I have never bought a Tom Jones record. He was to me a cabaret / pop singer and knicker magnet for the old dears in 'Vegas. I've tended to dismiss him as a light hearted parody of his earlier self.

I also hate stripped down blues and the word "gospel" has me rapidly reaching for the off switch.

So - Tom Jones singing bare bones blues / gospel. No wonder the financial exec at Island was demanding his money back after paying Tom to leave EMI and then heard an "album of hymns". Couldn't agree more.

That was until the publicity surrounding his new album and the performances to support it.

Stunning.

Not been this excited about discovering a "new" artist for a long time. Every track a cracker. Which only goes to show that the money men should not have ANY say in A & R decisions.

Perhaps that's what's wrong with a large portion of the music industry at present.

CONFUSED, please explain.

I thoroughly agree. It's a good record. Shades of Tom Waits and Muddy Waters...

Likely to be No.2 in the album charts on Sunday. Was No.1 in the first two midweek charts but has been overtaken by Eminem today.

Glad to hear it. Kicking against the pricks!

I was lucky enough to see him peforming some tracks from the new album live at Latitude the other weekend.

Absolutely fantastic stuff.

I've ordered the album but not received it yet, can't wait.

I have to agree with everyone so far!!

a terrific album , with not a bad track on it!!

also have to agree with bare bone blues / gospel comment , it would have been something id never have listened to , but this album is stunning

so good ive listened to it through 3 times in a row already!!

Very good album, with the outburst from the record label guy I was expecting a Sunday Hymns album not a Gospel Blues album, good to see it's doing well

Fair play to Tom...what an achievement. 45 years plus in the biz, 70 years old and number 1!
He deserves it - great album.

Erm, he won't be No.1. See my post above. Still No.2 is much better than his last album which reached only No.32 in 2008.

Tom Jones has got a great voice and that's his secret

Not many singers around today that can say that

He sings great LIVE as well

He's No.1 in Amazon's Easy Listening chart!

No.2 in pop...second to the latest Now comp. Good going.

I also saw him perform much of the album at Latitude and he was brilliant. I was really, really pleasantly surprised by how good both he and the album were.

I have been listening to this album and I have realised that I am listening to a likeness to Johnny Cash's American IV and V. Anyone else see it ?

Surprise package of the year, this album.

Suits his voice perfectly and there's some neat guitar playing throughout. Quite remarkable from a man who was turning into a parody of his former self!

Oh it's coming from the same place for sure and there are even tracks on Praise and Blame that were featured in Cash's series, as noted in this review:
http://www.classicpopicons.com/tom-j...-blame-review/

This is the right album for Tom to make at this stage of his career and I'd guess it won't be the last he'll make with Ethan Johns producing.

I am old enought to just about remember Tom jones when he first started. I was always aware what a great voice he had but was never a fan of his music. I reckon Praise and Blame could be the best album he has ever made. He said on Johnathon Ross that he had always sang gospel so what took him so long to release this? I think it's a brilliant record and I love the stripped down and bare bones feel to it.

The response by the record boss had to be a publicty stunt. No way that was true.

Absolutely, me too. I've heard two tracks off this album, and I must say, I am massively impressed. Best thing he's ever done, imo.

I won't be buying the album (never buy albums anymore) but I have a newfound respect for the man. One of the things I like is that the new tracks are quite understated- one thing that always put me off before is that he tended to shout his songs out, all on one level. This is much more subtle, and all the better for it...

It's been great seeing Tom Jones being played on Radio stations you would have never expected seeing. I have to say, I remember the week a couple of months ago when Lauren Laverne said he was going to be on her show and I though she was joking, only to be blow away by his session.

I can take or leave his music, but I admire him still having the energy to do it at 70.

What has escaped everyone is that he is now the oldest singer ever to have a British Number One Hit Single when "Islands In The Stream" (by Vanessa Jenkins and Bryn West featuring Sir Tom Jones and Robin Gibb) scaled the apex in March 2009.

He was 68 years & 9 months (ish) at the time; therefore superceding Louis Armstrong, who was 66 years & 10 months old in 1968 when he topped the chart with the 5 star 18 carat diamond masterpiece that was "What A Wonderful World"

There is a strong rumour, that this might have been a bit of a hoax.

However, though it's not my cup of tea, seems to be a better move, rather than him singing Sex Bomb