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Tom Jones Featured in Wall Street Journal | News

parkernus — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:35:00 GMT

Tom Jones Does Gospel
By Jim Fusilli

Have lunch with Tom Jones and of course you'll discover that he's known just about everyone in show business. It's the context for the conversation that's surprising: At age 70, Mr. Jones is releasing "Praise & Blame," a bluesy gospel recording produced by Ethan Johns. Listen to this remarkable album and you're reminded that he's always had a golden voice—"Tom Jones can sing anything!" Van Morrison once shouted during an impromptu set with the singer at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. Frank Sinatra liked the way he sang, too. But rarely has Mr. Jones laid bare his voice in the service of profound spiritual emotions.

Click here to read the rest of this feature.

The Boston Globe Reviews PRAISE & BLAME | News

parkernus — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:29:00 GMT

Tom Jones, 'Praise & Blame'

July 26, 2010

Rick Rubin did it for Neil Diamond. Jack White did it for Loretta Lynn. And now producer Ethan Johns hopes to get people to take notice of Tom Jones in a new-yet-old way in the autumn of the Welsh belter’s career. There is nothing cheeky or winking about this dark and sometimes gripping collection of gospel/spiritual songs. Instead it’s a full bore, strip-to-the-skeleton work from a historic artist dropping all artifice and digging into music he loves. While hints of ham and cheese pop up on occasion, Jones plays it straight. He convincingly searches his soul on Bob Dylan’s “What Good Am I?’’ over a spare beat and murky bed of sound that conjures the arid wooziness of “Raising Sand’’; “Lord Help’’ is a sweltering, swampy shuffle given a great assist from Booker T. Jones on organ. Though his robust voice sounds far from weary here, his 70 years have made Jones mindful of what lies ahead, and nowhere is that more evident than on a barn-burning take of John Lee Hooker’s “Burning Hell.’’ Avoiding genre clichés like choirs and syrupy strings, Jones burrows into a foot-stomping-at-the juke-joint rootsiness that puts the focus on his measured ruminations. “Praise & Blame’’ may not inspire much panty-hurling but it might cause open-minded music fans to reappraise Jones’s interpretive gifts. (Out tomorrow) SARAH RODMAN

ESSENTIAL “Burning Hell’’

"...a lean, tough country gospel album"-New York Times | News

parkernus — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:26:00 GMT

Please click here to read the entire New York Times review of Tom Jones' Praise & Blame.

"12 emotionally charges sermon-songs..." -EW.com | News

parkernus — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:51:00 GMT

Check out Entertainment Weekly.com's review of Praise & Blame by clicking here.

Praise & Blame | Album

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Tom Jones and Ethan Johns discuss Praise & Blame

"What Good Am I" From Later With Jools Holland

Tracks
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

Buy
Amazon.com
iTunes [US]

Tom Jones' 'Praise and Blame' eclipses his trademark sex appeal with fire and brimstone | News

Fount — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:23:00 GMT

Tom Jones' 'Praise and Blame' eclipses his trademark sex appeal
with fire and brimstone

JIM FARBER

Tuesday, July 20th 2010, 4:00 AM

In a 45-year career marked by shaking hips and tossed panties,
Tom Jones has cut many kinds of albums. But never has he recorded
anything like "Praise and Blame," a stripped-down reach for the
mythic core of American roots music.

It's not exactly "Unplugged," given the many electric instruments
it employs. But it is "au naturel," a move tipped off by the promo
art, in which the 70-year-old (!) star finally lets his hair go
white.

To read the rest of the review, click here

Tom Jones goes Gospel for New Album | News

Fount — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:11:00 GMT

by Paul Sexton | July 09, 2010

A French expression best describes the latest news from a Welsh
phenomenon-Tom Jones has gone au naturel, and not just by finally
letting his grey hair show.

Just weeks after his 70th birthday, the legendary singer adds
another page to his résumé with the release of his
gospel-flavored album "Praise & Blame." Released July 27 in North
America on Lost Highway, and a day earlier internationally on
Island, the record launches Jones' new worldwide deal with
Universal and is, by his own description, the most back-to-basics
recording he's ever made.

"Praise & Blame" was produced by Ethan Johns, who secured guest
appearances from Booker T. Jones and Gillian Welch for the
sessions, recorded at Real World, near Bath in England's west
country.

To read the rest of the story, click here

Extensive review of Jones', Praise & Blame | News

Fount — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:23:00 GMT

Review: Tom Jones- Praise and Blame
Posted by Adam Sheets on July 7, 2010 at 4:30pm

In 1969, when Elvis Presley made his return to live performing at
Las Vegas's International Hotel (later to be renamed the Las Vegas
Hilton) his goal was to create a musical experience that contained
all of the great forms of American music: folk, pop, rock,
country, blues, R&B, gospel. His Vegas period is often thought of
as the worst point in his career and is lampooned by critics,
music fans, and impersonators alike. Elvis himself even became fed
up with performing there after a while. Yet, at least during the
first few years, he succeeded in his goal musically.

The entire career of Welsh singer Tom Jones invites comparisons to
Presley's Vegas period. In fact, the two men were good friends who
often attended one another's shows (during one particularly
interesting show, Jones introduced Elvis to the audience and asked
him to perform a song. He declined, deciding to entertain the
audience with a 20-minute karate demonstration instead. It was
1974 and he acted weird on stage quite often that year) and Elvis
was even inspired to record "Green, Green Grass of Home" after
hearing Jones' take on the song. The similarities don't end there
though: both share a unique and powerful voice and an excellent
taste in material to record. However, Jones did not have the
groundbreaking string of classic music that Elvis did from
1954-1958, so critics let him get away with far less. Thus, as
Jones' reputation as an extraordinary entertainer grew with every
pair of panties thrown onto a Las Vegas stage, his estimation in
the minds of music fans and critics lessened.

To read the rest of this review, click here

Tom Jones | Photo

DBrosius — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:36:00 GMT

Photo credit: Marco Grob

Tom Jones | Photo

DBrosius — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:34:00 GMT

Photo credit: Marco Grob

Tom Jones | Photo

DBrosius — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:30:00 GMT

Photo credit: Marco Grob

Burning Hell eSingle available now | News

DBrosius — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:04:00 GMT

"Burning Hell" - the first single from Tom Jones' upcoming release Praise and Blame is now available at iTunes.

Praise and Blame will be released in the US on Tuesday, July 27th.

Tom Jones - PRAISE & BLAME Now Available | News

DBrosius — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:13:00 GMT

Purchase Praise & Blame from Amazon.com by clicking here.

Shop locally and get a limited Tom Jones lithograph with your purchase of Praise & Blame.
Click here for a list of participating stores.

“…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)

Lost Highway Records releases 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.

See Praise & Blame Track Listing Below

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”

For more information on Tom Jones, please contact
Jim Flammia at All Eyes Media (615) 227-2770, jim@alleyesmedia.com or Fount Lynch at Lost Highway (615) 524-7848, fount.lynch@umusic.com
http://www.tomjones.com

Tom Jones in the studio with Ethan Johns | Video

DBrosius — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:45:00 GMT

"What Good Am I" From Later With Jools Holland | Video

DBrosius — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:34:00 GMT

Burning Hell | Video

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Tracks
1. Burning Hell

Buy
iTunes [US]

Sir Tom Jones unveils songs at church gig | News

Fount — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:54:00 GMT

Sir Tom Jones unveils songs at church gig

Sir Tom Jones chose an historic church to give the first
performance of songs from his new spiritually-themed album.

The Welsh veteran performed tracks from Praise and Blame
for the press at the 180-year-old One Mayfair in London,
formerly known as St Mark's.

Leaving his Sexbomb days behind, the silver-haired singer's
latest reinvention has seen him compared with Johnny Cash
and Robert Plant.

To read the rest of the review, click here

Sir Tom Jones Unveils New Direction at Intimate London Gig | News

Fount — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:53:00 GMT

Sir Tom Jones Unveils New Direction at Intimate London Gig

Posted on Jun 4th 2010 7:00AM by Julian Marszalek

There are few entertainers who are about to enter their seventies
who manage to maintain any sense of dignity, but Sir Tom Jones
proved on Thursday, June 3, his powerful voice remains intact.
And he also showed a change in musical direction can never come
too late in a singer's career.

Sir Tom's forthcoming album, 'Praise and Blame,' finds the
veteran singer working with producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon,
Ryan Adams) as he comes full circle to embrace the gospel, blues
and country music which inspired him in post-war Wales.

To read the rest of the review, click here

Some of what the UK Press is saying about PRAISE & BLAME | News

Fount — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:53:00 GMT

"...Tom Jones’s brilliant new album, ‘Praise and Blame’ is what
his mighty voice is made for...” - Evening Standard

"...‘Praise and Blame’...it’s lo-fi garage soul superness.”
- The Fly

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

**** FOUR STARS - Out Magazine

Tom Jones debuts new god-fearing material | News

Fount — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:53:00 GMT

Tom Jones debuts new god-fearing material

The legendary Tom Jones has dabbled in more musical genres over
his 35-year career than his native Wales has valleys, and to a
small crowd at a Mayfair
venue last night, he previewed his forthcoming album Praise And
Blame; a body of work which draws on roots, gospel and the blues.

Produced by Ethan Johns (Past CV credits include Ryan Adams, Laura
Marling and Paolo Nutini) it's a collection of country
interpretations, which pushes Jones into self-judgement,
reflection and, above all, God territory. It may
be of little coincidence that as the silver-haired lothario
approaches the sobering age of 70, a lofty, converted church provides
the perfect settingfor him to atone for his Vegas sins on If I Give My Soul:
"I have come insearch of Jesus, hoping he will understand". Taking
to the pulpit beneath a stained glass window of the holy trinity
in a sand-coloured linen suit andappearing to have borrowed a leaf
out of Robert Plant's Raising Sands book - all airs of showbiz,
glitz and glamour forgotten - one asks: does Tom Jones's biblical
verse really extend beyond the tale of Delilah? Could Pontypridd's
boyo actually be a God-fearing man?

To read the rest of the story, click here

Tom Jones: Campaign focus | News

Fount — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:52:00 GMT

Campaign focus

A deal with Lost Highway in the US
will see Tom Jones' new album
Praise & Blame released across
the Atlantic in the same week it is
issued by Island in the UK.
The deal with the label, whose
roster includes Ryan Adams and
Elvis Costello, stands as further
testament to the strength of
Jones' new set, which is becoming
one of the most acclaimed of his
career, taking him into areas of
the media he rarely treads.
Island marketing manager Tom
March says the label's approach
centres on introducing new fans
to an album which he believes
marks a career high.
"It is the record the world has
been waiting for from Tom," he
says. "It's going back to his roots
in a way and I think the media and
the public are now looking at him
in a new way."
As testament to this widening
reach, album taster and set-up
single Burning Hell made its radio
debut on Huw Stephen's Radio 1
show and Jones has already
recorded a session with Lauren
Laverne on 6 Music.
Jones will also be one of the
last guests on BBC 1's Friday
Night with Jonathan Ross,
appearing on July 16 for an
interview and to perform two
songs. A new BBC documentary
by Alan Yentob on Jones will also
air next month.
Burning Hell was released last
month as a double A-side with
What Good Am I to coincide with
Jones' 70th birthday. Island
hosted a live showcase at One
Mayfair, where he performed a
number of tracks from the album.
Praise & Blame is released on
July 26.

"Few singers with a popular background are going to emerge with an album as remarkable as this during 2010." | News

Fount — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:52:00 GMT

Tom Jones
FOUR STARS
Praise And Blame
Universal/Island

Pontypridd's boyo heads
back to basics

"What good am I, if I'm like all
the rest?" emotes Tom Jones
on his highly personalized
version of Dylan's What Good
Am I. No problem there. Few
singers with a popular
background are going to
emerge with an album as
remarkable as this during
2010. Recorded live, with no
overdubs, and no horn or
string trappings, the songs all
stem from exemplary sources
- culled from memories of
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Marie
Knight, Mahalia Jackson, John
Lee Hooker, Jesse Mae
Hemphill and such like and
delivered with due reverence,
turning on the power when
required but never edging
into showbiz. The presence of
Ethan Johns, producer of
Kings Of Leon, Laura Marling
etc, not only provides Jones
with a dynamic sound but,
backed by drummer Jeremy
Stacy, bassist Dave Bronze
and a sprinkling of knowing
guests, donates some of the
most aggressive yet
agreeable guitar licks likely to
bend ears this year.
Fred Dellar