At this point you can mark the change of the seasons by the release schedule at Legacy Recordings. In what seems like a quarterly initiative, the label is doing its duty to keep Elvis Presley’s legacy alive by re-releasing his work on vinyl. And that’s certainly not a complaint because each new offering has been impressive in both the additional material that’s been added and the beautiful gate-fold layouts.
The Searcher serves as soundtrack to the multi-episode HBO documentary that peels away the larger-than-life persona of Elvis Presley to get a more intimate look at the icon.
This vinyl soundtrack includes 18 songs, spread out over two records. And while it includes a slew of some of his most well-known songs (“Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “It’s Now or Never,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”) that can be found on countless compilations, it also includes a couple of rare outtakes, like a remarkable rehearsal version of “Suspicious Minds,” and curious alternate takes on “Hurt” and “Separate Ways.” The collections also serves as a great anthology through several decades of the singer’s career. Yet again, Legacy has done justice to The King.
Elvis Presley – The Searcher: The Original Soundtrack/2 Vinyl LPs/17 tracks/Legacy & RCA/2018