| Release: 1989 | BMG PD 90250 | Germany | -20 € | |
| Release: 1989 | BMG R32P-1192 | Japan | 30 € | |
| Release: 1989 | BMG 9589-2-R | USA | 22 € | |
| Release: 1990 | BMG CD 20 096 | Brazil | 30 € | |
| Release: 1991 | BMG APCD 6072 | without UPC | Australia | 25 30 € |
| Release: 1991 | BMG PD 90250 | Germany | -20 € | |
| Release: 1992 | BMG PD 90250 | with UPC | Australia | 22 € |
| Release: 1992 | BMG CD 20 096 | Brazil | 25 € | |
| Release: 1993 | BMG BVCP 1004 | Elvis in the 90s | Japan | 25 € |
| Release: 1994 | BMG PD 90250 | Elvis in the 90s | Germany | 15 € |
| Release: 1994 | BMG 9589-2-R | USA | 15 € | |
| Release: 1996 | BMG 9589-2-R | USA | 15 € | |
| Release: 1999 | BMG 74321640912 | Artist of the Century | EU | 13 € |
| Release: 2013 | Sony Music CAPP 057 SA | Super Audio CD | USA | 30 € |
|
Part of the "Essential Elvis Presley" series |
The second volume of Essential Elvis offers Elvis in binaural stereo
from the January 1957 sessions that produced several hits. (RCA
Victor generously filled the disc out with mono masters of the
remaining songs to give the consumer a complete version of the
sessions.) This is a lot of fun; the gaffes are numerous, obvious,
and hilarious, and for ears raised on multi-track recording, it must
be amazing to hear an entire record recorded live in the studio! (AllMusic
Review by Neal Umphred
)Release notes: A TECHNICAL NOTE ABOUT BINAURAL A couple of years before the advent of the stereo disc in mid-1958, major record companies had been experimenting with stereophonic recording of classical music (often referred to then as 'binaural '). In the popularmusic sphere, however, state-of-the-art studios were using the new Ampex 2-track tape recorders for making binaural tapes for other purposes. The engineers would place, say, the vocalist or soloist on one track and the backing band on the other; this enabled further engineering and mixing to produce the final mono master after the performers had left. In the earliest days — as in the case of these Elvis sessions — the binaural machine was run only as a safety copy. Although these 2-track tapes were never intended for stereophonic release thirty-odd years ago, I have very carefully prepared them for stereo enjoyment utilizing techniques that I hope are compatible with the aims of the original recording team and artist. The quality and clarity of these originals certainly belie their age and per-mit an exciting stereo image by any standard—a tribute indeed to the Radio Recorders engineers. BOB JONES |