Various Artists - 'All Shook Up: A Reggae Tribute To The King' (Trojan) Released 21/11/05

It seems a bad idea to start with. The songs of Elvis, according to some one of the most overrated artists of all time (even paying all due respect to him being 'dangerous') performed in a reggae style, a genre of music mostly only suitable for barbeques (harmless, characterless background music). Then when glancing at the sleeve you see Chaka Demas and Pliers. Chaka Demas and Pliers?! But no, here they are in the cold light of day, the two losers responsible for early-90s rubbish such as 'Tease Me' getting things going with 'Don't Be Cruel'. It's a sign of things to come. They're all here. 'Love Me Tender', 'It's Now Or Never', One Night, 'All Shook Up', 'In The Ghetto', all beginning with that drum intro so many reggae songs have before segueing into utter nothingness.

However, we have a theory on this one. The problem with 'All Shook Up' is not the quality of the artists covering the songs (though they are undoubtedly a mixed bunch), it's the quality of some of the songs themselves. Elvis' great moments, classics such as 'Suspicious Minds' and 'Always On My Mind', plus a version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' actually manage to sound refereshingly different, brilliant songs performed in a new way.

However, the biggest falldown of this compilation - or indeed any Elvis compilation for that matter - is the fact that though 'The King' could be brilliant, he was too happy to produce the sort of crooning ballads that losers in silly costumes peddle on Blackpool Pier and in Las Vegas during the holiday season. This is the primary reason why while some of 'All Shook Up' is brilliant (it definitely seems that the better artists were able to bag the better songs), while others siddle by in a blur.

As a great man once said, you can't polish a turd.