CD Record Review

Viva Elvis: The Album

RCA/Legacy

This 12 song CD features music from the Las Vegas show known as "Cirque Du Soleil".  Now I'll warn you, this is not your mom's Elvis recordings. In fact, if you're an Elvis purist, you may have a tough time accepting this CD.  Let me try to explain.  While the voice is Elvis', the backing music has been re-recorded.  Call it a re-imagining of the Elvis sound.  Once you set aside the fact that this is not simply a re-packaging of Elvis hits, this collection can grow on you.

The CD opens with a medley of introductions played over the song that Elvis opened his concerts with in the 1970's, the iconic "Also sprach Zarathustra: 2001 A Space Odyssey".  From there the collection features some of The King of Rock 'n' Roll's best known hits: Blue Suede Shoes, That's All Right, and Heartbreak Hotel (to name just a few). Also included are some lesser known hits like "King Creole" and "Bossa Nova Baby".  My favorite track is the last cut, "Suspicious Minds". It’s a more straight forward recording of the 1969 hit as though it were recorded in 2010.

Listen to the CD as it is intended, a re-imagining of Elvis’ material. I think you’ll be happy you gave it a chance.