Tom Jones International

2:30 PDT: According to google, between news stories and blogs, there are 4,000+ posts about Tom and his new CD. Pretty good, right?

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TopTJFan has weighed in with an interesting take on Give A Little Love. We usually really dislike videos that feature Tom’s voice and nothing-to-do-with-Tom video, but TopTJFan is getting pretty good and this, at least, is lots of fun. (But we wonder how Apple Corps will feel about it.)

Then the Tom’s home press chimes in, too, with the obvious — baring his soul, not his chest. (But, we say, don’t underestimate Sir Tom!)

Tom gets back to basics and bares his soul
Sep 22 2008 by Nathan Bevan, South Wales Echo

THE Sex Bomb is back , but this time It IS Unusual.

We at the Echo have had an exclusive sneak preview of Tom Jones’ new album, his first of new material in 15 years, and it seems the Voice From The Valleys’ shirt is staying firmly fastened.

In fact, the only thing he’ll be baring is his soul.

“It’s all very well just singing songs,” said Tom of the upcoming 24 Hours (out November 17). “But for this record I really wanted to get properly personal.”

And it seems the 68-year-old legend from Pontypridd has followed the recent lead of legendary crooner Neil Diamond in paring things down and getting back to basics with his music.

“I’ve been getting reflective recently, looking over my journey through life, and I wanted to get that down on song,” added Tom.

“This time I wanted to make something that was all about me, my stories, my life.

“In other words, you listen to this album and you get the real me.

“I’m just opening up shop again and seeing who comes in through the door.”

It’s the first Jones has had a major hand in the songwriting of an album in his entire three-decade career which has seen him sell more than 100 million records worldwide, and the difference shows.

The title track sounds unlike anything we’ve heard from the singer, its slow military drumbeat, mournful cello and swelling strings sounding more like a Gene Pitney-style torch song crossed with Ultravox’s Vienna.

In the video that accompanies it, Jones couldn’t be further from the hip-shaking heartthrob image that’s stayed with him since his Swinging Sixties heyday.

Dressed all in black and standing motionless, his face lit by a solitary spotlight and lined with regret, he inhabits the skin of a dying man looking yearningly back over his life and wishing he’d done things differently.

What’s New Pussycat it ain’t.

But Gennaro Castaldo, HMV’s head of press and PR for the UK and Ireland, doesn’t think Tom’s gamble will stop 24 Hours from being a Christmas cracker.

“Tom Jones albums always sell well in our stores, particularly, of course, in Wales,” he said.

“We have high expectations of this new album, and I’m sure his dedicated fans will be excited to hear it too.”

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Bono to record duet with Tom Jones

By Cormac Murphy/Tuesday September 23 2008/The Herald

BONO is to sing a duet with his boyhood hero Tom Jones on the Welsh crooner’s up-coming album.

The pair will perform a song called ‘Sugar Daddy’ for the soon-to-be-released album, ‘24 hours’.

The 48-year-old U2 singer said he has always been in awe of the older star.

“I’d see Tom Jones on Saturday night on a variety show — I must have been, like, eight years old — and he’s sweating and he’s an animal and he’s unrestrained. He has a big, black voice in a white guy”.

And legendary ladies’ man Jones (68) also managed to convince Bono’s bandmate The Edge to record some guitar sounds for the album.

Tom doesn’t think it would be unusual for him to top the charts once again with his new album.

“The fire’s still in me. I don’t want to be an oldie but a goodie. I want to be a contender,” the singer said.

And a leg-up from U2 will help his US appeal.

“The hits that I’ve had recently have all been European — which is a pain because I live in Los Angeles and do most of my shows in America. Hopefully, this will straighten that out,” said the She’s a Lady singer.

One of the songs on the album — The Road — is about all the affairs Jones had on tour and how he keeps coming back to wife Linda.

“I wanted my voice to sound as natural as possible,” Jones said of his performance on the album.

“The arrangements and the production needs to be modern, but the vocal needs to sound like me,” he added.