Search - Tom Jones :: Reload

Not just a lounge singer

Monkey Bucket | Ca. United States | 03/11/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've suprised quite a number of people with this CD, to the point where they in turn bought it and suprised others. I've always considered him one of the greatest voices in music today. He is not afraid to touch todays material, and in doing so does a very credible job. Can anyone imagine him doing Iggy's "Lust For Life"? There is a duet with Van Morrison that to my mind doesn't come off completely right. That is because the two voices aren't as compatible as one might think. Tom overpowersVan's vocals. The Talking Heads "Burning Down The House" has a flame just as high as the original. This is proof that Tom Jones should still be contemporary music."

NEW PEAK IN A BRILLIANT CAREER~BRAVO MR. JONES!!!

Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 10/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the mid-60's Tom Jones flew to the top of the charts with the classic "It's Not Unusual" and it was clear that this unusual talent and very soulful singer was going to be around for a long, long time! "Reload" is a masterpiece that was released in the late 90's and this is Tom Jones finest ever and a real artistic triumph that went to #1 in Europe and should have done the same in the United States but due to the unimaginative programming that now dominates our airwaves this unfortunately did not happen causing a great musical loss to the American public. Opening funky and soulful with "Burning Down The House", it is clear that Tom Jones is in peak form and the center of these guest artist "duet" tracks. A rocking and blusey "Mama Told Me Not To Come" tops the original and the Lenny Kravitz "Are You Gonna Go My Way" is a hard rocking duet with Robbie Williams that is classic with each singer at their absolute peak!!! Tom performed this great rocker solo on the VH1 Diva's concert a couple of years ago and the huge audience of thousands moved in unison to the rhythm as Mr. Jones gave the performance of a lifetime and the audience greeted this by giving Tom a full house standing ovation. A lush James Bond like arrangement on "All Mine" features a haunting vocal while Tom is mesmerizing on a ethereal "Sunny Afternoon" which flows into a soulful "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" which all again feature stellar performances from Mr Jones. Fun and sensual is a very catchy "Sexbomb" which sounds like what should have been a hit and would have been in better musical times..."You Need Love Like I Do" is a funky romp and Heather Small is a great duet partner. Every so many years comes a classic song with the perfect singer who creates a unique and unforgettable listening experience~Brook Benton comes to mind with the haunting classic "Rainy Night In Georgia" and the the best since with this kind of great atmospheric mood is the Tom Jones original "Looking Out My Window" which is a brilliant bluesy vocal and spellbinding performance full of character and raw soul. Van Morrison and Tom Jones are great duet partners on the soulful "Sometimes We Cry" although it is clear that Tom is the one with the masterful voice. Tom is hot and full of fire with The Pretenders in the rocking "Lust For Life" that is hard rocking and full of interesting tempo changes and by the time you get to Tom's biting vocal with Barenaked Ladies in the unique "Little Green Bag", you will be wondering where was the Grammy Awards when it came to this incredibly great musical masterpiece that is the crowning achievement of a long and brilliant career and "Reload" should have done for Tom Jones what "Private Dancer" did for Tina Turner and would have with any promotion at all...more vocal brilliance is featured on the masterful "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" where Tom does a stunning duet with Simply Red and the effect is riveting. "She Drives Me Crazy" is a driving rocker with a brilliant arrangement that has great tempo changes and a romanatic duet with Natalie Imbruglia "Never Tear Us Apart" is magical and hauntingly beautiful. How was this classic work overlooked in the United States????? A winning duet with the standard "Baby It's Cold Outside" has never sounded quite as warm and engaging as it does here making this the version that should be heard yearly of this great holiday classic...closing with the traditional standard "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", this is the definitive version of this classic as Mr. Jones pours his soul into this making "Sometimes" a emotional and riveting experience that is incomparably great! For anyone who enjoys a great singer who is at his absolute peak, DO NOT MISS THIS AWESOME WORK as this is Mr. Jones at his greatest and Thank You Tom Jones for a magical musical experience!"