2nd Jan - Elvis Presley's Elvis Country

Artist – Album: Elvis Presley – Elvis Country (I’m 10,000 Years Old)

Released:  2^nd January 1971

Sounds Like: Outlaw Elvis

There were a few reasons for me to take on this albumaday... project. From the top of my head, some of these are:

• I’m currently ‘in-between jobs’ and so needed a stupid project...
• My girlfriend has a popular fashion blog and I wanted to get in on the action.
• My itunes has swelled to scary proportions and I needed a way to explore it all without listening to the same old stuff over and over again.

Otherwise, I probably would never bang on a countrified concept album by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. It just sounds weird, doesn’t it?

On first listen, yeah, it is a bit strange. The songs themselves are strong – as well as a raucous cover of Jerry Lee-Lewis’ ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, there are songs penned by country legends such as Willie Nelson, Hank Cochran and Lee Hazelwood. But the mish-mash of most of country’s subgenres and the snippets of ‘I’m 10,000 Years Old’ intended to tie the album together can grate a little.

However, this record deserves and rewards repeated listens. The King puts his all into every number and his backing group are as good as he ever had. The lack of ballads or well known Presley hits means that it bounds along without any odd change in tone and it works best listened to in full. It’s definitely a grower.

Albumaday... rating:   7/10

1. Snowbird – 2:17
2. Tomorrow Never Comes – 4:07
3. Little Cabin on the Hill – 1:58
4. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On – 3:10
5. Funny How Time Slips Away – 4:32
6. I Really Don’t Want to Know – 2:59
7. There Goes My Everything – 3:10
8. It’s Your Baby You Rock It – 3:04
9. The Fool – 2:34
10. Faded Love – 3:19
11. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water – 3:54
12. Make the World Go Away – 3:46

     Listen to ‘It’s Your Baby, You Rock It’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPxy_lr7PWA

Also released on the 2^nd January:

1968: Merle Haggard – Sing Me Back Home