Following last year's release of the "Today, Tomorrow & Forever" box, RCA/BMG Heritage strikes again with yet another classy 4 CD-box, containing nothing less than 89 tracks of unreleased Elvis Presley material. "Close Up" is definitely less ambitious than its predecessor, which aimed to cover the whole of Elvis' career, but focuses on some more or less interesting periods from the King's cornucopian recorded legacy.

Disc # 1 features 20 songs from 1957, mostly taken from the "Loving You" and "Jailhouse Rock" sessions, released here in primitive (binaural) stereo. Since "The Essential Elvis, Vol. 2, 1957" these takes no longer contain any surprises, even if all the material Elvis recorded then is rock solid. Some masters can be heard now in stereo ("Is It So Strange", "Blueberry Hill", "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You", "Jailhouse Rock"), but I doubt whether these reveal anything more about the songs. They were great as they were. The outtakes released here are fascinating stuff, though (especially "Treat Me Nice", and more takes of "Young and Beautiful" and "Loving You").

Disc # 2 has 25 outtakes from Elvis' early `60s movies "G.I. Blues", "Flaming Star", "Wild In The Country", and "Blue Hawaii". Even if the material is not always of the highest order, Elvis' voice was superb in those years (the songs for "Wild In The Country" are particularly appealing) and this disc gives further insight in the "live-in-the-studio" recording manner which Elvis continued to uphold, with sometimes endless takes until the final "perfect" cut was nailed down.

Disc # 3 is to my mind the most interesting of the box with 21 outtakes from the ever outstanding Nashville studio sessions, covering the period from 1960 to 1968. Like some of the releases in the "Follow That Dream" collector's label ("Long Lonely Highway", "Fame And Fortune", and most recently "Studio B") this disc browses through some of Elvis' most distinguished recordings of his career. >From the opening take 1 of "Make Me Know It" by way of the hits "Surrender", "His Latest Flame" and "Ask Me" to the closing "U.S. Male" almost eight years later, this is required listening for anyone interested in sixties rock, country, pop and gospel.

Disc # 4 presents the complete concert recorded on April 18, 1972 in San Antonio, Texas, parts of which have been used in the 1972 "Elvis On Tour" rockumentary, sadly, totally overlooked last year. The sound quality and the present mix are top notch. (What are you waiting for RCA/BMG to release the other taped concerts?) It is a pretty straightforward, if none too surprising concert (repertoire-wise), yet with Elvis in good spirits and good voice, virtually bringing the house down. The hysteria the man could still generate, as witnessed by this concert, is quite thrilling. Great versions of "Suspicious Minds", and of the new songs "For The Good Times" and "Burning Love".

"Close Up" is presented on four differently coloured discs, linked to the four chapters in the 48-page book, with excellent liner notes by Colin Escott. It contains a good selection of photos and among others useful introductions of the leading Nashville studio musicians of the sixties. Guitarists like Hank Garland, Jerry Kennedy, Grady Martin, Chip Young, and pianist Floyd Cramer, previously remained mostly uncredited, but nonetheless helped to shape Elvis' music for one of the longest periods of his career.

Running between 49 and 66 minutes the 4 CDs are not exactly over-generous, but all songs are presented in excellent sound quality. Even if "Close Up" doesn't hold any more surprises or real revelations (but then again, who could expect any more after all these years?), anyone interested in Elvis' recorded legacy, indeed the most remarkable and influential in popular music, doesn't need to hesitate.

Another year, another Elvis box set. Unlike last year's box, which tried to give an overview of Elvis' entire career, this one concentrates on four distinct aspects of the King's career.

Disc one contains binaural (two-track) recordings from the '50s. These are great performances, you can't go wrong with Elvis in the '50s. Of course, most of these performances have been released before, but it is interesting to hear them in stereo, albeit primative stereo.

Disc two contains alternate takes of songs from his first four post-Army films. A lot of negative things have been said about Elvis' soundtrack recordings, and rightly so. However, the soundtracks for these four films weren't that bad (the worst was yet to come). Sure, there were some corny songs like "Big Boots" and "Slicin' Sand", but at least Elvis seemed to be having fun. These tracks are a lot of fun to hear.

Disc three contains alternate takes of songs recorded in Nashville in the 1960s. To my mind, Elvis' '60s Nashville recordings are perhaps his most underrated recordings. Here we have alternate versions of great hits like "Surrender", "His Latest Flame" and "U.S. Male", some of his classic gospel songs, and great album tracks like "The Girl of My Best Friend" and "Night Rider". This disc is a treat from start to finish.

Disc four features a complete concert from 1972. This was recorded for the feature film

. Elvis seems to be in pretty good spirits on this night. At least he doesn't sound as bored as he did at the

from around the same time. Elvis concerts tended to have a sameness to them, and this one doesn't have very many surprises to it, other than his then current single "Until It's Time For You To Go" and an early version of the yet to be released "Burning Love". This is probably the most uninteresting disc in the box.

Overall, how much you like this box set depends on how much you like Elvis. If you can't get enough of him (like me), you should get it. If you are just a casual fan of the King, this isn't a vital purchase.

Elvis Presley fans will find diminishing returns in yet another RCA box set. "Close Up" offers more outtakes from the 1950s and '60, but nothing revelatory except for the gospel classics. However, the previously unreleased 1972 concert is worth a listen, with memorable versions of "Burning Love" and "How Great Thou Art." Though a relatively good investment for under $20, it's not an essential purchase.

Wow - how many takes did Elvis do? Hey, I dig most of what I've heard of these latecomers. On this package the must-hears on CD #1, "Stereo Masters From the '50s", are the long version of "Jailhouse Rock" (the original single version presented in binaural - terrible on headphones, with the unnatural separation); and the completely unissued "(You're So Sqare) Baby, I Don't Care", a much different vocal from the well-known classic, displaying his incredible vocal flexibility and imagination. With almost complete vocal isolation we hear Presley in the most intimate way possible on these "stereo" tracks - "Young And Beautiful" becomes the ultimate Elvis valentine.

From "Unreleased Movie Gems", all four of the ballads from "Wild In The Country", particularly the originally unused "Forget Me Never", are stunning. The new softer ballad style, developped by Elvis and Charlie Hodge in Europe, works perfectly here. "Moonlight Swim" from "Blue Hawaii" is another work of art - the Dean Martin feel is a little more to the fore.

CD# 3, "The Magic Of Nashville", highlights the gospel "Working On The Building" - although Elvis defers to his august complement, the effect is mesmerizing, from the beautiful lone guitar introduction to the conclusion. "That's Someone You Never Forget" is magical alright: this impressive personal statement should be heard by all Music Appreciation students. First heard as a '62 album cut, then a '67 flipside, it got kind of lost. It seems that Grammy Awards at the time related only to full albums or A-sides. (Maybe in '03/'04 a new category can apply to this miraculous performance). The '66 gospel song "Somebody Bigger Than You And I" is splendidly mixed - the blend of Elvis' solemn low voice with the singers and musicians is an example for all engineers. The heart ballad "Mine" has a classical touch and Elvis does a fine job, but the middle-section lacks somethings and the song never reaches an emotional peak. This take is close to the first released take. It's one of many from the movie period which I feel warranted later reworking.

"Live In Texas 1972", apparently from the "Elvis On Tour" movie shows, has just two standouts - a "Burning Love" that *burns* and an astonishing "American Trilogy". It appears that this is the same effort also filmed which captures devastated patrons expressing their excitement and interest. Presley was so powerful on stage that a non-romantic theme could also provoke sustained screams.

A bold offer such as "Close Up" can also reveal certain artistic dilemmas. On the previously mentioned title tune from "Wild In The County" Elvis attempts the middle-eight a la Mario Lanza and he nails it...but then his breath gives out. Or he and others in attendance realize that this approach would be problematic on this soft statement. The recorded result is the less satsifying gentle falsetto which does not really support the song title with the word "wild". Big El went for many big notes in his career and it's too bad he didn't go back and try again. There's a few more items which make us wonder why he didn't apply his full voice to the number. The Adult Contemporary/Beat Ballad if-you-will "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" is certainly melodious but another case-in-point: the vocal bridge would have been more effective with dramatic fortisimo. Perhaps the leap from quiet in the verse to loud in the vocal bridge would have been awkward but if you refer to several takes of "Surrender" (a very strong rendition found here) you wonder why he chose to croon so often during this period. Ofcourse it still is a notable B-side.

Terrific notes and rare photos are included. "Elvis: Close Up". In the words of his buddy Tom Jones..."Get 'Closer'": RCA/BMG, keep 'em comin'!

I am an Elvis fanatic, but sometimes even people like me get fed up with the constant churning out of 'alternate takes' and 'below par' concert recordings. I buy it all, hoping that I get something different to add to my collection. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. I still enjoy hearing the king sing irrespective of what CD I play, but I have really heard all of this before. Pity, I thought that I would get something out of this one.