Fourtyfive years after the release of "Elvis Is Back!" Sony's own collector's label Follow That Dream Records presented a special edition of the album. The double disc includes the tracks of the original album, bonus songs and outtakes. The tracks were mastered and (in case of the outtakes) mixed by Sebastian Jeansson and sound just as great as the later remasters on the boxed sets "The Complete Elvis Presley Masters" (2010) and "The RCA Album Collection" (2016). The two compact discs are housed in a 7" digipak and accompanied by an informative and well designed booklet. Unfortunately FTD refuses to distribute their products via the streaming platforms and sticks to compact disc and vinyl.

In this review I will only deal with the tracks, that are not available on the original album or other RCA releases of 1956-1977. If you want to read about the classic "Elvis Is Back!" longplayer, just tap HERE.

This is the very first recording of Elvis since June 10, 1958. Compared to the master the king sounds a bit "stiff", but in general the performance works very well for a first walkthrough.

"Fever" also works very well, there are just a few details to iron out.

The ballad is played a tad slower, which makes it drag. Elvis also doesn't sound as smooth as he would later on. It's obvious, that everyone still has to get used to the song.

"Soldier Boy" is also taken at a slower pace, which doesn't do the song any favor. The ending is different to the master and Elvis' emphasizing and timing are not 100% on the spot yet.

In general the performance is close to the master, the song is just played a bit slower.

The band already sounds very close to the master, but the rock'n'roll king lacks some zest. Of course that's no big deal during the first walkthrough.

Elvis and his crew obviously have no problems with "Stuck On You". Right from the start it's all about the details.

The intro, sung by The Jordanaires, isn't perfect yet and the king puts a little too much energy in his voice. Besides that the song is performed in a different key.

After some unsuccessful attempts The Jordanaires finally get the intro right and the performance is underway. Elvis already knows exactly how to present "It's Now Or Never", but he holds back on the finale. I guess he didn't want to waste his voice on such an early take and make sure, that he was able to belt it out in dramatic style later.

First the guitarist fails on the intro, the second try is stoped by the producer. Take 2 is a good performance, just a few details have to be corrected. As we know today, Elvis had sung "Are You Lonesome Tonight" as early as 1958 in Germany and was eager to record the song.

The song already sounds the way we know it, there are just a few minor differences.

Elvis misses his cue, the following takes are nothing but the intro. The 11th attempt is a complete performance, Ray Walker's bass part is now a bit more in the background, which makes it sound smoother.

After a false start the second attempt fails, too. Take number 18 is complete. Compared to the previous versions the tempo has been reduced and Ray Walker's contribution has also been changed/lessened.

Elvis cancels the take after a verse by saying "Hold it, hold it, hold it". Then he suddenly starts to sing, before the take is announced officially. After the producer has done so, the recording begins. This time the engineer stops the process, whereupon the king asks "Was?" (obviously he had learned the German word for "what"). It's explained to him, that there was a popp on the microphone. Finally we get to hear the complete take number 7.

The king is whistles before the official recording begins. The tempo is a bit higher now, which makes the ballad sound smoother. The producer cancels the take after The Jordanaires made a mistake. Attempt number 10 is a complete performance and sounds close to the master.

The first take is nothing but a faulty intro. The second take works fine, here and there Elvis needs to figure out how to emphasize certain parts. The performance collapses shortly before the end of the song.

Because the bridge isn't working out, Elvis cancels the take. The next attempt is performed in a different key and sounds quite close to the master.

Floyd Cramer fails on the intro and plays a little improvisation. The second try is a complete performance and sounds loose as a goose. Elvis has to laugh in-between and when he sings "since you're gone I've got a mess of..." he stops for a second as if he wants to continue with "shit" instead of "blues".

The second take is nothing but a mess of an intro. Attempt number three is a complete performance, but at the ende Elvis makes a mistake and sings "Since you're gone I've got a mess of bullshit".

At one point Elvis doesn't get the timing right, but apart from this mistake the early walktrough works out well.

Because Ernst Jorgensen (the producer of this compilation) wanted to present a false start followed by a complete performance, he switched the order of the takes. The fourth attempt fails on the intro, the previously recorded take 3 works out well.

Even though Bob Moore's intro sounds a bit rocky, the recording is continued. After a while Elvis ends the process by saying "Hold it". Take 3 is a somewhat uncoordinated affair and is canceled by the king after he sings "chicks" instead of "girls".

After a false start we hear a very relaxed, almost jam-like version of "Like A Baby". After two minutes Elvis looses his step and cancels the take by saying "Oh shit".

Here we have a complete performance, which sounds very relaxed and cool.

In comic voice Elvis says "Here we go". After half a minute he looses his step and cancels the take. The fourth attempt causes some problems, somehow the intro isn't working right. The performance itself sounds more together, more straight.

A few timing issues aside the second walkthrough works astonishingly well. At the end the musicians and the lead vocalist are at odds weather to repeat the line "It's now or never, my love won't wait" or not.

Take 3 is a series of false starts, because The Jordanaires fail on the intro. The 4th take also needs several starts, but then we get to hear a complete performance, which already works quite well.

The second take is canceld after 1:20 minutes because Elvis sings out of tune. The next attempt is taken at a faster speed, which makes the song sound more smooth. But now the king has to laugh. Take number five is canceled, because Elvis is snapping his fingers. After telling the band "Don't speed it up" we hear the 6th take, which sounds very good.

The tempo has been reduced and the rhythm is emphasized a bit more. The group will continue in the same tempo, but they will do without the emphasis on the rhythm.

After some rehearsals we get to hear the first attempt to record "Dirty Dirty Feeling". The harmony vocals and some instruments are arranged different to the master.

The second take is canceled by the producer, the third attempt also isn't a complete performance.

There are several false starts, then Elvis has to laugh and cancels the take by saying "Excuse me". The second walkthrough is a complete performance.

The musicians rehearse the intro, then the producer announces the take. Unfortunately Elvis misses his cue and says "Sorry, my fault". The next attempt also fails because the king misses his cue. Finally everything works well and we get to hear a complete performance.

The first take is nothing but a failed intro, on the second take Elvis looses his step and comments "Don't rush me". Once again there are several false starts, but then the group manages a complete performance, which already sounds quite close to the master. At the end the band doesn't want to stop and Elvis comments "Hold it, I said hold it".

Once again FTD has switched the order of the takes to present a false start followed by a complete performance. During the 4th take Elvis prolongs the word "lonesome" and stumbles upon the timing. After a false start Elvis and the band perform the first half of the song. Finally we hear a workpart-take, that picks up at the second half of the spoken bridge and was supposed to complete the performance.