First full-length LP from the King of Rock and Roll

Elvis Presley (1956.) Elvis Presley's first album.



In the mid-fifties, Elvis Presley came onto the musical scene - and fast became popular. However, not all of that popularity was well-received - many parents thought that the music that he performed and the moves he did while on stage were a bad influence to their children (looking back at this, it's actually rather funny that that stuff, which is pretty tame by today's standards, caused all this controversy.) Elvis, started his musical recording career on Sun Records, but ended up switching record labels. And on his new label, he released his first, full-length LP - the first rock and roll album to ever hit number one on the pop charts! How does the debut album from the man who would become known as the King of Rock and Roll measure up? Read on.



As soon as you begin listening to this album, one fact will instantly become evident - These recordings are considerably more raw and stripped-down than most of the Elvis Presley recordings that fans of the King have come to know and love over the years. Despite the shoddy production, this is still an excellent album. With the King's first LP, he covers a plethora of the musical stylings of the time - country-styled songs, fifties-style love ballads, early rock-style tunes, and a variety of others. Many of the tunes present here are actually covers of other fairly well-known tunes of the day. For instance, Blue Suede Shoes was originally performed by the King's former Sun Records mate, Carl Perkins (although it was Elvis who would make this song popular.) Sure, many of these songs pale in comparison to some of the King's later work, but you can't deny it - every song on here is excellent, and has stood the test of time.



When this album was rereleased on CD, they did more than just rerelease it - they also added bonus tracks! There were many tracks that Elvis recorded in this era that were only released as singles, and weren't put on the LP (in this era, rock and roll was generally a singles-oriented genre, not an album-oriented one like it is today, so it wasn't unusual for artists to release songs as singles and not put them on albums.) Tracks 1, 2, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are bonuses that weren't on the original LP, but were recorded in the same era. Among them are the legendary Heartbreak Hotel, which has since become a fan favorite. It's an excellent album without the bonus cuts, but they're the icing on the cake.



Can I really say anything else? The King's first full-length LP is a damn fine album. If you're a fan of early rock and roll, or just a fan of Elvis Presley in general, his first LP is one that you need to add to your collection. If you're new to the King, you might be better starting off with a hits compilation, such as the Thirty Number One Hits set. Although not perfect, this is still a highly recommended LP. Four out of five stars.

THE FIRST BONAFIDE "ROCK & ROLL" ALBUM...PERIOD!

I'm 33 years old, and Elvis died when Iwas 12. But I grew up with his music from the time I could walk (Thanks to mymom). This was one of the first albums Iever heard of his, along w/Golden Recs 1and Christmas album. Just seeing the cover brings back bittersweet memories.About a week after I had it and playedit, Elvis died on me. I was heartbroken.I played this album constantly for weeksafterward, and as I listened, I would try to remember Elvis as he was THEN.This album will always have a specialplace in my heart. In my mind it's thefirst real Rock album ever, and it smokes. JOHN