Reload - Tom Jones > Reviews > Tom Jones - as hip as Robbie

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Selection of musical styles, well produced, great party album
Disadvantages:	One or two fillers

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

My first introduction to this aging Welsh phenomenon (well, I had heard of him, heard 'Green Grass of Home' etc) was on holiday in Mallorca in May 2001. Every time, I went in the hotel bar during the day or night, 'Sexbomb'was playing. At first, I thought, 'This ain't bad' but after about 6 times, this soon became 'Oh no, not again'.

Then around the end of October 2000, I was participating in a little Christmas shopping, when over the shopping mall (pardon the Amercianism) 'muzak' floated the glorious tones of Cerys Matthews singing 'Baby its cold outside'. Upon returning home, a quick suft on the old 'world wide wait' and I found out that the track was from 'Reload'. Hey, what a good idea for a Christmas pressy. I asked my wife, who, after picking herself up off the floor, said OK. The question still remains 'is Tom hip or not?'

Well, after playing this CD many times, who cares. The whole idea of covering other artistes' songs as duets sounds corny but Tom et al pull it off. There is something here for everyone - a bit of soul (Heather Small 'You need love like I do' and Mick Hucknall 'Ain't that a lot of love'), rock ('Little Green Bag' with Bare Naked Ladies' 'Going my way' with Robbie) classic (check out the duet with Van 'the man' Morrison) and the aforementioned, absolutely over the top version of 'Baby its cold outside' with Cerys.

All in all, this is a brilliant album - there are one or two 'fillers (covers of 'Sunny afternoon' and the dire cover of 'Never Tear Us Apart').

Play it loud and long - this is a album for the car!