Title: The Brightest Star Boulevard (Released in 2008)

Label: Gravel Road Music / Fort Baxter

Date: July 24, 1970 (complete rehearsal)

Sound Quality (Concert): * * * * * / * * * * * +

Content Rating: * * * * * / * * * * * +

Tracks:

CD 1

1.That's All Right 2.I Got A Woman 3.The Wonder Of You 4.I've Lost You 5.The Next Step Is Love 6.Stranger In The Crowd 7.You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling 8.Something 9.Don't Cry Daddy 10.Don't Cry Daddy # 2 11.You Don't Have To Say You Love Me 12.Polk Salad Annie 13.Bridge Over Troubled Water 14.I Can't Stop Loving You 15.Just Pretend / Don't It Make You Wanna Go Home (few lines) 16.Sweet Caroline / Love Me Tender (few lines) 16.Words

CD 1

1.Suspicious Minds 2.I Just Can't Help Believin’ 3.I Just Can't Help Believin' #2 4.Tomorrow Never Comes / Running Scared (few lines) 5.Mary In The Morning 6.Twenty Days And Twenty Nights 7.You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling 8.I Just Can't Help Believin' #3 9.Heart Of Rome (uncensored + with reprise) 10.Memories 11.Johnny B. Goode 12.Make The World Go Away / Delilah (few lines) 13.Stranger In My Own Home Town (uncensored) 14.I Washed My Hand In Muddy Water

Package: The packaging standards are very high these days and every serious label tries to catch up on that. Together with Fort Baxter the Gravel Roads made a great package. It is really great to be holding it in hands.

Elvis: I believe that enough’s been said about Elvis in the summer of 1970. His voice is not unmatchable on these July rehearsals but it became in the early August. And what’s great – Elvis is in a fantastic mood and here we are on an Elvis Presley rehearsals sitting next to the amplifiers and listening an easy going, intimate run through the songs.

Highlights: The silly notes of the rehearsal – such as the renditions of Heart Of Rome and Memories – are still funny to listen to. Maybe they are not highlights in the classic terms but they make my day each time I listen to them. As for serious renditions – it’s nice to hear Elvis working out on Bridge Over Troubled Water even though his voice is not as powerful as it is on the master take nor as it would become in August during the live shows. I Just Can’t Help Believing is a nice listen as well.

Review: Released in a new package from the master tapes is the rehearsal from July 24, 1970. Is it actually worth re-buying?

The package is actually very nice. But what about the sound? If you have the original you can easily skip this release. It is an upgrade but not a one you would like to spend money on unless you are a “I want to have it all” kind of collector. There are other releases that are worth spending money on – like the newer FTDs. Everybody is running out of material these days so this kind of releases will constantly appear in the near future.

February 2009

B bootleg index