Just for truth's sake, on disc 1, Elvis was not singing to taped music (or karaoke as it was condescendingly referred to), it was done live - I've SEEN THE OUTTAKES. You can see the band, and you can see if he makes a mistake the band stops. The only part that the vocals were dubbed were the story sequences, for obvious resons. He also jams with the band for a while during the stand up part playing lead electric blues guitar. You'd be surprised how good he really was on the guitar, no hendrix, but definately a Neil Young. I heard Elvis do guitar solos, oh yeah, the boy can play. And also, he has SO MUCH ENERGY on disc 1 it's mind-blowing. The sound quality is crisp, the bass is pumping, and Elvis vocals portray him as the grass-roots blues singer he is. Another thing is, you get a good glimpse of Elvis' sense of humor in this 2-disc set, which is good for seeing his humanity. That today a singer who gets involved with drugs is pitied and coddled, and Elvis gets called childish names is beyond me, but that's how comfortable it is to agree with a stereotype. Well, no stereotype here, you will hear why Elvis will remain the #1 Artist of all time.

For those who were paying attention, Elvis's music in the sixties were mostly confined to soundtrack recordings which were some of the lamest to be ever issued on vinyl, which is what makes his comeback so remarkable. This was no special where Elvis is crooning Christmas carols (which is what Colonel Parker wanted in the first place). This was do or die for Elvis's future to be taken seriously as an artist. It's hard to imagine what direction Elvis would've taken had this comeback special flopped. Fortunately (for him and for fans all over the world) it didn't.

The first disc concentrates on the elaborate production numbers. Although it loses some of its luster without the visuals, there are some fine moments here; "Trouble/Guitar Man" is a terrific opening number (in my mind Elvis rocks harder here than the King Creole version), and the gospel medley, "Memories", and "If I Can Dream", to name but three songs, are as moving as anything Elvis recorded up to this point.

The second disc features the informal "ringside" concert sequence and it is as incredible and soulful as other reviewers have alluded to. The same thing can be said really about the whole package. (So is the video of this program, which I also totally recommend.)

For Elvis diehards, this is an absolutely essential 2-CD set. But even if you're not don't let this stop you from enjoying the moment when Elvis stopped singing appalling junk for equally appalling movies by laying his (artistic) life on the line and truly recapturing the "Keys to the Kingdom".

Peace.

This two-hour reissue is sort of a companion volume to MCA's September, 1998 disc "Tiger Man", which contains the complete set from the second of two concerts given by Elvis Presley on June 27, 1968.

It is pretty much just an expanded version of the original "NBC TV Special" album, featuring almost two dozen previously unreleased takes, including several alternates, which means that "Baby, What You Want Me To Do" is here in five (!) different versions.

That may be a bit too much for some, but the quality of the music is high all the way through. I am particularly fond of the tunes recorded with just a small group which includes 50s band members D.J. Fontana and Scotty Moore, and it is very enjoyable to hear Elvis Presley playing and singing with such conviction...he even plays a pretty mean R&B-styled rhythm guitar!

A must-have for Elvis fanatics, casual Elvis fans should also find this 35-track double CD to their liking. Most of the best-known classics are here, including "Heartbreak Hotel", "That's All Right Mama", "Jailhouse Rock", "Trying To Get To You", "Hound Dog" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", as well as several slightly lesser-known (but often very fine) songs, such as "One Night", "Guitar Man" (in a medley with "Trouble"), and "When It Rains It Really Pours".

I don't own very many Elvis Presley-albums, and I'm not really that big a fan. But if you only ever get one Elvis-CD, make sure you get either this one or the original NBC Comeback Special soundtrack. This is Presley at his best and most accessible.

Here's a timeless document. And a rough cut diamond, friends. While the excellent show on Disc 1 already gives us an idea of how Elvis would sound like later in Las Vegas Disc 2 takes us back again to the very beginning. The Hillbilly Cat Live. We don't have a full band here tonight" Elvis says as he starts the 6 PM show and delievers an electrifying re-edition of his sun classic "That's Allright Mama". "We just sit here" he says later on. But sitting out there in this boxing ring in Burbank with "these guys from the early days" that night in June he shows to everyone who was around in the music scene at that time, where it all came from. He took the risk of a live jam session instead of performing some neatly arranged christmas classics. Being just himself. Doing what he left his truck for: To make music, great music. To entertain. To sing for the world, as Charlie Hodge said after these shows. Less than a year away from his essential American Studio sessions we listen to a great singer and musician finding his way back home.

All I can say is WOW! This double CD collection is absolutely the best. I have every record album he has recorded, including the original '68 Comeback record and this collection of those recordings with most of them previously unreleased is just incredible. Any Elvis fan will be happy with this.