shaking, rock and roll, and this album is not that. I guess it was an attempt to demonstrate that Elvis was more than a hip shaking heartthrob, but it’s just a slower, more intimate snooze fest.
I prefer early rock n’ roll Elvis to this. “Suspicious Minds” is pretty great but “In The Ghetto” is overrated and the rest is mostly forgettable.
trochę jakbym słuchał cały czas tej samej piosenki, bardzo mało się zmienia
Buiten de bekende nummers als suspicious minds vond was dit toch geen hoogvlieger.
Genuine talent but in a genre and time that I care little about.
It’s Elvis. You know what your getting. I don’t find it exciting unfortunately. 2 Stars
The Danzig covers are better. Also, what's with the random fade-out at 3:30 in suspicious minds? Sounds like the producer's hand slipped but he just kept it on there
The album started off slow but then picked up as I listened. Loved Kentucky Rain and Suspicious Eyes. I’m not an Elvis fan but he does have some great lyrics that will have you humming for hours and hours.
4.5
god damnit do i have to? The guitar work has some nice fills on only the strong survive. bleh
Not my favorite singer
I’m a bit mixed. I like some Elvis. I love his voice. I didn’t dig this album.
Surprised I disliked this. It was annoying with the sliding, drunk-sounding voice
the king didnt do it for me
2.5
I couldn't get through it (though I did listen to most of it). The music was not very interesting to me and the lyrics ranged from generic to questionable or cringey.
I don't think Elvis holds up all that well in 2021.
The best parts of this album are the instrumental breaks. Best track: I'm Movin' On
Definitely not his best. Memphis orchestration, though usually great, is way too much here. His covers just make me want to hear the originals (Only the Strong Survive - Jerry Butler, Any Day Now - Chuck Jackson). In the Ghetto was offensive at the time, horrible now. He still had his voice though.
i feel nothing
This is the kind of Elvis music you listen to in the lobby of a casino in Vegas that is about to drain your bank account and make you live in the sewers under Vegas. It is dreadfully aged even at release. I am not the biggest Elvis fan but I feel like there are better examples of his music. 1 I hated it.
Stolen music with the heart ripped out. "Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant sh*t to me"
Man fuck Elvis. He had a hell of a band, but nah.
suck hot shit man
Elvis - he can sing, of course. He was a star, of course. But not my cup of tea.
1/5
So, so boring
soooo cheeeeesy
Elvis and company sing at you from the bottom of a deep well
Elvis is ass I hate him
Cheesy nonce
Utter cock
wella wella wella weeeeeell it's Rick and Morty tiiiiiiiime
1. look - 1 2. ztrong - 1 3. heart - 1 4. black - 2 5. hurting - 2 6. moving - 1 7. pouuer - 1 8. mind - 1 9. loving - 2 10. travelz - 1 11. day - 1 12. ghetto - 2 13. mindz - 2 14. cry - 1 15. rain - 2 16. mama - 2
Stole it all from black performers
ELVIS STOLE MUSIC FROM THE GODS AND GAVE IT TO WHITES. FOR THIS HE WAS CHAINED TO A ROCK AND ROLLED FOR ETERNITY.
kein elvis presley fan wegen mama idk
didnt wanna listen to it sorryyyyy 🤗
elvis more like alvisn... and the chimpnuks ;)
Such a talented and versatile artist. His songs range from slow and groovy to upbeat and lively. Fav song is Suspicious Minds’.
There are a couple songs that are perfectly fine, but I thought most of the album was just bad.
I've no idea how this landed at the time, but today this just sounds like a cabaret pastiche. Disappointing. Whatever magic Elvis may or may not have had, by this time it'd long gone.
Oli miten legenda tahansa mutta tämä on aivan hirveää, musiikin ja taiteen irvikuvaksi nimitettävää kuraa. Voi hyvä taivas sentään. Miten tämä on voinut olla myyvää ja legendaarista. Yäk! Todella raskasta kuunnella mutta sinnittelin. 1/5
It’s fine - doesn’t really have any uptemp stuff. Feels similar to the Sinatra album “In the wee small hours” rather mopey and bland for the most part. Won’t be back to this one.
An old head of cabbage.
elvis's voice is only tolerable when someone is doing an impression of him
Nem tento ouvir.
Overrated rubbish.
Heard Before? Maybe? I've heard a lot of Elvis. Notes: - songs range from serviceable to brilliant, mostly ok. - arrangements are powerful and creative. - band is on fire and Elvis is in decent form. - but lord up in heaven, what is going on with the mix??? bass, snare, and ride waaaay in the front, everything else buried in mud and Elvis singing into what sounds like a grain silo. Verdict: Forgettable except for the truly awful mix. A sin and a shame. Listen Again? Yikes! No way!
Maybe a 1.5
there were one or two good ones but just not a huge fan of elvis
just not for me. power of my love is a stand out, though.
I value Elvis and his music is fabulous, but this album is not the best of Elvis, sad songs. Does not portray his full potential.
This sucked so much. It was painful to listen to and I hated it.
must i? i mean honestly, must i!?? i don't think i like elvis from the little i've heard generally, but i especially do not like him here. i don't like how he sings. the way he garbles out the lines is off-putting to me. maybe his earlier records are tolerable beyond the hype, but for a 1969 album, this feels dated by 10-20 years at least. this is his 10th studio album yet it is This generic creatively? like what are we doing here? he's just kinda hooting and hollering over some incredibly basic instrumentation. he went to memphis seeking the southern soul sound, but Where Is It, elvis? it ain't here!
if elvis has no haters then i must be dead.
I don’t have much to say about this. I just don’t like it.
No mistaking that voice.
I HATE ELVIS FUCK THIS GUY I DONT WANNA LISTEN TO THIS DAMN COLONIZER
Yeah, no.
Power of my love made me so uncomfortable. I know Elvis's singing voice is very unique not sure I'm all that into. I've heard too many impersonations to really enjoy him singing tbh.
not a fan
i don’t like elvis
I don't particularly like Elvis
Not for me.
pee do do 👎🏻
#35 Not my style, slow tempo, let's move on 😪
3/10 Best songs: Wearin' That Loved On Look, Power of My Love, Kentucky Rain Late-era Elvis. A little too down-tempo for me - the ballads are almost universally dull. Honestly outstays its welcome.
Probably historic - but to me it sounds like a white guy appropriating black music.
Not too exciting
I'm not even listening to this. I don't like Elvis.
Continua la streak negativa...
Beautiful production & some great vocals but damn I hate Elvis.
Elvis, need I say more in my defense and disgust?
I liked the first song, but after that, it went downhill. Not to my liking.
It‘s simply awful.
Not a fan. Can't stand gospel, country and soul sounds. My mom loved Elvis I guess, but I don't remember her playing it when I was a kid really. But I do not. That crooning is too much.
To me, this album sounds like the textbook definition of "has-been". How anyone could release this two years after the Summer of Love and think it’s still relevant is a mystery. Even in 1969, this was already music for old people. There’s a definite lack of enthusiasm and energy in this album. Presley’s voice has lost its smoothness, and he sounds like he’s constantly mumbling or yawning. The music is average and conventionnal, never displaying any kind of emotion. Add the country vibe into the mix and that’s a recipe for boredom for me... A couple of songs were slightly less bland (like Power Of My Love, where you can almost feel Elvis wake up), but that’s about it. I tried really hard to give it a 2* out of respect for a historical figure of music... but I just can’t, there’s absolutely nothing that excites me in this album.