Danzig Sings Elvis Review
Danzig Sings Elvis is finally a reality. Glenn has been talking about this record longer than I can remember. Much like the promised reissue of Who Killed Marilyn or a DVD of the Danzig Legacy TV Special, I assumed an Elvis covers record would never see the light of the day. On the contrary, the concept morphed beyond its original EP conception into a full-length record that is destined to become a Danzig classic.
A glance at the track-list reveals that none of the usual Elvis tracks have made the cut. “Blue-Suede Shoes” or “Jail House Rock” have been neglected in favor of what I presume are rarities.
As a non-Elvis fan, these songs are brand-new to me. Hence, I approached the album as an apprehensive Danzig fan. I worried that Danzig singing Elvis would be plain corny. Fortunately, my misgivings were unwarranted. Instead, I found myself spinning the record again and again. It’s rare that a new release captures my attention in the way that Danzig Sings Elvis has.
To sum up this review: I LOVE Danzig Sings Elvis. Somehow Danzig crooning vintage rock and roll just made sense as my stylus traversed the record grooves. At no point did the concept feel forced. Each performance felt natural, genuine, and pure.
It’s fitting that the first track is titled “Is It So Strange.” The question was answered moments into the first verse. Danzig singing Elvis instantly felt right. After all, Danzig has been referred to as “Evil Elvis” for decades. Let’s not forget that Glenn recorded the Elvis track “Trouble” way back in Samhain before that Presley cover sat comfortably as part of the Thrall EP. Danzig singing Elvis isn’t strange at all.
Other song titles made me laugh. How could anyone NOT chuckle when listening to DANZIG sing “Pocket Full of Rainbows?” Glenn did his best to make the track “a bit more melancholy.” It’s actually a beautiful recording but I suspect Glenn chose this specific song to convey his sense of humor. Danzig and rainbows. It’s absolutely perfect!
Detractors have decried the album’s production values. It’s precisely this lo-fi virtue that gives Danzig Sings Elvis its charm. Shimmering tremolo adds a haunting quality that perfectly complements Glenn’s voice. A slick production would ruin the whispered intimacy that runs through the 14 tracks.
Tender ballads are invariably my favorite moments. Songs like “Loving Arms” possess a dark character that recalls “Blood and Tears” and “Sistinas.” Glenn excels as a powerhouse frontman, but his voice lends itself perfectly to slow, soulful numbers.
Danzig Sings Elvis is available in multiple formats. CDs are plentiful, yet vinyl is limited. A variety of colored vinyl complemented black in limited runs. These pressings sold out quickly and are commanding inflated prices in the secondary market. A “Limited Edition Colored Leopard Vinyl Picture Disc” is still in stock for collectors wishing to fulfill their analog impulses.
My vinyl preference is always black but I didn’t secure my copy before they sold out. Fortunately, I was able to score the green variation before it was too late.
The gatefold is particularly nice. Both panels reveal pictures of Glenn. It’s striking to see Danzig holding a guitar. The picture is important. Although Tommy Victor laid down some additional guitar tracks, Glenn recorded all other instruments with the exception of Joey Castillo’s drum performance on “Fever.”
Liner notes printed inside the gatefold reveal an intimate portrait of Elvis’s influence on Glenn. The story of Danzig using Elvis movie names as hotel aliases was particularly entertaining. I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Glenn masquerading as “Lucky Jackson” or “Clint Reno.”
Unfortunately, the quality of the artwork did not extend to the actual record. I’ll stop short of calling it a “warp” but my record was NOT flat. Each rotation caused my tonearm to bob up and down. Ultimately, my stylus managed to track the record but watching the arm deviate substantially from its normal course was wildly distracting. Some claim these fluctuations are harmless, while others say it’s horrible for the cantilever and suspension wire. It’s a shame that the issue exists at all.
The problem is apparently widespread. A cursory glance at online reviews and Facebook chatter revealed that others had similar issues with their Danzig Sings Elvis vinyl. Perhaps the most damning confirmation of widespread issues came directly from Cleopatra Records. Their website boasts a curious “VINYL RECORD DISCLAIMER” that reads:
Vinyl records are manually made one at a time in a hydraulic press. They are not mass-produced by machines like CD’s or DVD’s. To make each record, steam from the hydraulic press softens plastic PVC pellets to form a vinyl record as the stampers push an impression of the master recording onto it. Because they are made from a softened plastic, not every copy will be perfectly flat. They will still play without skipping and with no loss to sound quality.
It’s true! This record, while not “perfectly flat,” did “play without skipping and with no loss to sound quality.” Unfortunately, there were many spots that harbored significant surface noise, despite being a brand new record. Even worse, the final song contained an object of indeterminate origin pressed into the wax. The record played through fine, but this raised bump caused loud pops for several rotations.
Ultimately, I chose NOT to return the record. After all, there were no actual tracking issues and the music sounded great in spots unaffected by surface noise. I imagine that profits are razor thin for a small record company like Cleopatra and it must be frustrating to have a third party botch a high profile release. Still, it is frustrating to pay $30 for a record plagued with quality control issues. I’ve bought countless reissues from small labels like SST and those records have been flat and problem free. I wish that Danzig had used a more experienced record label with a trusted pressing plant.
Once I accepted the physical flaws of my personal copy, I was able to focus solely on music. Quite frankly, I’m surprised at how much I love Danzig Sings Elvis. I find myself returning to the album again and again, getting lost in the purity of Glenn’s voice. The absence of loud distorted guitars truly underscores how much of a legitimate singer Danzig is. I have not been this enamored with a Danzig release since Danzig 4. Danzig Sings Elvis is destined to become a classic that stands beside high watermarks like Initium and Lucifuge. True, Danzig Sings Elvis is “different,” but it’s precisely that uniqueness that gives the record its strength.
