Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Shout out to my Gram… I know she probably loved this album. Favorite: Blue moon
Can see why some of these songs, particularly Blue Moon would have gotten you laid. Iconic.
Iconic stuff. Super ahead of its time when it's great, and kinda sappy when it's not. Overall a pretty good listen though.
Some greats on here. I'm surprised he did Tutti Frutti so fast, it felt a little overdone.
Actually not terrible. First time I’ve listened to a full elvis album and surprisingly it is not that bad
Elvis' first album did not include his most popular songs of the time such as Heartbreak Hotel, Love Me Tender, Don't Be Cruel and Hound Dog because they had already been released as singles. As a general rule, an album has been an afterthought in the music business. It was Sgt. Pepper's that made the album viable as artistic expression and a commercial product.
I'm not an Elvis fan, so I fully expected to hate this. However, it actually turned out to be a decent, fairly enjoyable listen.
Elvis' first album I think. Interesting he hasn't locked into that signature Elvis sound on a few lines. Cool to hear, though not my top favorite Elvis album
Surprising variety on this album. Interesting to hear the so-young Elvis. I liked it, all told.
It passes the threshold test of not being boring. I think it was the first time I really realized that Elvis was a rip off. He took somebody else’s sound and mainstreamed it.
Elvis, Elvis Presley ★︎★︎★︎/ ︎★︎★︎★︎★︎★︎ Dammit, there's not a single song by The Clash on this whole-ass record. I've been had. Right, I get it. Father of your rock'n'roll. Maybe the first rock star, right? Kinda a non-dangerous rockabilly. My review: It's fine. Elvis, whether or not he's your hero, never meant much to me. So, like John Wayne, I just let his enjoyers do their thing. Is he all that much more than a sexy Pat Boone, when we ask ourselves seriously? Like a girlfriend said when I pulled the other Elvis's records off her shelf, "Elvis Costello, I sure thought he was important [in the 70s/80s]... Was he though?" And that's where I file Presley. We sure a lot of us thought he was important.
It was all right
Tænkte meget på den scene i ELVIS hvor der zoomes ind på Tom hanks h or han siger “he’s… white???” Anyway der er nogle fede nok numre på, næsten alle lavet bedre af andre. Rip Elvis men Ray Charles’ I Got A Woman >>>>>>>
Surely an important album.
So this was mixed. First song up, 2nd too low on energy for me. The third was good, but probably made John Lee Hooker cry (Howlin' Wolf?). Next song was painful, then a rockabilly up song. I understand this was influential, and do not argue with its inclusion. I'm just not a huge fan of Elvis for more than a song or two, and some of it is gratingly unpleasant.
The fast songs are fun enough, the ballads are a bit dull. But at the end of the day, this is just a bunch of covers of songs that were done better by the original artists. Tutti Frutti, in particular, pales into comparison with the original.
Old Elvis is pretty nostalgic. Nice listen. His voice is always very solid, no gems though, not a massive fan but can appreciate it.
Deserves a lot of credit for brining rock and roll to the masses, but at the end of the day it is a album of covers. Ignoring the racial undertones, most of the versions are not as good as the originals, with the exception of "Blue-Sued Shoes."
3.5 stars.
I already knew that the cover of The Clash's London Calling was based on the cover of this Elvis album, but I didn't find that out for years. Decades, even, and the first thing I think of when I see this is how I missed the reference for so long. Rock's cultural relevance has steeply declined in the 21st century, so I can't truthfully say that this inaugurated the *current* cultural era, but the first half of my life was spent in the long wake of this initial boom. That said, I was expecting this to bang a little harder. I kinda hate his vocal phrasing sometimes.
Rock and Roll wouldn't be what it is today without its first superstar
Entraînant, dansant. Mais un peu répétitif. Puis bon coucher avec des mineurs... nope !
joah klassisch elvis
Etwas altbacken, trotzdem ein entspannter Vibe, der mal ganz cool ist
It was alright, for a cover album. The black guys did it better though
It lacks any of the personality you might find in the songs that are covered here.
Même si c'est un incontournable, ce n'est pas l'album que je vais écouter tous les quatre matins. Mais il fait le job et il a un petit goût de nostalgie. On peut pas mettre de virgule donc je mets 3 étoiles mais je lui rajoute quand même son 1/2 point.
Good but ultimately nothing to write home about.
This is okay, but sounds and feels really dated in 2025.
klassisk! Ikke min stil men klart en klassiker! 3
Not the genre i usually listen to, but it was quite vibey and relaxing
what can i say... its elvis :) positively surprised by the 'i love you because' duet, bit corny but hey let me have it 'just because' is also very fun. not the biggest fan of the style but probably iconic and important for pop music history idk
I thought this album would be repetitive with similar sounding songs such as the Beatles earlier work, but it's actually quite varied and each song is short enough not to get tiring
Elvis the Pelvis covers Kanye West.
there are a few songs that are definitely bangers on this album. I’m not the biggest Elvis fan, so I am not going to leave it great scores. But if you like Elvis, this is a hard hitting album.
An incredibly EASY listen that never graduates beyond that. Melodic and fun for sure, but does almost go in one ear and out the other.
Blue suede shoes is the only real standout Baseline for 50s “rock” I’m a pretty huge Elvis guy but this doesn’t do it for me…
***A good album
Este álbum está en la lista por el significado histórico que tiene. Eso es indudable. Ahora bien, eso no quita que haya discos de esta época mucho mejores que este. Por ejemplo, algunos álbumes de Chuck Berry o Little Richard. Sólido. 3'5/5
Blue Suede Shoes is great. Guitar on it is special. Rest of album is generic.
Feels like a bunch of Elvis b-sides. I didn't hate any of the songs, they just seemed unpolished and off-the-cuff
3.5, capaz un poco mas por lo que generó, pero tiene mejores
This album has some great songs on it, as well as a good deal of filler and sappy ballads. The rockers are great though.
Realized how vanilla bubble gum Elvis was (at least early on) with his souless covers of Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman” and Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” on this album. Would prefer to give this a 2.5 but will settle for a 3.
It's a fun album that really captures that 50's vibes. Obviously influential. Fav track: "Blue Suede Shoes" 2.5/5
Decent
Average
Wait so I got a woman is a cover of the song that Kanye samples for gold digger
like everything else by elvis, this is fine... blue moon is lovely
Pretty good, not my favorite music but the og rock and roll
De primeras no me ha pillado en el mood, creo que en otro momento habria sido mas disfruton porque tiene pontecial, suena muy divertido. Luego cuando se ha relajado ha entrado mejor, pero con varias canciones seguidas empieza a sonar demasiado repetitivo para escuchar de forma activa y se hacce bueno para tener de fondo bajito, para el fornite buen acompañante. Destacable para un mood de bajon "I love you Because" Se que no esta mal pero hoy no es el dia
It's elvis singing other people's songs
Pretty rock and roll
Inoffensive but pleasant. Favorite track: Tutti Frutti
Opening with Blue Suede Shoes was very powerful, and must have knocked people’s socks off back in 1956. It’s a good thing Elvis was hot, because he does some weird ass stuff with his voice they wouldn’t fly if he was an uglier dude. Hard to be objective about the debut album of one of the biggest artists of all time, especially as the album format wasn’t really the thing back then. This was fine, heard them all before, some ballads some fancier numbers. Alright!
I don't really like Elvis, but I will admit this album is not bad. It isn’t great either, though. It is average. This would have been a bigger deal if I had been alive when it came out.
I really like some of Elvis' songs but this album, not really. Some songs are good (albeit quite basic R&R) but none are written by Elvis so he does not get any marks for song-writing. He is "just" a singer, but with a real signature sound so that's good. Of course, Elvis was very influential so I assume this album belongs on the list. A generous 3 on this one.
hips don’t lie
The poster boy for whitewashing rhythm & blues. Big Mama Thornton and Sister Rosetta Tharpe did it better, louder and first.
Great to hear the first album. Don't really understand the lyrics of most of the songs however I see the influence in music still today. Will probably give it a listen once a year
Énorme classique, j’ai passé un très bon moment Même si certaines musiques sont en dessous et moins mon genre
adouwadouwap
exciting, but his voice feels a bit grating at times
A musician who was extremely impactful during his time, searheading the rock and roll genre as we know it. With the rich history behind his story, I can't help but appreciate his work. However, I am not a huge fan of his sound. I found his voice to be incredibly unique and appreciated how he used it in a non-traditional way. But, some of the songs felt like filler, with only a few sticking with me. It is an okay album.
I felt fine about this. It's weird to hear a lot of songs that I've heard by other artists who did it better. To be honest, I know he contributed to rock, but he's basically a lit review in comparison to original research
time capsule right here. I love the singing, I love the sound of the band. solid musicianship. songs are a bit boring for me tho. neat but I'll never listen to it again.
Short, intense barrage of tracks short and varied tracks. I'm not the biggest Elvis fan, but it's hard not to be somewhat entertained.
Only a couple of his big hits here
Early Elvis
I enjoy a good Elvis record so that was good but not my favorite. I think that I like his older music more.
I do see where the Elvis hype came from! Kinda jammin. At the very least vibin. Nothing that stands out too much still, though.
One of the most deserving albums to be on this list? Oh yeah certainly. Maybe one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, just in terms of influence. But this music is just fine! I don't think I'll ever seek Elvis out intentionally outside of New Vegas.
Solid collection of tunes, but definitely not as incendiary as it would've been in 1956, when Elvis could quirk his hips and every pair of panties the nation over would fly off.
None of these songs were in lilo & stitch 🤔
Elvis doing his thing here. Which is not my thing but I respect the game. He keeps such incredible energy although I will never forgive him for his mangling Tutti Frutti the way he does. Truly a landmark album and probably one of the most historically important on this list.
I liked it. It reminded me of my grandma.
One cannot deny the influence this album had on future generations of artists. It also brought exposure to artists that may not have made the mainstream music of the day, because they would not have received the radio play that this album received. All and all, it is a pretty good album that is fun to spin now and again.
Pretty good. Not my favourite from Elvis or from that period of rock n roll. Good album though some nice songs on there.
I tried this 1001 albums challenge in 2020 but the chronological way. I remember somewhat digging Sinatra's Wee Hours but really loving this record when it came next. I was 13 then and now I'm almost 19. While I acknowledge that Elvis is a legend in his own right, half of these songs are just songs to me. I did enjoy when he went into a more soulful slow approach. But other than that, it's straight 50s rock and roll. It's not bad but it's nothing too mind-blowing unless you were hearing it for the first time when it released. He is the king though (5/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Difficult to rate this objectively. It isn't as good as the best rock and roll records (Little Richard) but it isn't total manufactured slop either. Blue Suede Shoes is obviously great. Elvis was a distinctive singer and a fantastic performer. He genuinely had the rock star je ne sais quoi, so it isn't surprising he became mega famous. He wasn't just an attractive white face being used to market Black music to middle America. But that was an inescapable aspect of his success. He was also yet another person on this list who had questionable relationships with girls who were much too young. On its merits, this stands up relatively well, so I guess it's a 3.
It's surprising that each song is barely over 2 minutes long. The music is slower paced than I expected, and seems so toned down without the background screams of teenaged fans.
Great singing, but song structure sounds dated by this point.
3/5 Elvis has better material but this is was ok. Love that blue moon cover.
One of the early rock n roll classics. But I’m going to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Elvis, I certainly wouldn’t downplay his significance but as far as early rock acts go I generally prefer Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc. While nothing here is bad, in fact most of it is good, many of these songs I prefer the originals to Elvis’ renditions (the most glaring example is “Tutti Frutti”) but I am a fan of “Blue Swede Shoes” that’s a good one.
It’s good. I like the music from this era, but not my favorite
É difícil, e injusto, avaliar/ julgar os discos de Elvis Presley, depois de se ter ouvido a produção de rock dos anos seguintes (meados dos anos 1960 e tudo que veio a seguir), mas sua importância como desbravador e pedra fundamental de um gênero de musica que viria a ser o mais importante, em termos de consumo, não pode ser desprezada.
Sort of impossible to listen to an album of what were mostly at the time and now are standards and come away truly wowed. As thieves of Black music go, he's no Page & Plant, but I enjoyed it well enough. Great cover tho.
Must have caused a sensation when it was released. Felt like a time capsule.
Thoughts before listening: Elvis is one of those artists where everybody knows him, including all the hit songs, but I for one never actually listen to him. I'm never sitting around thinking "you know what, I'd really like to listen to some Elvis." So in that sense, I'm excited to have to listen to an album. Review: I mean its Elvis. Its going to be enjoyable. This is his debut album so its rockabilly/rock n roll Elvis and not Vegas headliner Elvis which is a good thing. His faster songs are the ones that work best for me with the ballads coming off as too old school sounding or something. In general, while his voice is certainly iconic, it also can grate on me at times, and this is especially true on the slow songs. Favorite songs: "Blue Suede Shoes", "I Got a Woman", "Just Because", and the one exception to my ballad opinion "Blue Moon". I'll give this 3-stars.
Headspace Radio Broadcasting. Thank you for tuning in. Today, the topic for all our show is: Elvis Presley. *radio static, switching to another station* the familiar synth jingle of the Weather Station rang from the radio. "This is London Calling: there's a big storm happening today evening in somewhere. Beware of possible deaths that may occur during childbirth, especially if the child is a firstborn." the station was switched again. eerie music slowly unravelled itself. "Now reporting from Supernatural FM. Today, the debut album of Elvis has left the building... and entered my listening challenge. What do you have to say, Mr. Joe Strummer... oh, there's no answer from the afterlife? im a pretty terrible psychic." Sound and Legacy, everybody's favourite talk show, follows a brief heavy metal riff. "And let us reach the 3rd time where i quote a line from my "The Chronic" review: 'Shite Politics'. I mean, S-H-I-T-E P-O-L-I-T-I-C-S. DO NOT underestimate some music's cultural influence just because it whitewashed things. Without Elvis we won't be able to have the Beatles and everything else. You know, only Little Richard and Chuck Berry is not enough..." with betting adverts, came SKY Radio Sports. "Manchester City scores! Phil Foden, what a pretty shot! The citizens probably are singing 'Blue Moon' on the terrance now!" it's now Legacies, where people discuss music, mainly classic rock. "It's pretty useless to underrate the importance of a cover song just because the original have 'passion' and 'soul', as you heard in the versions of Hallelujah, Jeff did this beautifully rendition and has more emotion oozing from his voices but WHY STILL VALUE LEONARD COHEN?" The radio switched back to the Main station. "Admit it, its of course not as good as radiohead. So give it a 3 and end the whole headspace thing." 3/5
1. Blue Suede Shoes - 9 Great sound. This is Elvis' debut album and this is about as strong track you could open the album with. There's a few times where a band or artist who reaches the highest heights start with an absolute classic. "Rock and Roll Star" by Oasis comes to mind as an example but this song is one as well. Really great tempo and all around excellent sound. For the era, it is without little doubt as to why Elvis was so popular and I do believe this has stood the test of time quite well. 2. I'm Counting On You - 5 Much slower song. Not really my style and I'm not very fond of his vocals on the chorus. The background singers makes this feel too much like The Pops as opposed to rock and roll. 3. I Got a Woman - 9 Classic track. My favourite version of this song is the one Ray Charles did, but this is just a great sound to an absolute old time classic of a song. Sound is great and drum is the star of the show here. Really enjoyable track. 4. One-Sided Love Affair - 8 Reminds me of boogie woogie piano style music at the beginning. Really solid swing music which Elvis really became known for. Lyrically it is very good. You will find yourself tapping your foot subconsciously to this. 5. I Love You Because - 6 Pretty sweet love song. Really slower tone, even more so than I Got a Woman. Still, Elvis' vocals are a lot better on this track than on I Got a Woman. All around a solid song. 6. Just Because - 7 Pretty strong opening verse. Instrumentally this is a very enjoyable listen as the instruments are given a good amount of space to have a small jam session for 20-30 seconds between the two verses. Choruses aren't even separated by a tone or shift in a drumline like modern songs. Good track. 7. Tutti Frutti - 7 Great swing to the song but the chorus is a bit strange lyrically. Puts a lot of stress on the instrumentals to deliver but of course they do in spectacular fashion. If there were an unserious track on the album, this would be that track. 8. Trying to Get You - 8 Elvis sounds incredible on this track. Really get a true understanding of his true vocal on this track and it's such an enjoyment. This might be the best thing on the album that actually showcases the full scale of how talented he was. 9. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 7 Overall a good song. Another one of these blues inspired love songs that Elvis really became famous for. The guitars between the verses and choruses sounds fantastic. 10. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - 6 Real slower song. You get small hint of Elvis right at the end but the song is way to melancholic for the album. If there was a track on the album that really struggled to highlight Elvis' talent then this would be that track. 11. Blue Moon (Take 9/M) - 4 The octave and pitch changes are too extreme on this track to really enjoy the slower pace of it. Lyrics are fine and there's not much in terms of instrumentals to pick at, which is fine, but when coupled with the constant peaks and valleys of Elvis here it just makes the track seem like a wash over. 12. Money Honey - 7 Lyrically a good tack and pretty much exactly what the album needed in terms of how it should have ended. The guitar really highlights what that instrument is even capable of doing. It's a great chord that really highlights the change that music was undergoing with an artist like Elvis. Solid track. Average Rating: 6.9 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 3.45 Rounded Down: 3 stars
As a certified Elvis hater, I didn't hate this. The Tutti Frutti cover is abysmal and I despise Elvis's slow songs, but the rest was alright.
I felt my arteries clogging with peanut butter, jelly and bacon sandwiches.
Gostei deste álbum, não o conhecia na totalidade. Descobri com este álbum que uma música que adoro teve como base a I Got a Woman. Depois fui procurar e percebi que não era original do Elvis mas sim do Ray Charles.
I've been a bit soured on Elvis ever since I understood that most of his music was appropriating that of black artists. It is evident here in "Tutti Frutti" and "I Got A Woman" amongst others. Elvis' singing is undoubtedly great, like a stuttered tremolo. It does get a bit tiring after a while, with many of the songs a similar tempo. It probably would have been better as dance/background music rather than sitting and listening intently as I did. As immensely important as this first Elvis record is, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. An exception is "Blue Moon" which remains one of my favorite songs ever.
Obviously a massive album. Doesn't have the raw excitement it had in it's day but still holds up as a fun listen
I think this suffers the same problem as the Crickets album - both very stuck in their time, a time so far removed from pop of the modern day. Though this is more enjoyable than the Crickets album and it should definitely be on this list, not sure I'll listen to this again.
A mix of very up tempo songs (such as the iconic Blue Suede Shoes) with slower ballads (such as the iconic Blue Moon) - all well-performed, although the sound recording quality varies. Includes a mix of covers and originals. This album was therefore not very cohesive, which makes sense since the record company threw together songs trying to capitalize on Elvis' rapidly growing fame. It was an enjoyable album but probably not one I would buy or listen to again.
I know I look like a barbarian giving this review. I'm sure to the 1950s ear this was incredible, but I suppose in the 20s it no longer dazzles. No songs stood out to me. Still good, of course. (Addendum: I looked at some of the other reviews after writing mine and apparently about 80% of people have the same sort of opinion as mine. Not a barbarian after all!)
What a schizophrenic album. A bunch of different sounding tunes. Some good tunes, some less good.
Итс окэй. Остин Батлер молодец, что снимается в хорошем кино, а не во всякой позороной залупе. Мне кажется, я *шутил* такое в прошлый раз, но мне все равно очень весело. Музыкально очень важный альбом для поп-музыки, несомненно, и если подходить к вопросу в контексте, то это изи файф аута файф, но я этого не делал до сих пор, и странно начинать в середине. Лучшая песня - Blue Suede Shoes.
Classic Elvis
Alr, so like it started off amazing, but then kinda devolved into not really rock n roll. Like, I wanted the energy to continue and it kinda just faded. 3/5 for the non-boring songs tho
Good. Classic. Mellower than I expected.
bof
Min Elvis begynner i 1968. Litt mye trå rockabilly for meg på denne. Blue moon🩷
Elvis landhandleri.
sabia que me iba a gustar porque elvis me encanta. me he guardado “I’m gonna sit right down and cry”. este album ha hecho que me den ganas de ver la peli elvis otra vez!!!!!!!
Dit album heeft echt de Elvis sound van destijds, inclusief een paar grote hits. Ik vind zo'n heel album rock'n roll wel een beetje veel van het goede, maar het is te luisteren. De liefhebber zal het prachtig vinden!
"Elvis didn't die, he just went home."-Agent K, MIB. When Elvis came out I'm sure some thought his music was from another planet. The tunes are catchy, and I don't hate it. But I wouldn't run out and buy it either. 2.5 rounded up to 3, in respect for the king.
Great debut.
Highlights: Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti.
RnR, 1956 ->3
Slightly better than "Elvis Is Back," but only because more songs have more energy.
It felt dull and dated—more than I expected from an Elvis album. But the groove of rock ‘n’ roll really hooks you. At the same time, Elvis’s vocal tricks—reminiscent of Michael Jackson—make listening all the more enjoyable.
Well, here we go. Elvis Presley was a popular white southern ephebophile in the 1950s. Need I say more? However, he also had one of the greatest singing voices of all time, his music is generally good, and he's dead, meaning he clearly can't monetize off anything. Damn, it's the Michael Jackson situation again. Regarding the music, and only the music, it was his mid album anyway, and it was a bit too short. Favorite Track: "Blue Suede Shoes".
I like Elvis in small doses
Great. But way more "covers" than I expected.
Elvis is, obviously, absolutely huge. Everyone has heard of him. He is one of a very small number of globally dominating artists. Before The Beatles for a large chunk of the planet, he was music. I find it strange then that only 70 years later I know absolutely no one who listens to him. And I don't mean in a kind of RYM sense of someone checking an album out and rating it, I mean genuinely sitting at home on a weekend and listening to a couple of Elvis records for the sheer pleasure of it. All of The Beatles' albums pass this test after 60 years, but growing up I've only seen Elvis as an iconic image rather than a musician. If I was to guess why, it would be because of the value we place post-1963 on musicians writing their own songs. We struggle to look at someone who is an amazing performer and give them the same kind of plaudits as a singer songwriter. Back in 1956 that would be like expecting your favourite actor to have written all their lines but now, to me at least, it seems reasonable. This debut does a great job of showcasing Elvis "the performer." The sheer force of personality that made him a wild sensation in a mostly grey world. He can get quite weird and freaky on the mic, which I like. He can also be sentimental and soulful. A legend.
It was good I’m just not super into rockabilly
Elvis is okay, the people who influenced him are better.
Dare I say his singing is overrated? His vibrato at times almost seems clown like. I appreciate the cultural significance of Elvis but I’ve never been a fan. There was better music made back then by other artists. I regard him as a 1950’s Justin Bieber.
Very fun to actually listen to the first Elvis album. As a kid I was obsessed with the idea of Elvis and didn't know a single song lol.
Fun I think
7/10 Bit of a controversial one for me, obvs we all know & admire elvis (this was the first rock & roll album to go to no1 and be endlessly influential to getting rock into mainstream) I'm aware that the tracks are a whitewashed version to be more palatable to the wider demographic. That being said - I enjoy it, great bluesy voice & obvs a great performer. Songs added to playlist: - I got a woman (ray charles will always do it best imo) - Trying to get to you - Blue moon - Money Honey
I was familiar with a few of these songs, because of Elvis's popularity, but I don't know if I have ever actually listened to any of them until now. They were decent. I definitely liked the faster songs better. I enjoy the walking basslines on some of the tracks and the vibes and feels, however I don't see myself going out of my way to listen to this album again. It was fine....just not very compelling for me.
Well ah well ah well ah its rick and morty tiiiiimmmmmmeeeee. Good easy listening. Elvis' debut full length is chock full of great talented song writing and performance. Before the commercialization of him destroyed it.
Clearly groundbreaking but a bit of a mishmash of songs that do sound pretty hastily thrown together just to get something out there (as I read to be the case). Interesting that the Clash modelled London Calling on this cover!
Fun album, but not The King’s greatest. Interesting as a transition between the music of the time and rock’n’roll.
There are some classic covers on this album but also some bad ones. While it's a bit unfair to criticize an album from 1956 for bad production, the echo or reverb in some of the songs is a bit much (and clearly intentional). 50s rock and roll/rockabilly is a fun genre though and I did enjoy listening to it.
Hard to escape the miasma of the entire Presley existence, but I think I'm channeling the Liverpool boys, greeting the sound like an acolyte receiving a vision from the ethereum. Despite the all the mellow, here comes the history of rock 'n' roll.
I love The Clash London Calling album cover which is a tribute to this cover (but more edgy). The music and lyrics here feel so very dated. And the fact that they’re all covers - and not as good as the originals - is quite sad. I’m sure to a very vanilla audience in the 50s, this was groundbreaking. But that’s because people don’t remember or gloss over people like Sister Rosetta Tharpe who was plugging guitars into amps and singing rock n roll 20 years before Elvis. Not something I’d choose to listen to. But back then he was viewed as a man ahead of his time.
I'm definitely overthinking this. I've never been able to rectify the eccentric, indulgent, hypocritical, statutory rapist with the icon that John Lennon revered and Keith Richards credits as being the reason he picked up a guitar — not to mention the other 90,000 artists influenced by Elvis. I simply cannot hear him as they did from my perch in history. But I tried, and spun this record with as fresh an attitude as I could. More than anything, I'm amazed that I didn't know more of these songs. Indeed, I would not have been able to guess that some of these performances were Elvis if given a blind listen. There was a good amount of variety, Presley sounds like he's trying every trick in his repertoire as a vocalist... OK, not bad. I guess I'm at a 4. Then I played it again, wondering if that might push me over the ledge to really embrace this artist for the first time. Alas, the opposite happened. With a more critical ear, I had a hard time with Presley's patented delivery on the rock tracks, couldn't get behind some of the sentiments of the tunes, was turned off by the heavy reverb on a number of tracks, and was frankly unimpressed with the musical performances. Another era, I know. A set of standards that couldn't be applied at the time of its release. But I guess I really just don't give a damn about Elvis. I am grateful his influence resulted in what it did. I'll leave it at that.
Blue Suede Shoes has to be one of the most baller openings ever. It's so damn fantastic it overshadows the rest of the record. In terms of influence, it would be hard to find a more important album than this one, so it definitely belongs on this list. As an album to listen to, though, it's uneven to say the least. The best tracks are the unreleased cuts from the Sun sessions (his ethereal take on Blue Moon being on of my faves). The newer tracks (Aside from Blue Suede Shoes) are, frankly, pretty bad. If you want to hear the birth of R&R and an album that is all-killer-no-filler and a totally magical experience, check out The Sun Sessions. I get why they didn't include that album, seeing as it's a compilation, but it's so much better than this one. Killer album art, though.
I was jazzed to listen to this. I absolutely love the idea of Elvis. I was a huge fan of his beach movies when I was a kid. Though I wonder if I'd still feel the same today. Starts off great with Blue Suede Shoes but I was totally bored until Blue Moon. So I guess the takeaway here is the nostalgic idea of Elvis along with his dreamy 1950s looks are what I like. And that adds up to 3.
Well, well, well. If it isn't the real Elvis. I'm sorry Costello, but when it comes to musicians of the past 100 years with cultural impact, it's damn near impossible to top Elvis Presley. I'm not saying it hasn't been done. I'd argue the Beatles and Michael Jackson are just as, if not more, significant than Elvis, but it's a close race. Speaking of race, 50s rock and roll, am I right? Yeah, let's get this part out of the way. Elvis Presley did not write any of his own songs. Many of them were taken from black artists. However, in regards to Elvis specifically I'd say this was a net positive overall. Not the whole "not writing his own songs" thing but specifically the part where you look at the history and realize that Elvis was partially responsible for African-American music styles reaching a broader audience, which is good. Of course, this could've been anyone, but I think Elvis specifically was the one who managed to do this because of his respect for African-American culture. This isn't a Jerry Lee Lewis situation. From my research, Elvis had a genuine care to see this kind of music succeed, largely because he grew up with it. So, to sum up my thoughts on the whole "was Elvis good" debate, I think he was, relatively speaking. Oh yeah, the album! I got so caught up talking about Elvis Presley, the guy, that I forgot I was writing a review for Elvis Presley, the album! To be honest, it's hard not to seeing how influential Elvis was on culture at large. The album's good. Generally speaking, I'm not huge on 50s rock and roll, but this is a pretty solid album as far as those are concerned. My big problem with 50s rock and roll is how repetitive it is. Fortunately, while the lyrical themes are a tad repetitive, the sound is not. These songs feel different from one another! You could categorize them into categories like upbeat songs and slow songs, but I don't think that matters much. I'd say it's more so the constrictions of the time and genre rather than Elvis himself lacking the ability to do other music things. Speaking of Elvis, his performance on this album is solid! There's a reason why he became such an icon. I'm not huge on the singing for some songs, but it's mostly good. The instrumentation is nice. None of the songs are particularly offensive. At most, they're vaguely questionable. Overall, this is a solid package of songs. However, this is definitely one of those "I respect it more than I actually like it" albums. The impact of this album is hard to deny, but I also can't say I loved it. It's good though. Solid 3/5.
Not my favorite Elvis - sun studio recordings have a special place in my heart - but still full of cool bangers and covers that show off his vocal range and the great studio session musicians. My main issue is that a lot of time I like the original of the famous covers more. The formulaic structure gets overwhelming after a while. There are highlight singles on the album and then full snoozers.
i’ll be honest. i got beef with elvis. all he does is covers and it’s frustrating for me. oh you can sing, good job but like do you have to go oh i can sing this song better than you can and do it? like that’s just annoying behavior to me. what’s most frustrating is that the songs aren’t bad. i just have beef with him specifically as an artist.
Dad- 7.5 Mom- 7 Mike- 6 Lori- 6 Michael- 8 Miles- 4 Cole- 1 Avg- 5.64
Rock'n'roll classico, che dire nulla di più.
I have just never been much of an Elvis fan. But I didn’t mind this, and certainly understand why it’s on the list. 3 stars.
Elvis is a part of my childhood. Can't get enough of his voice
of course i like “blue suede shoes” (a popular classic), but the next track (“i’m counting on you”) was arguably better imo, very sweet! the rest of the album was SO CUTE. shout out to the bass line. 3/5.
7/10
Nice uptempo but still a bit monotonous
Classic Elvis. Hard to go wrong.
Blue Suede Shoes is great but the rest of the album, while not bad doesn’t feel very standout. A lot of the songs sound very samey and Elvis is mostly covering songs here rather than coming up with his own original work. That being said it’s fine but not something I’d come back to.
Classic songs, catchy
Interesting listen. What stood out to me was the variance of styles, clearly trying to either play to the trendy sounds or find his voice. I don't think it stands well on its own.
Nice as an origin story but this is not yet the King. I honestly felt anxious the whole time just wanting to go listen to From Elvis in Memphis - I would argue one of the most replayable album from our journey so far. Also, I think it’s been mentioned already, but Return of the King is an absolute must watch on Netflix.
First time I've listened to an Elvis album. There was some pretty cheesy songs on this one. But overall not bad.
The King sure can sing, but when I know the original he's covering ("I Got a Woman," "Tutti Frutti") his cover is always a step down.
Better than Coldplay.
He's a great performer. I understand why he was huge, especially considering the era, and I have no problem with covers per se. But, it's an album of standards, and of the ones I know, his version of Blue Suede Shoes is the only one that is the first in my mind of all the versions of the era. It's good throughout, but I'd rather have Little Richard, Ray Charles, Jim Reeves, or either Sinatra or the Marcels in the case of Blue Moon. Also, this doesn't really matter, but ending the A side with "I Love You Because" followed by "Just Because" seems like something you'd want to rethink.
Some decent rockabilly here
There are like 5 distinct guys singing on this album.
6/10
short classic rock-n-roll from the 50's. generic PG fun
A few songs with good melodies and choruses but a lot of boring filles
I realise having read some of the reviews how poorly informed(my fault) I am about the origins, motives and background of certain albums and artists I am. The motive behind Elvis was he was white and so the great songs that the black music community had written could now be sold to the white world. I feel the same happened much later with Eminem when the record industry thought we have a rapper here we can sell world wide
The King!! What a fun listen.
It's nearly impossible to escape the influence that Elvis had on the American zeitgeist of the 50s and 60s. Despite never having specifically tried to listen to any Elvis music before, I found myself recognizing many songs on this album, simply due to their ubiquity in movie and TV show soundtracks (especially Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti, and Blue Moon). The album has good energy and I can understand why it would have been popular in 1956, but nearly every song on the album simply feels too short--no song is longer than 2:45. It's as though he had an idea for hook for a song, but never developed it past that. I could see this as a sort of demo for a longer album, but it's hard to see it as a full-length album in its own right. He breaks out a merely okay falsetto on several tracks that I feel genuinely pull the songs down. It feels clumsily jammed into the songs to satisfy some musical trend of the times, perhaps trying to channel the crooners of the 40s and early 50s.
custom_rating: 6
Meh. I honestly think most people will have absorbed enough Elvis songs by the time they’re of age that no Elvis album is truly a “must-listen.” I suppose this one is the closest, because it’s got a really killer and iconic album cover, and it’s pretty cool to hear him in the early days, cutting a debut, sounding hungry. But yeah, still not a must-listen.
This was enjoyable. Much better than 70's Elvis. Young, energetic, fun.
I have really not enjoyed the other Elvis albums that I've heard in this challenge so far. But clearly the place to look was this debut album. In terms of significance, this is the point where rock n roll first broke through to general audiences. It coincided with the post-war rise in youth culture, when for the first time, the young Baby Boomers had enough disposable income to help shape the cultural landscape. Rock n roll had obviously existed already, but primarily within African American communities. It was daring (and maybe controversial) for a white artist to take on these styles but it was also the catalyst for change. Let's be clear, Elvis was not the first or best of his kind. But he had a unique quality and sure could sell records. The album works better than his later work, possibly because it's still a bit rough around the edges, like rock stars should be. I still can't exactly call myself an Elvis fan, but respect where respect is due for this one. It's a solid album that opened things up for so many artists to come, including the later recognition of those that came before him.
Pretty great to hear Elvis like this but not something I would listen to again.
The album is alright, but it's definitely whitewashed music. I guess it did bring Rock and Roll into the mainstream, and well, Elvis has a great voice.
brabo
good
I’m conflicted on this one. Elvis is undoubtedly one of the most influential artists of all time, but all he really did was make black music palatable to white people. His renditions aren’t bad, just lacking a bit of what made the originals so great. Still, we probably don’t have rock as we know it without Elvis.
Might be a controversial opinion but three stars is my rating. While Elvis' voice is famous and you know instantly who it is, I think the music is fairly simple. I like more complex arrangements musically. The cultural significance is second to none however.
Elvis is whatever. Another Little Richard cover not half as good. Certainly not a must listen.
Meh, it's Elvis. Fun but not great. High historical value.
I know some elvis songs but this def my first album of his, it was okay. Nice to have this as an addition to my growing 50s music library
Not my style but it’s pretty good
Enjoyed it but not really my style. Changed my perception of Elvis though and has made me open to listening to more of his music.
I love the swing element to it, it would be fun to dance to. And in a lot of the songs he truly is crooning. I can see why people went wild for him. 'I'm gonna sit right down and cry' was a highlight.
69/100
3/4
Good 'ole music
Blue suede shoes - 10 I'm counting in you - 8 I got a woman - 7.5 One sided love affair - 7.5
I see the cover and think of London Calling haha Welcome to Elvis Presley - this is so dated it's hard to get excited about, but we all know how pivotal this moment was in music - thank you Elvis for getting it started
One epically great track followed by a bunch of perfectly fine takes. He would do better much better to say the least though never a master of the album. I did totally dig Blue Moon though.
Did not offend, nor wow me. I understand its musical significance, but compared to music today, its not something I'd be adding to any playlists.
As legendary as Elvis is, and while I do have to give props to the man, it's remarkably lukewarm due to it being dated to hell.
Another one of those that is mandatory listening for any music enthusiast, but perhaps more for the context than its contents. By today's standards, these covers of country and blues songs are rather tame but have often become the default. I would encourage anyone liking this to also look into the many original versions of these songs. The story of Elvis' rise to fame is also a reminder that those who loudly protest or object to new musical worlds forming or intermingling will look rather silly in the future. Keep that in mind, this is happening even today.
The importance of the album cannot be downplayed, but its foot in Country is still a bit off putting and a bit boring for me. When you listen to the actual Rock and Roll happening at the time (ex. Little Richard), the feel here is a bit too basic and safe. Plus, Elvis is not a songwriter and I count it against him a bit. I would probably say 2.5, but bumping for iconic status!
His voice sounds quite different early on in his career, almost sounds like someone else. Not his best work by any means but good nonetheless. Not my go to genre can’t say much about the development at all, just seems very blues as jazzy
3.5
suu kii poika.. iLEIPÖÄLÄPI.. KIIINNI. rock it guys.. bliip blop bliip blopada blop.. joo noh.. mitä vittua tästä sanoa mitä ei ole sanottu, en mikään viisastelija ole.. mikään filosofi ole.. jos oisin syntynyt samaan aikaan kun elvis olisin niin vitun varmasti elvis... show respec for black music. respect guys... lemme cover guyz... ja suu aukeaa niin avoimeksi täälläkin päion.. kyllä täälläkinpäin osataan.. wabbabaluabamsmba tutti fryittu tutti froodt tottu frutti tutti fruttia bwabaaladasabaalabaulbulm... now hit it guys.. bliip blop bliip blopada blop.. joo noh.. bilue suedde sshoes
норм, но мне никогда особо не нравился.
Repeat listen
I cannot seperate this from Austin Butler's God awful fake accent but to be fair, that's not the fault of this album. It was decent. Unbelievably, I had never listened to a full Elvis album and was only familiar with the hits. It was short and sweet, less than 30 minutes long with songs that were inoffensive and easy. I mean, it was the 50's. You're not going to get award winning lyrics or complex musical arrangements. It's just a shame that all the tracks were stolen off black artists with shed loads more talent and it'd hard to forget that when you listen to it. Little Richard owns Tutti Frutti, unfortunately for this album. But I can't be too mad at it. It's Elvis. It is what it is. I literally don't have any strong thoughts about any of this album. I don't dislike it enough to give it a 1 but nor did I like it enough to give it any higher than a 3, so a 3 it is.
When he does the high energy, rock and roll numbers, Elvis can really hit it out of the park. But this album felt a lot like he wanted to do these songs, but kept being told to do a slow soulful number to keep his radio friendly persona that sells records. Also, he's one of the most egregious song stealers I think I've ever heard, and this version of Tutti Frutti was an abomination.
3/5 and that’s me being nice. Totally overrated. I prefer his comeback er a, and Vegas era much more
Bon, culturellement plus significatif que d'autre chose
Je suis un gars simple, j'aime le rock'n'roll. La moitié des chansons de cet album sont légendaires, l'autre moitié l'est pas mal moins. C'est une excellent album de cover!
C'est bon mais c'est quand même un peu plate.
Heard it before. It's a charming little album. 3/5
Some good tracks, including the original line that sampled for Kanye’s gold digger. Probably worth another listen when more in the headspace
Elvis is Elvis of course, just not really my kind of music!
-this felt like staring directly down the barrel of rock n roll history…. Elvis’s debut was definitely Seminal and Impactful, and it sure as hell wasn’t bad so I’m not gonna rag on it or anything -that being said it really did not feel like it had too many highlights from what I’ve heard, his best work was definitely yet to come -Favorites are Blue Suede Shoes and Blue Moon
It’s fun to listen to Elvis’s debut album and the reason I am doing this list. It’s definitely boppy and fun, but it’s not much more than that.
I’ve never intentionally listen to Elvis, but I knew most of these songs.
"Blue Suede Shoes" has great energy. "Blue Moon" is Elvis doing ballads well. Some of the other tracks sound pretty schmaltzy. Interesting that Elvis did a version of "I Got a Woman" just a couple of years after Ray Charles. Ray's version is way better and I'm glad that version was more successful/popular. Elvis does a little better with "Tutti Fruti" but it's still not an improvement on Little Richard.
The hits we all know, the also rans are frequently forgettable and the covers are often not as good as the originals, but it ends strong with a few songs (including Blue Moon) in that warbling, tin-can style I appreciate.
Better than Pat Boone, but still mostly a curio relic from a phase of music that really should stay in the past.
I like Elvis, but I prefer some of his later stuff, honestly -- even though it can be a little more cheesy and indulgent. This album was simple and very "fundamentals of early rock and roll", which is good, but can be a little grating after a while. That said, I think this shows Elvis's raw talent very well, and his versatile singing voice and musicianship is easy to see. Three stars.
It’s not bad, but I don’t get how he was so hyped
Not as good as the other album but nice
Amazingly, less white than London Calling.
Short and sweet, some classic recognisable tunes in there. Great for its time period, 6.2/10.
Could be maybe a 3.5. The album is fine but it doesn't really stand out from other 50s music. I feel like Elvis big innovation of music was sex appeal
It's hard to listen to without wanting to shake your tail feathers.
Elvis certainly has his own voice and presence. It's rockabilly blues and it's not my favorite, but it can be fun at times. Not something I'd revisit intentionally, but Elvis has his place in music.
This is Elvis Presley as we know him. There are many important and good songs on the album. And although it's quite short, it still felt long to me. 3/5
It’s Elvis baby
It's ELVIS! How can you rate down Elvis?!? He's foundational to American musical culture??? Actually, quite easily. It's not banger after banger. It's good. I'd listen to it again. It's memorable. But I don't like it enough to flag the entire album in my favorites. My Rating: 3/5
Shorter album than I expected. Otherwise some golden oldies.
First? 3,5 /5 Again? 2/5
No doubt, that „it“ started all with Elvis. Like no Beatles or Dylan without him. The music on his debut though is only partly what it promises. Sure, there are classics like „Blue Suede Shoes“, but there's also cheesy stuff and some rockabilly. Oh, well . . . it was the beginning of a great career and a tragic life, but it wasn't much fun to listen to. The songs sound really dated and the music dusty, like watching a silent black and white movie.
This was definitely a fun album to check out. It turns out this was one of the defining albums that helped rock and roll go mainstream. When I listen to albums like this, it always blows my mind how much culture has changed over the decades. This used to be seen as boundary-pushing and controversial, with just as many people disapproving of it as those who embraced it. Now, it feels so simple, innocent, and inoffensive. Either way, it was cool to take a trip through history and finally listen to an album I’ve known about my whole life but always overlooked—probably because culture has idolized it for as long as I can remember. That said, I doubt I’ll ever go back to it.
Enjoyable if predictable. I could’ve done with a few more hits but it’s fun to hear Elvis when he’s brand new.
Sure does sound older than From Elvis in Memphis
https://youtu.be/A6dw3_Sy3NA 3/5 covers that don't hit as hard as their originals, but I suppose it's historical merit makes it a must listen on this list.
Look, I get it—this album is a proper landmark for music, the birth of rock and roll as we know it, and all that. But if I’m being honest, it’s just not my vibe. I can appreciate what Elvis did here, and I respect the impact, but it doesn’t do much for me beyond that. On the plus side, there’s no denying his voice is something else—smooth, charismatic, and full of that Southern swagger. Tracks like Blue Suede Shoes and Tutti Frutti bring that early rock and roll energy, and I can see why people lost their minds over it back in the day. The production is simple but effective, giving it that raw, live feel that suits the style perfectly. But for me, it just feels a bit dated and one-note. A lot of the songs follow the same blueprint, and after a while, they start blending together. The backing band is tight, but the arrangements don’t do much to keep me hooked. It’s all very of its time, and while I respect that, it doesn’t make me want to go back for repeat listens. I won’t knock its influence—this album laid the groundwork for some of the best music ever made. But as a listening experience in 2025? It’s alright, but not something I’d throw on for fun. 2.8/5 stars https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zVtQXZOQ5sM/ThML20VuVWI/AAAAAAAAAuo/T3Uh8HLHVYI/s1600/elviscover.jpg
Like for its time? Crazy. I get the significance and am glad to have listened to it. Didn't do much else for me
London calling reference omg... It's like fine elvis is fine the guys near in his circle are more interesting i think so listening to him makes me wish i was on other guys. Like its a really fine album and i respect it historicalyl but nothing here is connecting --- Sorry for making yall wait </3
6/10 https://imgur.com/a/cWiNV0g
eh it was ok. not into him.
and so its 1 for the money, 2 for the better green, 3 4 methylenedioxymetamphetamine uh my blue shoes, my blue shoes, my blue shoes
3/5 no burning love
3 Stars (8/15)
It's Elvis. You know him, you know the songs, you know his legacy. Many of these songs are from other artists, just done a little more boringly, like Tutti Frutti and I've Got a Woman. I was mostly surprised to hear Elvis sing differently than his deep drawl you normally here, like in I'm Counting On You. Elvis' most charming aspect is his hilarious cadence when he is annunciating, like in most of One-Sided Love Affair. I think it's quite fun to sing along to. Solid album.
Very appropriate that I got this during my weekend in Las Vegas, yes indeed uh-huh-huh thankyouverymuch
heard this once before, i'll rate it though Blue Suede Shoes - 5/5 I'm Counting on You - 2/5 I Got a Woman - 4/5 One-Sided Love Affair - 3/5 I Love You Because - 3/5 Just Because - 3/5 Tutti Frutti - 4/5 Trying to Get to You - 3/5 I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 3/5 I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - 3/5 Blue Moon - 2/5 (audio quality wasn't great) Money Honey - 4/5 Average - 3.2 (1 for the money, 2 for the show) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I like some Elvi's songs, but I didn't love this album.
Elvis is of course a very easy target: a pretty boy with a decent voice doing slightly inferior covers of songs by black artists (illustrated no better than through Tutti Frutti here), what's not to hate? But you know, this album really does have a certain something. Be it the seductive echoing, be it the non-stop catchiness, be it Elvis' suave voice, you just can't help but to raise a faint smile and admit "alright, maybe this one isn't so bad".
It definitely belongs here but I can't really get caught into it
I can almost taste the bananas and peanut butter listening to this. The record moves. Enjoying a record of sub 3-minute songs with some variety. Overall it was pretty good. Not something I'd go to grab off the shelf, but wouldn't mind it playing in the background.
made me want to dance around the kitchen ◡̈
Not so much an album as a collection of songs.
(rockn roll * white + 0.5 * country)/2 Love his vocals though
Mostly fun.
I don't have much to say except that this is good. It's not something that I would listen to other than for this, however, it's good and if I were alive when this came out I would sure listen to it.
Like it 3/5
Fine
Enn ein coverplatan. Plötuumslagið er legendary og lögin. Verst að Prelli á ekkert í lögunum og flytur þau mun verr en höfundar þeirra. Whitewashing í sinni tærustu mynd.
Erfið plata að dæma. Mjög mikilvæg í rokksögunni en á sama tíma minnisvarði um ömurlega kynþáttamismunun Bandaríkjanna á þessum tíma.
snappy!
This album reminded me that when I was growing up, my family had a door mat with a picture of blue suede shoes on it. Anyway, this debut is a hoot. Elvis has never sounded like more of a caricature of himself on some of these songs and I love that for him. Little Richard rocks circles around most of these though (I literally skipped this version of Tutti Frutti, it has absolutely zero ass).
Elvis Presley is a interesting artist, such a talented singer for the time and did bring the music industry lil more booming. however in personal taste, i'd rather listen to the original versions of the songs hmmmm. a true 5/10 fav song: money honey
The 50s were wild man. Elvis is cool, even if sometimes he speaks weird, and also if you ignore all the weird creepy shit he did and sung about. Fave Songs - Blue Suede Shoes, One Sided Love Affair
He gets better. This feels raw and just not fully Elvis yet. And yeah, he stole some shit.
I know it's a classic, but it just doesn't speak to me personally.
otra vez, primera vez que lo escucho a propósito, es pegajoso, dan ganas de repetirlo, es un ritmo propio de él, es su estilo, uno acelerado pero chevere, tengo que vovler a escuchar pero para primera vez no está mal, me gustó
not a big fan
I guess I see the appeal. The voice is annoying but at least it's interesting
Presley has a lovely voice but it has been parodied to death nowadays and isn't as pleasant to me as it would be otherwise. I can definitely hear the R&B/Soul influence. The songs are good on their own but the whole album becomes boring once they meld together. Favourite track: Blue moon
A fast album to listen to. Classic rock and roll, lots of blues progressions and electric guitar.
It's Elvis. He's iconic & influential. Some bangers on here (ahem, covers). Misogynist, abusive, groomer ... more exploration on if we (or can we) separate the art from the artist?
Som med 80 tals rap så märker man här också hur ny genren ännu är. Början på något stort men inte helt ännu där. Bästa låten: One-Sided Love Affair
Ok
Not enough hits and the appropriation of black music are downers. But there's no denying the influence and impact this album had on music and society. Plus The Clash used a similar album cover so it can't be all bad.
So this is how King's reign began.
pretty good, it's just a lot of the same, and each song was like 15 seconds too short for it to make an impact to me. his version of blue moon was also not my favorite.
The one that started it all! By that I mean the one that launched rock n' roll into the mainstream of course. All it took was a heartthrob from Memphis to record a bunch of covers of tracks originally recorded by African-American artists. My tone sounds a bit sarcastic there, but the recordings here sound quite polished for the time and also considering how young Elvis was at the time. Having heard some of the original tracks, I will say that Elvis's renditions are mostly hit or miss when compared to their original recordings. It's easy to see why this was a success given the man's image. Also, RCA must've REALLY wanted to capitalize on this, considering that they released the entire album as singles. Inoffensive covers of classic R&B/rock n' roll recordings, performed by a superstar in the making. Elvis would go on to release stronger material in my opinion, but sometimes it helps to stop and appreciate the advent of a rockstar.
The ballads are nowhere near as good as the more fast-paced songs, and there are unfortunately too many of them.
In het rijtje: superbekende artiest maar eigenlijk nog nooit echt naar muziek geluisterd: Elvis! Ontzettend benieuwd hiernaar, ik ken Blue Suede Shoes wel maar verder eigenlijk helemaal niets van de beste man. Deze I've got a woman cover is echt dramatisch... Tutti Frutti is daarentegen wel een grappig nummer, een beetje jazzy en funky. Dat is sowieso dit album iets meer dan het andere Elvis album dat ik heb gehoord voor deze lijst. Maar eigenlijk vind ik de tragere meer bluesy nummers beter dan de snellere dansbare nummers(Uitzondering voor Blue Suede Shoes natuurlijk) I'll never let you go little darling haalt mijn theorie van De ballads zijn beter genadeloos onderuit want dat is niet best. Voordeel; de nummers duren max 2 minuten! Eindoordeel": Some good, some bad, some horrible. Prima album, voor de tijd waarschijnlijk revolutionair, moet je nagaan als ze toen al Hudson Mohawke hadden... FAVO: Blue Suede Shoes, Trying to get to you, Blue moon
More Country than I was expecting, which I suppose shouldn't be a surprise. It's Elvis so I knew what I was getting into. Blue Suede Shoes was great, a lot of the covers ("I Got a Woman" and "Tutti Frutti" especially) were underwhelming.
3* Not a big Elvis person i guess
It’s Elvis. It’s fine. The upbeat songs are a lot more enjoyable than the croon-y ones.
Groundbreaking album art over a strong group of only somewhat derivative songs. Elvis’ voice sounds perfect on the more country-twinged rockabilly stuff. He should have always gone the Country route. Standout tracks are “Trying to Get to You” and “I’m Counting on You”.
Just kind of middle of the road album or me given the all the time between when it was recorded (70+ yrs ago) and today. Some songs still help up will (Blue Suede Shoes and Blue Moon) but others just don't (I Love You Because, I'll Never Let You Go, Tutti Frutti).
Elvis is more of a caricature for me rather than an actual artist. This is only because he had died by the time I was born and my only reference point are impersonators, Fat Elvis jokes and Turner Classic Movies that I have never watched. I reviewed Elvis in Memphis earlier in this project and gave it a "3," as it was not bad but also not something I would revisit. I think I feel the same way about this album. Compared to Tutti Frutti make me appreciate Little Richard's version more. It's like every song is, "A great song, but if a white dude sang it?" I don't know if I would ever listen to this album again, though I recognize the importance of Elvis and his music. Not my thing.
3.5. It’s Elvis when he was on the rise as he helped push rock n roll forward. Sure, many believe he stole his sound and moves from African American culture but his role was undeniable. Love him or hate him, he was on top for a long time and deserves a place. Side note. We share a birthday (January 8)
Not really my cup of tea. I feel like anything sufficiently old (like before 1970 say) just sounds boring to me. But it's not terrible, and I like Elvis' unique voice
7/10
OK
My favorite things about this are that the songs are short and the cover art seems to have inspired the Clash’s London Calling. My least favorite thing is that it’s really hard to separate Elvis the artist from Elvis the caricature. I can see how this may have been revolutionary for its era. But not very interesting in 2025. This is a 2.5* for me at best. Reluctantly rounding up due to “legend status.”
Great album
I guess there's validity in choosing an album of covers for its cultural significance. This is an iconic and important album. But his rock'n'roll covers are less good than the originals and I don't enjoy Elvis at a slower pace at all; the ballads were really hard work. At least the whole thing is fairly quick and easy to blow through.
well i enjoyed listening to the king! never heard a full album of elvis before so this was fun. i started listening to the originals tho and honestly prefer them. esp ray charles ‘i got a woman’ which is iconic to me.
Incredible sound and voice.
Классика
why does he like blue so much?
Well its a very quick album, but has some heavy hitters. some of those songs just make you wanna dance, but a few are quick similar and bad.
Cultural appropriation never sounded so good.
The king, solid classic rock
I enjoyed listening to the baselines and various elements and he has a nice voice. Taken in the context of the time, very good. Wouldn't come back and listen to it often but great when in the mood
Nie do końca pasuje mi, że to wszystko są covery. Dużo słabsze od oryginałów. Ale śpiewane przez białego faceta. Lubię Elvisa, nie jest to jakaś kłująca w uszy płyta, ale niesmak nie pozwala dać mi więcej niż 7/10.
A strange pick for an Elvis album to include in the 1001. There's a number of negatives here- rehashing of songs by others for one and a distinct lack of big hits. His presence and voice are a positive point but there surely are better albums you could choose.
I wasn't as familiar with this album as I am with some of his others, but it was a quick listen as all of the songs are under 3 minutes. Right off the bat, I realized most of these songs are covers of Black R&B musicians. While I like his vocals, I prefer the original versions. Considering his sound came directly from the Black musicians of and before his time, the title 'King of Rock and Roll' doesn't seem fit. That being said, I'll still choose a favorite song; "Blue Moon".
not too shabby mr. king
Mediocre early rock n roll and love songs
In retrospect this is not shocking at all, but I've heard half of these songs done better by a black artist.
Nice sound. I prefer Johnny Cash’s style to this more pop version of these songs. Sounds fake compared to the Johnny Cash or Ray Charles or Little Richard versions. Knowing these songs better now, this album comes off more like hillbilly Frank Sinatra or something. Making black music accessible or safe for white kids. The sound they got with four tracks is pretty incredible and the kid has a great voice. I guess I should be grateful that this album came along and infused white music with some groove, but at the same time I can’t help but listen to it as a bit of a sad relic. The reverb on his voice is so radical.
Ooh only just now learning that the London Calling cover is a remix. Elvis reminds me of my papaw. Blue Suede Shoes is great but overall I have kind of a hard time with Elvis. Or maybe it’s just an era where men disrespected women and it was somehow endearing? Anyway, it’s hard to feel any authenticity with acts like his. 2.5
歡樂，跳舞搖擺。