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Elvis Presley - The Complete '68 Comeback Special - Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2014
Pearl Jam - vs. & Vitalogy - Thursday, Apr. 17, 2014
Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - Wednesday, Apr. 16, 2014
A.F.I. - Sing The Sorrow - Monday, Mar. 31, 2014
Pan Sonic - Kesto (234.48:4) - Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014

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Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2014 | 07:09

Elvis Presley - The Complete '68 Comeback Special

the key point is that it's a hotel. heartbreak won't last for ever. you're not going to live there long-term. you're there for a weekend, a week, maybe if you luxuriate in it a month, but you'll get out and move somewhere else. you have other places to be.

i like Elvis, but i've often wondered why he's revered so much. i never get the impression that he's like The Beatles, revolutionizing pop and rock music and laying the groundwork for pretty much everything that came after. Elvis was a synthesist, he brought together disparate strands of blues, country, and gospel to form rock 'n' roll, and he wasn't even the first. he didn't write many songs, and quite often they're layered with strings and choruses that sound dated or sappy. when i listen to Elvis i feel like i'm in the past, while The Beatles still feel modern.

listening to the '68 Comeback Special, though, i finally get it. Elvis was a performer. he was a salesman. he sold rock 'n' roll to the world, and we all bought it. yes, The Beatles were a huge draw when they started, but then they retreated to the studio. furthermore, Elvis paved the way for their level of success. he'd already set the world on fire before they came along. i'm sure an argument can be made, and probably already has, that Elvis made The Beatles possible.

these recordings are exciting. i've often thought that rock should be dangerous. is the Comeback Special dangerous? maybe when it came out, but today it doesn't sound particularly threatening. it does sound fun. Elvis is on point throughout, entertaining the crowd and nailing the songs. it's a loose performance, relaxed and cool, but still accurate.

the first disc is the originally released recording edited together from the performances presented in the second two discs. the fourth is the relaxed rehearsal. Elvis and his band run through songs, some of which don't make it to the performances, in a very informal way. Elvis sounds excited to be doing this, having fun with old friends and working how they're going to present things. it's not a disc you'll play very often, but it's an interesting and intimate view into the preparations for a live concert.

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