1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 157. Elvis Presley – From Elvis in Memphis (1969)

 

After the last album I think we can rely on Elvis to not get too experimental. Which he doesn’t, sticking to blues and a good old-fashioned rock and roll ballad on a couple of tracks, with quite a few country style tracks. The first two tracks, however are more R’n’B in flavour, and it’s easy to imagine fellow Memphis albumeer Dusty Springfield singing them as much as Elvis. 

The best known song on here is In The Ghetto. As well as being a favourite for Cartman from South Park, it’s a surprisingly socially conscious track about the trap of poverty, kind of soul but also transcending genre. The reissue also features karaoke favourite Suspicious Minds. Like an old friend we haven’t seen in ages, it’s nice to have Elvis back, and he makes it all sound as effortless as ever. Not the most thrilling album compared to contemporary stuff, apart from In The Ghetto.

I noticed in editing that I had very little to say about this album and the next, I suspect I was still stupified by Trout Mask Replica.

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