Editorial Reviews
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ELV1S 30
In 1987, RCA released a one-disc Elvis compilation called The Number One Hits that featured 18 tracks. So how did the label come up with 12 additional number ones (13 if you count the sensational "A Little Less Conversation" remix that brings the King into the 21st century as a bona fide dance/electronica star)? Well, the '87 compilation featured only Billboard number ones. "In the Ghetto" and "Burning Love" never reached the top there, nor did "Way Down," despite every copy of that 45 selling out on both sides of the Atlantic following Presley's 1977 death. Instead, the new compilers have used the major pop charts in both the U.S. (including Cashbox) and U.K. to determine inclusions. The tracks have all been remixed from original masters, which proves awesome at best (some of the songs have never sounded crisper if, at times, slightly antiseptic) and problematic at worst. Purists will definitely quibble. "A Fool Such As I," for instance, sounds like Elvis rerecorded his vocals. Hank Garland's great guitar solo also sounds different. It might be an alternate take. That's definitely the case with "The Wonder of You." A few lyrics are even different, meaning this isn't the same version as the original 45. Of course, none of that should matter to the youngsters who've been singing along to "Hound Dog" on the Lilo & Stitch soundtrack, or to any other newcomers. Despite the complaints, this is arguably the best single disc Elvis primer to date. Real fans will want to explore much deeper for treasures to be found, but albums like this guarantee that this is one king who will deservedly live very long, if not forever. --Bill Holdship

Amazing Grace
Real Elvis, Powerful... words really can't describe., June 15, 1998 Reviewer: david_blair@freddiemac.com from Herndon, Virginia
This is a great compilation of Elvis' highly praised and moving, spiritual side. If you ever wondered why people still look at Elvis as a Christ-figure this will explain it to you. Elvis was first and foremost a gospel singer... an amazing gospel singer. Sadly, he only made a few gospel albums during his career--which is fully covered with this very complete 2 disc set. Easily 5 stars and very essential to any Presley fan and/or rock and roll connoisseur. Stop wasting time trying to find the answers with bad rock music and hear the light and feel the rock with this, his most glorious and most sacred of performances.

Heart & Soul
Heart & Soul often finds Elvis Presley in choirboy-pure form. Though "Anything That's Part of You," "She's Not You," and "It Hurts Me" are from the midpoint of his career, they possess a sweetness akin to Frank Sinatra's very early sides. Elsewhere among these 22 tracks are the classic "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," which effects a meld of Presley's Dean Martin influences and the metallic clang of the early RCA period that spawned it; the impossibly dramatic "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"; and the later, bittersweet artistic triumph of "Suspicious Minds." Even those not strictly enamored of the King may find it hard to say no to these masterly performances. --Rickey Wright

Great Country Songs
Elvis Presley was perceived as a country music newcomer in 1954, albeit an unorthodox one. In later years, regardless of how much pop fluff and insipid movie fare he recorded, country remained a vital touchstone. This generously programmed collection (including five previously unissued alternate takes) serves as a powerful reminder. It begins with the Sun recordings of "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" and samples Elvis's rocking, early RCA versions of beloved country tunes "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again" and his childhood favorite, "Old Shep." Elvis drew from all over the spectrum, covering Eddy Arnold's 1947 hit, "I'll Hold You in My Heart," along with the later "Green, Green Grass of Home," "Help Me Make It Through the Night," and "He'll Have to Go." A newer country cover, of Jerry Reed's "Guitar Man," returned him to the hard-rocking style that many feared he'd abandoned. By drawing from across the board, this set offers a vital look at an often-underappreciated side of Presley. --Rich Kienzle