G.G. Elvis and the TCP Band
(Mental)
Alternative-rock goof records can be fun – Cocktail Tribute to Nirvana, anyone? – but they can also get really, really old really, really fast, as G.G. Elvis and the TCP Band prove by about the second song on this totally unnecessary 13-cut release. That would be “Viva Las Vegas” and by then you get the formula – mixing punk’s aggressive energy and even a few riffs from the Sex Pistols and others with Elvis’ hits.
Soon, the sameness becomes stultifying, although the best of Elvis’ songs (“Suspicious Minds,” “Burning Love”) fare better than the cornier stuff like “The Wonder of You.” The musicians know their thrash – lead singer Eric Lara (aka G.G. Elvis) is from Bad Samaritans and others come from Aggression, Stalag 13 and NOFX. The CD also comes with a Scratch-n’-Sniff limited-edition DVD, yet another bad idea. All in all, it would have been more fun had they done a Cocktail Tribute to G.G. Allin.
Standout tracks: “Suspicious Minds,” “Devil in Disguise” STEVEN ROSEN
