Absolute Radio: Discover real music

By far and away the best double feature."It Happened at the World's Fair" is lightweight in the extreme, but as that's what it sets out to be, one can't be too harsh. One can be harsh though of its near 20 minute running time! However, Elvis is in stunning form, absolutely faultless. This is Elvis at his slickest and most polished. Elvis gives a remarkably polished version of the sort of kid friendly fodder he world later treat with total distain, making "Cotton Candy Land" and "How Would You Like To Be" far from redundant. The ballads are again polished but not totally enthralling, "A World Of Our Own" and "I'm falling In Love Tonight" are really quite dull.But there is material for Elvis to exercise is talent on, even if not to stretch it. "Beyond The Bend" and "Happy Ending" are both fine lightweight pop efforts, the sort of efforts more in abundance on "Blue Hawaii" and "GI Blue". The gems from the album made up the single. "One Broken Heart For Sale" was written by Otis Blackwell, who wrote Elvis' stunning "Return To Sender", and while not quite at those heights, is still a great single. "They Remind Me Too Much Of You" is a truly tender and touching ballad. Great Stuff!In the way "Frankie And Johnny" is lifted with its Dixieland beat, so "Fun In Acapulco" is lifted by the Mexican/Bossa Nova vibe. Rumour has it that the writers paid a trip to Mexico to try and sample the sounds, and it paid off! Unlike "Frankie And Johnny" the material is by and large strong, and Elvis is totally bought in to the album. The best mid 60s Elvis album, and paired with "At The Worlds fair", another high spot, it explains why this is the must have double feature.At times they all go a bit overboard on the Spanish theme, "The Bullfighter Was A Lady" and "EL Toro" in particular come across as rather contrived, but "Vino Y Amor" and "Maguerita" come across much better. There's no truly outstanding track in the bossa nova efforts, but all are very strong and give this album its own sound, something that can't really be attribute to any other Elvis album , except probably is Chips Moman albums. "Mexico", "Fun In Acapulco", "No Room To Rumba", "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here", "Bossa Nova Baby" and "You Can't Say No" are all very good Elvis tracks, and make this a very strong Elvis album.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Hardly King Creole, but this soundtrack compliments the excellent 'It Happened At The World's Fair' and the good 'Fun In Aculpoco.'Standout tracks; They Remind Me Too Much Of You is a beautiful ballad and could not be sung any better. Im Falling In Love Tonight is also excellent, Elvis could sing a song.One Broken Heart For Sale is bouncy, easy going rock n roll.Fun in Aculpoco is entirely Spanish/Mexican flavoured, even sung in Spanish....but the standout of the CD is the excellent Bossa Nova Baby.

Rating: 3 out of 5