Postby KEV » Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:13 pm
Seen this from KEITH and his views on this CD from VENUS...
I’ve just finished going through the new Venus CD and here are my findings:
Mary In The Morning (Take 4) is actually takes 3 and 4 but are definitely a different mix to what has been released before and sounds fantastic to me!
I Really Don’t Want To Know (Alternate Mix Take 4) is the undubbed master (Take 4) but is a completely different mix to what we’ve had before - great to hear!
I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water (Complete Master Overdubbed) is actually the faded overdubbed master as released originally on the Elvis Country album 1n 1971, but where it was faded in on the original album the intro in complete here. This is great to get finally! The fully overdubbed master without fade was released by Venus previously on Unedited Masters - Nashville 1970 and Unedited Masters - The Next Generation
Life (Unreleased Take 17) - It is great to get any new takes of songs and although not one of Elvis’ best songs, it is still nice to hear
Twenty Days And Twenty Nights (Take 6, 7, 8,): The FTD classic album release of That’s The Way It Is contains a little bit more dialogue on Take 6, but that release only contained the count-in for Take 7, where here we have the full unreleased take (long false start). Take 8 contains the count-in and additional dialogue which wasn’t released on the FTD
Stranger In The Crowd (Take 1, 7) is actually just the count-in for Take 1 (but no more of Take 1), then the full Take 7 (long false start) which was previously unreleased until the Venus Promo a few months ago. This track is also listed as being unreleased, but it is already released by Venus
Funny How Time Slips Away (Alternate Mix Take 1) is definitely a different mix to the rough mix master we got on FTD’s classic album of Elvis Country, and is fantastic sound
Little Cabin On The Hill (Longer / From Better Source Take 1) is actually the undubbed master (Take 2), and contains some additional guitar strums at the end. This also appears to be from a tape source, where previous releases of this was only from acetate
Rags To Riches (From Better Source Take 2) is actually Take 3, which was released by Venus on Unedited Masters - Nashville 1971, only here it has an extra snippet of dialogue at the beginning (“…ee”) which it part of the count-in (“three”)
Just Pretend (From Better Source Take 1, 2) actually doesn’t sound any different to what was released on FTD’s classic album of That’s The Way It Is, although I could be wrong
The Sound Of Your Cry (From Better Source Take 4, 5, 6) appear to be just the same as what was on FTD’s classic album of Love Letters From Elvis, only here Take 4 is just the false start, where on the FTD it also contained the rehearsal before the take
I’ll Never Know (From Better Source Take 4) is actually Take 1, and appears to be the same as what was on FTD’s classic album of Love Letters From Elvis
Tomorrow Never Comes (From Better Source Master) is the actual overdubbed composite master, but does indeed sound slightly better to what we’ve had before
Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (From Better Source take 2) is the same as what was released on Essential Elvis Volume 4 - A Hundred Years From Now, but here the sound is improved, in my opinion - great to hear!
Life (Masturbator Version Take 18, 19) are again brand new unheard takes, so are always welcome to hear. The dialogue from before Take 19 (“this god-damn thing is long as life, man”) was edited in before Take 10 on FTD’s Love Letters From Elvis classic album
Power Of My Love (Master No Overdubs - Take 7) is actually Take 6b, and although listed as being unreleased it's the same as was released on the Venus Promo a few months ago
My Little Friend (Vocal Overdub Of January 16) is the undubbed master (in mono) and, as above, although listed as being unreleased it's the same as was released on the Venus Promo a few months ago. The sound is fantastic, but it’s a shame it is faded at the end, where it is unedited, and in stereo, on FTD's From Elvis At American Sound Studio
True Love Travels On A Gravel Road (Master Different Mix) is the overdubbed master and again is listed as being unreleased, but is same as was released on the Venus Promo a few months ago, which is a completely different mix to what has been released before
Power Of My Love (Master Alternate Mix) is actually the unedited overdubbed master before it was faded for release, and is definitely a different mix. Again, the sound is fantastic!
All in all, apart from some silly, avoidable, errors in the track listing, this is another great release from Venus, containing new material not heard before, as well as new mixes and better sounding tracks to what we’ve had before.
I don’t know how they do it, but please keep these releases coming Venus!
Oh, and if you need someone to check over your releases before they are pressed and have artwork printed in future, Venus, I'd be glad to help! 8)
Keith
Keep the FAITH MIKE
KEV