JAMES REYNE PAYED TRIBUTE TO ELVIS PRESLEY WITH TCB

Veteran aussie rocker JAMES REYNE, former lead singer of AUSTRALIAN CRAWL and one of australia's most well respected pub rock solo artists, a couple of years ago or so recorded an album of ELVIS PRESLEY covers titled TCB. Although obviously trying to sound a bit like Elvis and keeping relatively to the same formula of his hero, Reyne sounds vibrant and fresh and in the case of a few songs he goes about re-inventing what could only be described as some of Elvis' more forgettable tunes. I like Reyne's interpretation of BOSSA NOVA BABY, KENTUCKY RAIN, SUCH A NIGHT and GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS a lot more than the king of rock'n'roll himself. VIVA LAS VEGAS is another Elvis song which doesn't impress me all that much, Reyne opens the album with it and makes the song his own. Besides BURNING LOVE and ALL SHOOK UP, none of the songs on TCB are anywhere near being in my favourite Elvis song list. Reyne gives both these songs a good blast. Reyne may have recorded the album because he had writers block and lost the ability to write his own new material but as far as covers tribute albums go TCB is one of the best i have listened to.