Elvis At Stax

Though Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, his recording contracts demanded he be a working stiff like any other performer and release a constant flow of new material on singles and LPs. Fortunately, Presley had impeccable backing musicians who could immediately get up to speed. Elvis took these folks into Memphis’ Stax Studio in July and December of 1973 because it was near Graceland. They cut enough material for several albums that appeared in the '70s (alongside music from other sessions in Nashville and Hollywood). The albums were presented in a way that underplayed the greatness of this period in Presley’s career. Now—either as a 17-track distillation of the sessions or, preferably, as a deluxe edition with all 55 tracks (with 27 outtakes) serving as the complete look at the era—Elvis at Stax forces a serious reevaluation of Elvis’ final decade. The highlights are many. “I’ve Got a Feelin’ in My Body,” Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land,” “For Ol’ Times Sake,” “Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues.” All are sung with the passion and nuance that made Elvis the King.