|
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Review
This gospel and blues set is the back to basics gambit from Sir Tom. It’s worked for Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond in the past, this stripping of vogues to expose the singer’s raw talent: perversely, it endeared both to younger audiences. Yet Jones is a different entity: his charm was never based on authenticity. In his early career he shifted his pelvis and hollered cracking pop songs, and even his big weepy ballads were knowingly camp. His comeback period – dreamed up by his son/manager – was all irony and winks, targeted at hen parties not critics. Blessed with a soulful voice, he made an unveiled Faustian pact long ago.
Thus a move that should by rights be applauded and affecting – this is, after all, a 70-year-old singing, often, about death – doesn’t come off. It’s a gauche mix of church and the rock’n’roll chestnuts he grew up on. Outside Robert Plant, it’s hard to see who it’ll appeal to. A sincere reimagining of more arch songs – like Cash doing Hurt – would have grabbed our throats and hearts. This, though, is an old fella singing songs that mean little to anyone outside his generation. It’s like hearing war stories from wizened veterans: you should, by any moral compass, be impressed and attentive, but the guilty, undeniable truth is... you’re a little bored.
Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Paolo Nutini) produces – minimally – and guests include Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings and BJ Cole. Songs were recorded live and Tom relishes tackling the gothic-religious strains of Dylan’s What Good Am I and the bluesy tropes of John Lee Hooker’s Burning Hell. He’s no slouch barking Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s Strange Things or Mahalia Jackson’s Didn’t It Rain. He means it, sure. Yet these songs were what those people did, and Tom Jones is best at doing something else. Tom without flash is like The Wizard of Oz without a curtain. If you seek proof that he can cut it, and will live forever, look at moments in his scrapbook like I’ll Never Fall in Love Again or I’m Coming Home, not here.
--Chris RobertsFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Product Description
titolo-praise & blameartista-tom jones etichetta-island-n. dischi1data-27 luglio 2010supporto-cd audiogenere-pop e rock internazionale---------brani1.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
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 63 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a wonderful album right through, mixing styles from blues and gospel. It is a significant step away from the recent output of pop songs and radio-friendly collaborations; Praise & Blame captures Tom in full-blown singer mode, rather than entertainer. Indeed, his voice sounds magnificent throughout the album.
The comparisons to Johnny Cash are understandable as there are hints of the American Recordings in the choice of song and also vocal performances; there is a timbre and gravitas to Tom's voice that, while not quite as good as Cash in his later years, really shows his voice off in a way that perhaps his more recent albums don't. This album too is at times introspective like the American Recordings, particularly on the opening track, a cover of Dylan's 'What Good Am I?' or 'Did Trouble Me' where Jones explores questions of mortality. However, I would suggest that the style is more similar to 'Raising Sand' by Alison Krauss & Robert Plant. Blues and country mixes well with the occasional gospel songs on the album, and the tracks move swiftly and comfortably from plaintive ballads to scintillating blues numbers. There is not a weak song on the album and producer, Ethan Jones, is incredibly understanding with the arrangements, more often than not going with 'less is more'.
Tom Jones sounds like he is having a lot of fun on this album and it makes for an incredibly enjoyable listening experience. I hope that this is an indication of his future direction as he enters his 8th decade. Praise & Blame is highly recommended and while the songs are all covers, Tom makes them very much his own.
The comparisons to Johnny Cash are understandable as there are hints of the American Recordings in the choice of song and also vocal performances; there is a timbre and gravitas to Tom's voice that, while not quite as good as Cash in his later years, really shows his voice off in a way that perhaps his more recent albums don't. This album too is at times introspective like the American Recordings, particularly on the opening track, a cover of Dylan's 'What Good Am I?' or 'Did Trouble Me' where Jones explores questions of mortality. However, I would suggest that the style is more similar to 'Raising Sand' by Alison Krauss & Robert Plant. Blues and country mixes well with the occasional gospel songs on the album, and the tracks move swiftly and comfortably from plaintive ballads to scintillating blues numbers. There is not a weak song on the album and producer, Ethan Jones, is incredibly understanding with the arrangements, more often than not going with 'less is more'.
Tom Jones sounds like he is having a lot of fun on this album and it makes for an incredibly enjoyable listening experience. I hope that this is an indication of his future direction as he enters his 8th decade. Praise & Blame is highly recommended and while the songs are all covers, Tom makes them very much his own.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Heard Tom Jones sing one of the tracks on Jools and thought, wow, this is a bit different. Bluesy and gospel mix. It's stripped back, raw and heartfelt - Tom Jones doing songs that he wants to do. Production is great. Ethan Jones getting the balance just right and letting the voice come through. In fact EJ playing guitar on most of the album. Tom Jones is to be applauded for putting this album out and lets hope it's the first of many. There have been the odd tracks over the years I have liked but never been compelled to buy. Now things have changed. More please, more !!!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Absolutely LOVE this new cd by Tom Jones - I was never much of a fan of his early music, but his vocal talent is unquestionable. His distinctive and amazing voice is stretched in a new direction and is very well suited to this style of music. The musicianship throughout the cd is also fabulous. Some "catchy" gospel melodies and lyrics that seem to stick in the memory long after the cd has been played. A great production and I'd like Tom to do a lot more of this. I can't stop playing the cd - and I can't "praise" it enough! Delighted.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
It's Tom Jim, but not as we know him
I can understand why your average Tom Jones fan may be disappointed with this album, it's certainly not what you'd expect from the man, but it really is something. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Fuzz-Box
the boy's still got it!
Ignore the sniffy BBC reviewer. These so called 'music critics' just can't stand it when an artist has the temerity to cross over into a different genre. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Bryan Heath
powerful and evocative
Although this isn't everyone's cup of tea I found this a refreshing change from usual melodies and enjoyed it immensely. Read more
Published 7 months ago by merle
This is the business
Tom Jones has never been noted as being of a religous bent though he was once mooted to play the lead in a remake of Elmer Gantry but it ended up as an abandoned project. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Richard
The Real Tom Jones
He obviously enjoys this style of music..pardon the pun, but you can hear it in his voice.
love it.
love it.
Published 10 months ago by A. Gehring
A pleasant surprise; soulful and raw
What a revelation: this ageing pop tenor, heartrendingly seeking forgiveness, compassion, a way out of here, in an album of very sparse, tightly constructed "old" (mostly American)... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Louise the book worm
Still waiting!
If I had received the Cd I would be able to review it, but ordered on 21st May, still nothing!!!
Published 11 months ago by Skye
Superb !
Take a giant of a vocalist like Tom Jones and team him up with a fantastic producer (Ethan Johns) and you get a superb album. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Crowy
grows on you
I found I had to play this CD a few times to get used to the songs, the voice of Tom Jones singing gospel etc. Read more
Published 12 months ago by A keen reader
Rock meets redemption
Despite adverse criticism from music reviewers,who obviously like their Tom Jones to stay in his well worn groove, this is a welcome innovation and emininently listenable to.
Published 14 months ago by C. M. Fanstone
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
