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Lost Highway to release Tom Jones. Really.

It's a bit like the old Prince Albert in the can thing, maybe, but this just came across the mojo wire and I had to share. In part because it includes yet another cover of "Ain't No Grave." One of these days I'm going to spend a day listening to every version I have and try to figure out what it all means.

Meanwhile, I'm transfixed by the rehabilitation of yet another tired icon of the 1960s whose voice may and may not (I've not heard) ever have been worth listening to.

Following, then, is the press release.

But, really? Tom Jones? Really? And didn't Ethan Johns do a few records with Ryan Adams? Is a duet possible? Oops. Maybe no snark. Gillian Welch is on this. Hell, it might be good.

LOST HIGHWAY TO RELEASE
PRAISE & BLAME, JULY 27TH
THE EXTRAORDINARY NEW ALBUM
FROM TOM JONES

JONES RECORDS RAW AND HONEST OFFERING
WITH PRODUCER ETHAN JOHNS
“…Tom Jones’s brilliant new album, ‘Praise and Blame’ is what his mighty voice is made for” - Evening Standard (UK)

"Jones delivers one of the albums of his career. This is classy stuff”
- Music Week (UK)

Nashville, TN – On July 27th, Lost Highway will release Praise & Blame, the extraordinary new album from the legendary Tom Jones. Jones has collaborated with producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Rufus Wainwright, Laura Marling) to release a captivating collection of songs drawn from the American spiritual, blues and contemporary repertoire. Praise & Blame is a stripped-down, gritty, soul-bearing album from an artist with a successful, multi-genre recording career that spans five decades.

Jones celebrated his 70th birthday on June 7 this year. One would never guess that he has reached such a milestone when hearing the power, restraint and clarity he presents in his renditions of songs by Susan Werner, Bob Dylan and John Lee Hooker. Traditional repertoire from the works of The Staple Singers, Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe are also given unique, fervent interpretations by a world-renowned voice that is at the top of its game. This is Tom Jones as you’ve never heard him before.

Jones and producer/guitarist Johns recorded Praise & Blame in live sessions at Real World Studios in Bath, England with a small band that consisted of Johns on guitar, Jeremy Stacey on drums and Dave Bronze on bass. Guests include Booker T. Jones, BJ Cole and Gillian Welch.

To view Tom’s captivating performance of Bob Dylan’s “What Good Am I” on Later with Jools Holland go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3-2oAzJ_h0&feature=related

To view EPK footage of Tom Jones & Ethan Johns in the studio, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialTomJones

Tom Jones - Praise & Blame
Track Listing

1. “What Good Am I”
2. “Lord Help”
3. “Did Trouble Me”
4. “Strange Things”
5. “Burning Hell”
6. “If I Give My Soul”
7. “Don’t Knock”
8. “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”
9. “Didn’t It Rain”
10. “Ain’t No Grave”
11. “Run On”

Tags: alden, ethan, gillian, johns, jones, tom, welch

Comment by Adam Sheets on June 15, 2010 at 7:29pm: Uh....I'll give the first single a listen whenever it's available. But it just sounds weird to me. Jones has, or at least had, a good voice but I doubt if it would work on this type of material.

Comment by Jack on June 16, 2010 at 6:15am: Tom did record Kiss by Prince and that was painful, but he used to be well worth listening to, but these days, who knows. Sounds like we're about to find out.

For the truly odd, if you've never heard Tiny Tim singing Stairway To Heaven backed by Brave Combo, you need to get that on your list. He also covers Hey Jude, New York New York, and - I'm not making this up - Over The Rainbow.

Comment by Rupert Lindsay on June 16, 2010 at 9:47am: Tom Jone is awesome. He can sing the crap out of whatever he chooses to...

Comment by Ron Frankl on June 16, 2010 at 10:56am: Jones also recorded an r&b album with Jools Holland a few years ago that was surprisingly good. I also seem to recall that he recorded a couple of country albums int the '70s, and he had a pop hit with "Green Green Grass of Home" back in the '60's, so he's shown an interest in roots music before. He's still got a great voice, so I'm intrigued.

Comment by Grant Alden on June 16, 2010 at 12:28pm: I keep thinking about Pat Boone's Metal Mood album...I should probably stop that...

Comment by steviedal on June 16, 2010 at 1:51pm: I heard a track from this on Radio 2 at the weekend and it was really good .
Way back at the start of his career Tom was one of the best blue-eyed soul singers on the go (along with Rod Stewart and Van Morrison ) but he lost his way chasing hits and the "housewife" audience (bit like Rod really i suppose). He still always loved Soul and Gospel music and i reckon he'd have loved songs like this all along but management would have wanted him to keep his "Vegas" audience.
I'm going to keep an open mind and i'll give this a listen online and probably buy it , i'm a sucker for old timers doing "end of career" albums "! You know , when they've still got a good voice but it's all old and grizzly with a lot more character ( Johnny Cash , Townes Van Zandt , Merle Haggard and John Lee Hooker spring to mind ).

Comment by mr.style on June 16, 2010 at 2:51pm: I remember seeing Red, White & Blues, director Mike Figgis's contribution to the film series Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues when it came out.Tom Jones talks about his love for the blues growing up in Wales, and sings a few tunes accompanied by Jeff Beck, including "Going Down Slow." It was a trip to see and hear that, as I had only ever known of the cheesy Vegas gold chain-wearing, chest hair-displaying, old lady panty-catching crooner before that. It definitely made me reevaluate my opinion of the guy.

Comment by Rudyjeep on June 16, 2010 at 3:18pm: Hey.....I've always thought Elvis was that type of hack. By his own admission, he would have sang Metal, Country, or whatever else the Colonel put in front of him and told him would be a hit. TJ at least has a voice - or The Voice as I believe they call him in Wales - and, according to an interview a friend of mine did with him last year, a deep appreciation of the Blues. Nice guy as well.

Comment by Adam Sheets on June 16, 2010 at 3:25pm: That's not exactly true. Elvis picked his own material most of the time (sometimes in the the Hollywood years, he only had bad songs to choose from) and recorded great music throughout his career. But the Colonel did choose what would be promoted and heard by the masses.

Comment by Rudyjeep on June 17, 2010 at 8:48am: I may be too hard on Elvis sometime Adam, but the idea that Elvis had "bad songs" to choose from is also not exactly accurate. My wife likes to knock Sinatra, saying he always got the pick of the best music and the best musicians (that might be true, but I still say he was light years ahead of a no talent like Tony Bennett). Elvis was the same way. He could have chose any song he wanted, but he chose to sing a lot of dreck because he was trying to get a hit. The Colonel may not have chosen the music, but he made sure The King's sights were set on dollars. After all, nobody forced Elvis to appear in "It happened at the World's Fair". And I'm not being anti commercial. Every should make a buck but his commercial appeal outweighs his artistic talent. The bottom line is he is no Neil Young when it comes to following his muse.

It reminds me of a discussion I had with someone years ago about another "commercial artist". He was trying to sell me on the "Paul is dead" theory. His kicker was "Do you think the real Paul McCartney would be singing "Say Say Say" with Michael Jackson today"?. My answer....Yes....Yes I do.

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