This latest posthumous repackage involves replacing or augmenting the original arrangements of 14 Elvis performances with new orchestrations, mostly to the songs’ detriment: both the snake-hipped sway of “It’s Now Or Never” and the yearning tone of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” are ill-served by the lush strings.
“In the Ghetto” is more sensitively treated while the intimate meniscus of “Love Me Tender”’ is not too damaged by the strings.
“An American Trilogy” is subject to wholesale changes, including the replacement of the flute solo by trumpet, and even, at one point, the removal of Elvis’s voice to tidy up a clash with the backing vocals.
Mercifully, there are few guest appearances – the addition of Duane Eddy’s signature twang to a couple of songs is aptly done, but do we really need Michael Bublé duetting on “Fever”? No, we do not.
The Irish Times is the most positive so far: The Irish Times gives it 3 out of 5 - "Recalling The Beatles’ LOVE album, it’s listenable and occasionally pleasant – but you just can’t beat the originals."
Vinyl #1On the Official UK Vinyl Chart the “If I Can Dream” album is a new entry at #1. The El Toro EP release “Doo Wop” is a new entry at #6.
On the Official Physical Singles Chart Top 100 the “If I Can Dream” single is a new entry at #2 while “Doo Wop” enters the chart at #11.
Vinyl Single
Author Philippe Manoeuvre will release the book "100 Vinyls Incontournables" with GM Edition. The book comes with a vinyl single containing Elvis Presley’s “That´s All Right, Mama” and “Blue Moon Of Kentucky”.
Brand New Memories
The book, “Elvis: We'll Remember You” by Ed Bonja was released in the summer of 2014. A newer version and updated has been release. Ed Bonja have made a few changes, added a few new pictures but the main change is the quality of the paper. It is limited to 1000 copies.
Brand New Set
Sony released the final volume of their download series of “Complete Albums”.
(Source: FECC / Twitter / ElvisMatters / Elvis Club Berlin / Independent / Irish Times)