James Reyne Sings Elvis

A while ago on his website James Reyne was asking fans to guess what his next project would be. Apparently he got all kinds of interesting suggestions, some ideas that he hadn’t ever thought of himself. But I’m not sure if anyone actually guessed correctly. Well now the mystery project has been revealed.

Reyne’s new album James Reyne TCB is a collection of Elvis Presley covers. Reyne has announced a couple of shows to go with the release of the album.

The album was recorded  with Charles Fisher producing.

“I wondered whether we could have the audacity, presumption and damn gall to try and record an album of my versions of some Elvis songs,” Reyne stated.

“We made a long list. I researched and rediscovered a lot of the songs that I already knew and a lot that I didn’t. From our long list we chose fourteen songs. It was not easy. My main criterion was that the originals had that certain, innate insouciance that grabbed you immediately and, therefore, might translate more easily”.

The final songlist includes ‘Viva Las Vegas’, ‘That’s Alright Mama’, ‘Wooden Heart’, ‘Little Egypt’, ‘Such A Night’, ‘Bossa Nova Baby’, ‘Girls Girls Girls’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’.

“The main aim was to try and make the songs my own, always aware of the stupidity of trying to imitate Elvis himself and the folly of even pretending to contend the brilliance of the originals, but keeping a sense of humour intact and still remaining true to any crucial rhythms or cadence or musical elements that existed on those first, seminal, exhilarating recordings. It is probably testament to the artful simplicity of these originals that our recording process was painless and, dare I say, easy,” he said.

The album is due for release on April 9  and I will have a wander through it soon.

The shows are on sale now:

May 21, Melbourne, The Palais
May 22, Sydney, State Theatre

www.jamesreyneTCB.com