It’s Not Unusual…

…well it is unusual, actually, for two reasons. First – I very rarely find myself wanting an album and purchasing it**, and second – the album I bought this week is definitely an unusual offering. for vintage musician Tom Jones. Quite a departure from his usual style. Forget Delilah, Pussycat, SexBomb etc. Praise and Blame is very different.

I listened to a review, and then an interview with TJ, both on Radio 4 during my long drive to Norfolk and back the other week. Got home feeling I really wanted to get the album.

Tom is returning to his Welsh Chapel roots, and singing songs about faith. Many are covers of songs by other artists – my favourite at the moment is “What Good Am I?” – a Bob Dylan

number from the late 80s.

There has been criticism that ‘He doesn’t do them as well as the originals” – but frankly, that doesn’t bother me much - he puts his own interpretation on the pieces.

This Sky News item amused me

Mr David Sharpe [one of the many Vice Presidents of Island Records, TJ’s current recording company] wrote, in a leaked e-mail

"Imagine my surprise when I walked into the office this morning to hear hymns coming from your office - it could have been Sunday morning.

"My initial pleasure came to an abrupt halt when I realised that Tom Jones was singing the hymns! "I have just listened to the album in its entirety and want to know if this is some sick joke???? We did not invest a fortune in an established artist for him to deliver 12 tracks from the common book of prayer.”

[or was the email deliberately leaked as marketing ploy?]

However, Clash magazine said the album showed "those who have been there and done that know how to dig deeper to find brighter jewels".

Have you listened to any of the tracks? and what did you think?

[** my last album purchase was “Aled” back in 2003 – can anyone think of any other Welshmen, surname Jones, whose album I can save up for, to purchase in 2017?]