Tom Jones Albums (36)
What The Critics Say
Close Up was Tom Jones' first album to not go gold since Green, Green Grass of Home, and given the inconsistent quality of the material and performances, it's easy to see why the record was only a minor hit. Many songs were either cutesy or vapid, and occasionally (such as "Young New Mexican Puppeteer" and "Witch Queen of New Orleans") they were both, although the hit single "Till" was a fine MOR ballad. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
To quote an earlier comeback record from Tom Jones (not that he ever left), he not only has the lead but he knows how to swing it. While it's true that 24 Hours appears close to 50 years after Jones first started playing with local Welsh beat groups, there's still plenty of evidence that this is the same singer who caused timid radio broadcasters to reconsider playing his records and women to throw uncountable pairs of knickers toward the stage. Helmed by production team Future Cut -- also behind tracks by Lily Allen, Estelle, and Kelis, among others -- the record charts a perfect balance between the type of throwback soul that would appeal to fans of the artists mentioned above (plus Amy Winehouse or Nikka Costa) as well as those who treasure his beefy late-'60s productions. After all, not many listeners want to hear a refined Tom Jones. They want the power and bravado of "It's Not Unusual" and "What's New, Pussycat?" And, fortunately, that's exactly what they get here, from the knockout first single "If He Should Ever Leave You," the opener "I'm Alive," the aggressive and flirtatious "Sugar Daddy," and "In Style and Rhythm." Often, when performers attempt to update their sound, they end up sounding hopelessly lost or bewildered, but Jones has changed with the times throughout his career. Just as importantly, he's always chosen collaborators who can pinpoint how his classic sound would work in a contemporary context. Here, it's a pounding and drum-heavy production that still allows room for organic touches (blazing horns, stinging brass, twanging guitars). The quality of the songs is high, and most are kept in-house, so they match his persona well. Besides Future Cut, Tom Jones also gets help on a pair of tracks from two other great producers: Betty Wright and Nellee Hooper. The latter appears on "Sugar Daddy," an excellent song written for Jones by Bono and the Edge, and it also features both of them playing on the track. Best of all, Jones' voice is still strong, only rarely betraying his 68 years on the planet. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like'
Release Date 2/6/2002
Tracks 22
Label Delta
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Somethin' ‘Bout You Baby I Like evokes the country-inspired pop of previous Tom Jones hits like "Green Green Grass of Home" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," but the end result fails to match past creative and commercial peaks. The songs are uniformly bland, with few if any of the dramatic flourishes that Jones relishes, and Johnnie Spence's arrangements are atypically flat, adding little to the mellow ballads and tepid pop grooves. Listeners who stick it out through all ten tracks are nevertheless rewarded by the closer, an earthy rendition of Dr. John's "Right Place Wrong Time" that's perfectly calibrated to Jones' prowess as a blue-eyed soul belter par excellence. (Reissued on CD in 2009 on a Vocalion twofer also featuring the 1975 follow-up Memories Don't Leave Like People Do). ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Another collection that pulls from Tom Jones' television variety show, Hot and Live differentiates itself from all the others by not including any of the duets (like the über-campy "Hot Legs" with Tina Turner) or fake stereo mixes that are found on similar compilations. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Singer and Las Vegas fixture Tom Jones does what he does best on this album -- entertains. Reunited is a fitting title for this 20-track offering, since he reunites with a number of very talented friends to do some dazzling duets of well-known hits like "We Can Work It Out," "Girl From New York City," "Endless Love," "Upside Down," "Our Day Will Come," and "He's So Shy." His duet partners on this recording include Tina Turner, Isaac Hayes, Gladys Knight, and many others you'll probably find on your list of old favorites. Jones has been working his magic on audiences -- largely female-filled audiences where flying underwear isn't unusual -- for decades, winning fans over with tunes such as "What's New Pussycat?" and "It's Not Unusual." He has moved comfortably between a number of styles of music along the way, such as pop, rock, show tunes, dance, and even some country. Fans will find many of those styles on this album that was completed in the spring of 2000. ~ Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It had been six years since Tom Jones released his last stateside record, but this one scored big in England and on the Continent, for good reason. Ultra-modern and topical, Reload suggests you can easily ignore Jones' "What's New Pussycat?" past. Not only does Jones deliver one of the more invigorating workings of modern pop here, his selection of material and choice of mates prove that in addition to his routinely extraordinary performances, he's still recording quite potently, thank you. Like 1994's underrated "The Lead and How To Swing It," a lesser seller from the Interscope label, "Reload" finds Tom in collaborative mode. But where The Lead stressed original tunes and producer chops (everyone from Teddy Riley to Flood to Trevor Horn weighed in), Reload focuses on contemporary artists and cover songs. The artists are a motley, and very talented, crew indeed. Jones more than holds his own, turning the tunes into unusually personal and expressive vehicles. Jones launches the disc with Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House," working it brisk and funky with the Cardigans and lending David Byrne's opaque lyrics a fresh vigor. Then, with Stereophonics, he resurrects Randy Newman's "Mama Told Me Not to Come," refreshing the Three Dog Night chestnut with unexpected lasciviousness. The selections are as peculiar as they are successful, spanning "Sometimes We Cry" (a sparsely arranged duet with Van Morrison), a sharp interpretation of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" with Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders, and a fruity, truly bizarre take on the George Baker Selection's "Little Green Bag" with Barenaked Ladies. Jones probably doesn't do knee drops anymore, but he sure as hell does vocal swoops; check out "Ain't That a Lot of Love" with Simply Red's Mick Hucknall or his resurrection of Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy" with Zucchero for throat acrobatics. Jones is in the uncomfortable position of being a retro novelty, and although he may not ignite the U.S. charts anymore (his last notable effort here was his great collaboration with the Art of Noise on the Prince tune "Kiss," in 1988), his music is as contemporary and driving as ever. ~ Carlo Wolff, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Greatest Performances culls a number of live performances from the '70s, resulting in a reasonably entertaining listen, but it's still an album that's only necessary for diehard fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
