Elvis Presley - Today, Tomorrow & Forever

The Pelvis proved his staying power again this year, a quarter of a century after his death, when his 30 # 1 Hits kept The Rolling Stones’ greatest hits collection out of the top of the charts. In royalty terms, the Stones—and everyone else for that matter—are mere pretenders to Presley’s throne. Although there have been more definitive Elvis collections before, this four-CD package features 100 rare or previously unheard outtakes, private tapings and concert recordings made between 1954 and 1976. As such, it’s the most intimate glimpse yet of the man who Leonard Bernstein proclaimed “the greatest cultural force in the 20th century.” It’s all here: the raw passion, the sexy swagger, his tender and, later, bloated, meglomaniacal sides. The set even includes his trio of Canadian covers: Gene MacLellan’s “Snowbird,” Gordon Lightfoot’s “For Lovin’ Me” and Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Until It’s Time for You to Go.” Complete with studio quips, false starts and bizarre, off-key performances, this is Elvis, warts and all. Fascinating and often thrilling.