-
--- we didn't buy elvis presley to be another james dean, we buy him to sing the songs --- -
Since the release of the American Wayvolume 1 , suddenly some websites removed the complete information on the Unsurpassed Masters 4 box - set from the label Cool Romeo or just the box - set volume 3 & 4 where the major upgrade of the1969 session material was re-released from the MASTER in upgraded sound quality.
Here a review from www.elvisnews.com
Unsurpassed Masters volumes 8 to 15
May 3, 2002
A couple of years ago Cool Romeo released two box sets with the name “Celluloid Rock” and recently the “Unsurpassed Masters” box 1 and 2. Now Cool Romeo released he follow up with two box-sets, titled “Unsurpassed Masters” volumes 3 and 4. Together these boxes contain eight CD's, making the total for the series 15.
Recently Cool Romeo once again released two box-sets, titled “Unsurpassed Masters” box 3 and 4 this time, as follow up to the first two releases in this series. Together these boxes contain eight CD's, making the total for the series 15. In the eighties a multi volume series was released titled “Elvis Through The Years” using all masters. With these two box-sets we might call this series “Elvis Through The Recording Years” considering all the various sessions
Design
Both boxes are done in the same style as the first two. The pictures are on a marble like background. All CD’s have the same front again, which isn’t handy when you add the series on a shelf next to your collection. Inside other pictures are used which are all colourized. Both boxes contain a sheet with the track list and a beautiful booklet with the session information and great pictures, both black/white and colour. The design of the set almost demands you to have it in your collection and we haven’t mentioned the content yet.
Content
Like with the first two boxes, there is not much new material on the CD’s, but there are some unreleased takes. Sometimes it isn’t completely beyond doubt if the take info is correct. E.g. some talking (“Dear Georgie”) on ”Power of My Love” sounds very much the same, but maybe there was just some wrong “cutting and pasting”, while with “Rubberneckin’” we have strong doubts about the different takes. That last CD is a waste anyway, since the long instrumental part gets very boring, if not annoying after a while. Two overdubs of “Down in the Alley” are fun, but more of the same, one would have been enough. Also Red West’s demos are less appreciated than Elvis’ versions. So far for the negative comments, since the positive side of the boxes wins.
The first box (volume 3 in the series) immediately starts with one of the highlights: eleven takes of “For The Millionth And The Last Time” in marvelous sound quality. Some people think it’s boring to hear the same song for a while, but in this case it is great to hear the subtle differences in the musical accompany. Let’s be honest, songs like “Long Lonely Highway”, “I Met Her Today”, “Please Don’t Drag That String Around” and “Devil in Disguise”, to name a few, will never get boring. So the first 3 CD’s of the set are a pleasure to hear anytime. Box 3 closes with a part of the “How Great Thou Art”-sessions. Although in our opinion this is the lesser of Elvis’ gospel sessions, it is still a treat to hear his commitments while recording.
Box 4 starts where Box 1 finished, with gospels from the How Great Thou Art-sessions. Later on we get the Red West demos, with only snippets of Elvis… a pity it isn’t Elvis but interesting since this is what Elvis heard and used for his own recording. He used to work a lot this way, listen to a new tracks, knowing almost immediately if he liked it and if so adapt it and record his own interpretation / version.
But then… fasten your seatbelts and shake and shiver through two beautiful CD’s from the 1969 Memphis Sessions. “And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”, “Power Of My Love”, “Do You Know Who I Am”, “Any Day Now” and several more tracks in crystal clear stereo. Most of the material could be heard before (e.g. There’s Always Me), but never in this quality. Having such large parts of these magnificent sessions in this quality alone is worth the price of the box set.
Conclusion
We can only say: “Buy it, when you can get it! (and afford it, since they are expensive)”. Since this is a very well designed series which takes you through Elvis recording years. If this is not enough to convince you, the marvelous takes from 1969 should be. We can’t wait for the volumes for the rest of Elvis’ recording career running from 1971 until 1976 which will hopefully be released. Tracklist:
it mentions no tracklist anymore... ( Andylon )Zuletzt geändert von Andylon Lensen; 26.01.2007, 15:06Kommentar
-
Great to see you here, Andylon!
Welcome aboard and be grateful thanked for such interesting information!
Kommentar
-
Cool romeo Box set 3
Hi Master Sniper,
Thank you for making me welcome here, appreciated!
Andylon.
Here I have the info on the Cool Romeo boxset 3 & 4 .
For anyone who is interested.
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.8 (Box 3)"
For The Millionth And The Last Time (takes 1,2,3&4, 5,6&7,7,8,9,10&11), Good Luck Charm (takes 1,2,3&4), Anything That's Part Of You (takes 1,2,3,4&5,6,7,8,9&10), I Met Her Today (takes 1,2,3,4,5&6,7,8).
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.9 (Box 3)"
I Met Her Today (takes 10,11,12,13,14,15&16,17&18,19&20), Night Rider (takes 1,2,3), Echoes Of Love (takes 1,2&4,4,5,6,7,8,9&10), Please Don't Drag That String Around (takes 1,2,3,4,5), You're The Devil In Disguise (takes 1,2,3,4,5,6), Never Ending (take 1,2&3).
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.10 (Box 3)"
What Now, What Next, Where To (take 1), Witchcraft (takes 1,2,3), Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers (takes 1,2&3), Love Me Tonight (takes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8), Memphis Tennessee (take 1), Long Lonely Highway (take 1), Western Union (takes 1,2&3,4), Slowly But Surely (takes 1,2,3,4), Blue River (takes 1,2), Ask Me (takes 1&2,3&4,5,6,7,8).
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.11 (Box 3)"
Run On (takes 1&2,6), How Great Thou Art (take 2), Stand By Me (takes 2,3&4,7,9,10), Where No None Stands Alone (take 3, workparts takes 1,2,3), Down In The Alley (3:01), Down In The Alley (3:09), Love Letters, Love Letters (take 2), So High (takes 1,3), Farther Along (takes 1&2), By And By (takes 3&4,9), Beyond The Reef (3:10), Somebody Bigger Than You And I (takes 2,4&11, 12,8&15)Kommentar
-
Cool Romeo Box - Set 4
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.12 (Box 4)"
Without Him (takes 1,8,6,10&14), If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side (takes 1,4,6), Fools Fall In Love (2:56), Indescribably Blue (2:49), overdub take 1,2,edit piece take 2), I'll Remember You (overdub take 1,2,3), I'll Remember You (1:25), If Everyday Was Like Christmas (2:54, 0:33). Bonus Tracks; Singing Tree (2:45), We Call On Him (takes 2,3), You'll Never Walk Alone (take 2).
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.13 (Box 4)"
True Love Travels On A Gravel Road (3:16, 4:12, 5:02, 3:07, 5:41), And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind (2 versions 4:20, 3:49, 3:48), Power Of My Love (takes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8), After Loving You (5:05, 3:43), Do You Know Who I Am (3:54, 4:10)
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.14 (Box 4)"
Do You Know Who I Am (3:08, 4:18, 6:15, 6:07), It Keeps Right On A Hurtin'(4:49, 3:17), Any Day Now (3:09, 3:06, 10:42, 5:18, 2:56).
"Unsurpassed Masters Vol.15 (Box 4)"
Rubberneckin' (takes 1&2, 3,4,5,6), Instrumental (2:50, 3:24, 2:56, 7:39, 3:14, 6:15, 3:01), I Got A Thing About You Baby (2 times), The Wonderful World Of Christmas (2:01).Kommentar
-
Abgesehen davon, daß es die Cool Romeo -boxen schon mehr als lange gibt (bzw nicht mehr gibt, denn Originale sind nur mehr selten und dann auch reichlich kostspielig zu ergattern), versteh ich den Zusammenhang nicht ganz
Ist die *american sound* von *unsurpassed masters* geklaut oder wozu das Ganze?
Kommentar
-
Auf jeden Fall freue ich mich auch wirklich auf diese CD, denn die erste CD war vom Artwork her schon sehr geil! Absoluter Madison Standard mit einem netten Text und vielen Pics.
Ja, ich höre die Leute jammern, die sagen: "Aber das hatten wir doch schon alles!"
Zugegeben: da stimmt.
Allerdings kommt für mich nur die AMERICAN CROWN JEWELS an dieses Set ran. Denn weder auf There's Always Me, noch auf FINDING THE WAY HOME oder den zahlreichen weiteren Rip-Offs habe ich dazu so eine schöne Verpackung bekommen.
Abgesehen davon ließ Volume 1 bereits tonmäßig aufhorchen - denn wenn zwischen einer alten Bootleg Auflage aus den 90ern und dieser Neu-Auflage hier schon gute elf Jahre liegen (There's Always Me I kam 1995 raus!!!!), dann hört man natürlich den Fortschritt - vor allem in der Entrauschung. Dieses Gegurgel, was auf den alten Bootlegs zu hören war, kennt man heute nur noch von mp3. Die Filter sind deutlich besser geworden - und daher:
absoluter Daumen hoch für diese wirklich mit Liebe gemachte Reihe! Wer sich die billige Version als Box kauft, ist selbst schuld. Diese Reihe hier wird diejenige sein, die Wert behalten und bekommen wird.Kommentar
-
Vielleicht habe ich mich etwas seltsam ausgedrückt.
Mit Rip-Offs meine ich natürlich nur solceh Sets wie "Reclaiming The Crown" und so ....Kommentar
-
Da geb ich Dir selbstredend recht....Thanks to Ernst Joergensen, Roger Semon and Erik Rasmussen for the great work. Keep the spirit alive !Kommentar
-
American Vol.2 soll Anfang nächster Woche veröffentlicht werden
Kommentar
-
American Way - Volume 2 Released!
American Way - Volume 2 Released!
The latest import CD from the Southern Comfort label "Amercan Way - Volume 2 - Some Blue Eyed Soul" .
The tracks on this CD are:
Wearin' That Loved On Look Session:
01. Takes 2-9 (false starts + long false start)
02. Take 10 (complete take)
03. Takes 11-13 (2 false starts + 2 long false starts)
04. Take 14 (complete take)
You'll Think Of Me Session:
05. Takes 1-5 (5 false starts)
06. Take 6 (complete take)
07. Take 7 (complete take)
08. Take 8 (complete take)
A Little Bit Of Green Session:
09. Takes 1, 2 (complete take + false start + long false start)
After Long You Session:
10. Takes 1, 2 (rehearsal + long false start + complete take)
11. Take 3 (rehearsal + complete take)
Only The Strong Survive Session:
12. Takes 1, 2 (long false start + rehearsal + 4 false starts + long false start)
13. Take 3 (complete take)
14. Take 4 (3x false start + long false start)
15. Takes 5, 6 (3x false start + complete take)
16. Takes 7, 8 (false start + 3x long false start)
17. Takes 9, 10 (false start + long false start)
18. Take 11 (long false start)
From A Jack To A King Session:
19. Takes 1-3 (2x false start + complete take)
20. Take 4 (rehearsal + complete take)
2007/02/15 Various / www.epgold.comKommentar
Kommentar