Moody Blue Arkansas

Moody Blue

Elvis Presley

RCA, 1977

REVIEW BY: Adam Mico

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/22/2003

Knocking on death's door, it's Elvis On Tour. Ethinamate,methaqualone, codeine and barbiturates had collectively ravaged hisappearance and sanity. The lumbering king was obviously on his lastleg; a poor fat performing also-ran who practically needed to bepropped up on stage. With effusive bulge, the deficient polyesterfibers strained over his sweat-tarnished jumpsuits. His face lookedlike a red, bloated image disproportionately stretched overanother. Even during songs, he consistently mumbled or shoutedunrelated nonsense while in verse! Regardless of the countlessconspiracy theories out there, the fact is Elvis Presley wasmoribund and perished on August 16, 1977.

A couple months prior to the plummeted legend's passing, hislast studio recording was released. Moody Blue featured ten intermixed "live" and studiorecordings. Overall, it plays like an amiable post-1961retrospective. "Moody Blue" and the early Olivia Newton John-cover,"If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" are country rock marvels. "Way Down"and the Diamonds' "Little Darlin" thrive as lightheartedpast-feigning retreats. Elvis' version of the Righteous Brothers'"Unchained Melody" was sung so operatically that a listener wouldlikely forget that he or she was listening to the opening track ofa rock record. Solid mild country (George Jones' "She Still ThinksI Care") and soft rock and roll ("Pledging My Love") were all sungquite well and sequenced appropriately to fill out the originalalbum.

In 2000, RCA released their remastered version of Moody Blue. Along with a total sonic enhancement to theinitial album, nine upgraded studio versions of schmaltzy lateconcert standards were added. None of the bonus tracks featured thecarefree joy that shone on the pre-tampered version. As each songpassed, the CD became increasingly blue. Admittedly, songs like"Solitaire" and the Willie Nelson cover, "Blue Eyes Cryin' In theRain" are very good as individual numbers, but suffer when boggeddown with like-sounding and even embarrassing ("Danny Boy")titles.

RCA's well-meaning but cancerous tampering destroyed the tone ofMoody Blue. Although the sound sparkles, the extra tracksmake the second half plod. Instead of walking away with the cheersof a carefree final toast, Moody Blue in its infected entirety leaves me tired,red-faced, mumbling and bloated.