From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee FTD

The idea with the classic albums is to collect all previously released material in one place, hence the importance of including the snippet of "America the Beautiful".

The missing take 6 of "I Got a Feelin’ in My Body" from Good Times was a misdemeanor. Even though it’s just a false start, it’s still annoying that it was left out.

Yes. And as your name is mentioned in several of these releases, can we ask in what capacity you are involved please Ken?

Do the remixes and rough mixes feature overdubbs or are they done in the same fashion as help me on promised land FTD?

And accuse me of blasphemy but many new takes on Venus series sounded quite less than perfect...

Now I'm glad I didn't buy those and just obtained CDR's.

I have just finished listening to this album and sound quality wise it is brilliant as is the packaging but boy oh boy what a awful experience it was...

Do not get me wrong: The Jungle Room Sessions used to be one of my favourite FTDs but hearing all these outtakes from this one album I can not help but think that this illustrates perfectly in what a mediocre form Elvis was when recording it. Even the better songs turn out to be stinkers in disguise. A song like For The Heart which I use to rank as a highlight sounded dreadful: just plain boring and uninspired. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain... most outtakes turn out to be dreadful rubbish and almost as unbearable as The Last Farewell or I'll Never Fall In Love Again. I am glad we finally got this one but I am longing for the Back in Memphis FTD by now.

i (think) your being too harsh Alexander....(though the Doc would surely agree)

i (think) your being too harsh Alexander....(though the Doc would surely agree)

I did enjoy JRS but to hear this makes me glad I did not buy the Venus set with the complete outtakes. Oh well, it will achieved next to most soundtrack stuff on het shelf 'for completion sake only'...

I have just finished listening to this album and sound quality wise it is brilliant as is the packaging but boy oh boy what a awful experience it was...

Do not get me wrong: The Jungle Room Sessions used to be one of my favourite FTDs but hearing all these outtakes from this one album I can not help but think that this illustrates perfectly in what a mediocre form Elvis was when recording it. Even the better songs turn out to be stinkers in disguise. A song like For The Heart which I use to rank as a highlight sounded dreadful: just plain boring and uninspired. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain... most outtakes turn out to be dreadful rubbish and almost as unbearable as The Last Farewell or I'll Never Fall In Love Again. I am glad we finally got this one but I am longing for the Back in Memphis FTD by now.

It's not really fair to downgrade a master recording because the outtakes are uninspired. What the February 1976 sessions show is that Felton had to work overtime to put together a viable album by June. And it maybe provides an explanation for the heavy use of string overdubs -- he was trying to cover up as much as he could. In the end, it was not a success.

It's not really fair to downgrade a master recording because the outtakes are uninspired. What the February 1976 sessions show is that Felton had to work overtime to put together a viable album by June. And it maybe provides an explanation for the heavy use of string overdubs -- he was trying to cover up as much as he could. In the end, it was not a success.

Maybe not fair but it is reality: I have heard enough of this sessions for a long, long time to come. Ofcourse this FTD tells its own story and Jarvis had to do anything in his power to make something out of the material. That's the story this FTD tells us amongst others (it also tells us Elvis was out of shape to say it with understatement) but too bad Jarvis' skills were already outdated for 1976 standards. In the end he did not make it a better album IMO. He disguised the shortcomings in an oldfashioned (out of date) sound.

Alexander kind of nails it here. I found myself hitting the skip button a lot as many of the takes are so similar and so painful to listen to. This album explains his reluctance to go into a studio too. I think it was too hard for him to sing well enough to complete a proper recording. It must have been frustrating for him, but not so much as to make him change his ways. (Sigh.)

How is the composite Take of "Hurt", any good ?

I can't for christmas ...

Until recently I bought all elvis releases immediately. But I thought about going back to the excitement of my teenage days when I have to wait for my birthday or Christmas , so I asked my sister for back in Memphis, prince and from elvis Presley blvd for my birthday....I can't hardly wait!!!

Anyone know why FTD omitted this alternate version of "For The Heart"?

Anyone know why FTD omitted this alternate version of "For The Heart"?

The only true possible explanation would be lack of disc space.

How is the composite Take of "Hurt", any good ?

It sounds indistinguishable from the other outtakes of Hurt. Somewhat inferior to the master take with the falsetto notes.

I like the false start where he bellows out a fine and powerful, I'm..... So.... Hurt, the band stops and he exclaims, Go# Da#n It, eliciting howls of laughter from Charlie, a female singer, and others. He didn't know why the take broke down. I've wondered on these pages before if this false start didn't sow the seeds for the idea behind Take 69.

My review: From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee FTD

I feel this is a great addition to the FTD collection, although not complete it does give the listener a general feel of the making of this classic album. The sound quality is excellent providing they are sourced from 36 year old tapes
.
CD 1 the original LP tracks FTD "Elvis Presley Boulevard" as compared to disc 37 of "The Complete Masters Box" are a slight bit more natural sounding, as the CMB sounds just a tiny bit equalized on the high frequency end and maybe filtered, since the tape hiss is just slightly more audible on the FTD although a little flatter and full in overall sound.
Although, I would have suspected these tracks would have just been lifted from the box, but out of comparison, there is a very slight audible difference in the two, although both sound great, it may all be just a matter of taste to the listener.

Disc 1 ends with "Hurt" (Composite takes 4,3) track 22 CD 1 gives a new listen than what we have heard on the "Jungle Room Sessions" FTD of just Take 3 which is a highlight of this new release.

The "Making Of" Disc 2 is compiled of takes of most of which we have heard on other CD's but are presented here in a nice historical reference to the original LP all in one place, although not complete, Ernst has handpicked 80min and 16 sec. to provide a full packed CD of Alternate Tracks to make this 2 set CD all worthwhile to any hardcore Elvis Presley fan.

A must have Essential FTD.

Last edited by promiseland on Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

Anyone know why FTD omitted this alternate version of "For The Heart"?

They're saving it for another compilation.

How is the composite Take of "Hurt", any good ?

It sounds indistinguishable from the other outtakes of Hurt. Somewhat inferior to the master take with the falsetto notes.

I like the false start where he bellows out a fine and powerful, I'm..... So.... Hurt, the band stops and he exclaims, Go# Da#n It, eliciting howls of laughter from Charlie, a female singer, and others. He didn't know why the take broke down. I've wondered on these pages before if this false start didn't sow the seeds for the idea behind Take 69.

Yes, it's tolerable throughout.

Here are two new takes I created:

Hurt (Splice Of Takes 1 & 2)
http://www14.zippyshare.com/v/21796895/file.html

I like the lyric changes on that one ("you said our love was new" and "now you found someone new") and the phrasing.
So beautiful when Elvis hits that tender high note on "heart" (after "and it breaks my heart").

Never Again (Splice Of Takes 1 & 9)
http://www14.zippyshare.com/v/79371812/file.html

I think Elvis started off to sing this song really nice (even a little insecure but that's quite charming to me) but by Take 9 probably his voice grew thinner.
He then sounds a little too constrained for my taste.
Also note the wrong lyric (insted "a heart that don't care, don't get broken" Elvis sings "a heart that don't care, can get broken").


Darn, I can't listen to that stuff right now. Makes me depressed again.

My review: From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee FTD

I feel this is a great addition to the FTD collection, although not complete it does give the listener a general feel of the making of this classic album. The sound quality is excellent providing they are sourced from 36 year old tapes
.
CD 1 the original LP tracks FTD "Elvis Presley Boulevard" as compared to disc 37 of "The Complete Masters Box" are a slight bit more natural sounding, as the CMB sounds just a tiny bit equalized on the high frequency end and maybe filtered, since the tape hiss is just slightly more audible on the FTD although a little flatter and full in overall sound.
Although, I would have suspected these tracks would have just been lifted from the box, but out of comparison, there is a very slight audible difference in the two, although both sound great, it may all be just a matter of taste to the listener.

Disc 1 ends with "Hurt" (Composite takes 4,3) track 22 CD 1 gives a new listen than what we have heard on the "Jungle Room Sessions" FTD of just Take 3 which is a highlight of this new release.

The "Making Of" Disc 2 is compiled of takes of most of which we have heard on other CD's but are presented here in a nice historical reference to the original LP all in one place, although not complete, Ernst has handpicked 80min and 16 sec. to provide a full packed CD of Alternate Tracks to make this 2 set CD all worthwhile to any hardcore Elvis Presley fan.

A must have Essential FTD.

I only just got around to hearing all of this FTD today...... I like it. I like the great sound quality and the listenable way the 2 discs are put together. Take #4 of 'Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain' was 'new' and has a cute 'oh yeah' from Elvis near the end that makes it a delight to hear. Yes another winner from FTD!~

It would be great to have all the masters without the overdubs and in great sound quality ala "Never Again" included with this collection. The sound is fantastic on that track.

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Wasn't the composite of "Hurt" released before on a promo disc?

I recall a promo disc having a take that was not previously released but didn't match any known takes.