Elvis: Ultimate Gospel

Elvis has a voice like none other. Listening to him is a pleasure. Putting Elvis and gospel music together is a natural fit. The album is exactly what I wanted.

This CD is a major disappointment. I was expecting the Elvis of his early years, my favorite period. These cuts are so heavily orchestrated with an overwhelming backup group that you can barely hear Elvis over the noise. Everything is very down tempo with thick, cloying and syrupy harmonies. Some are so draggy you almost go to sleep, wondering if the album is playing at the wrong speed. Imagine the Ray Coniff Singers doing Hound Dog, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Jail House Rock, on a 45 played at 33 1/3. It verges on elevator music. I'm learning that an artist as prolific as Elvis did a lot of stinkers in his career. This CD could be called Elvis' Biggest Duds.

No one can sing more beautiful gospel music than Elvis Presley and this CD is a perfect example of that. It brings tears to your eyes. He puts a whole lot of feeling into all the songs. The songs are my all time favorite gospel songs.

Overall, this CD is a very nice balance between young and old Elvis. (In my opinion, sometimes certain periods of Elvis material can sound very shmaltzy and barring the first track and another, this collection seems to be low on grand, drippy tunes.) It was also nice to be able to preview the tracks for this collection.

The CD is a great overview of Elvis singing Gospel in his prime. Nobody does it better. His whole heart goes into each number, and the backup harmonies by the Jordanaires are beautiful.