Search - Tom Jones :: Tom Jones Country

From Wales to Nashville

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 10/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an excellent country music CD, with Tom Jones, who had several big songs in his career with a Nashville flavor, like "The Green, Green Grass of Home", using his gorgeous voice well in the genre, with expressive phrasing and terrific musicians backing him. For the most part the songs have a mellow feel to them, with lovely melodies, like the lilting "Somebody's Cryin'" and "Marie". "Touch Me (Then I'll Be Your Fool Once More)" is superb, and is typical of the Tom Jones his fans know and love, the soulful balladeer with the huge voice.



"If I Ever Had to Say Goodbye to You" and "We Could Have Been the Closest of Friends" are rather bland and have a "pop crossover" sound with smooth string arrangements and back-up vocals, making them my least favorites, but the final track, "It'll be Me" makes up for them, and is a fabulous country rocker, with blazing musicianship, a driving beat from the drums and bass, a piano that will leave you breathless, and is definitely my choice for best track of the CD.



Some of the best musicians in the business played on this recording, and among the many stellar names are the brilliant Hargus "Pig" Robbins on piano, Joe Chemay and Norbert Putnam on bass, Larry McNeely on banjo, Billy Sanford on electric guitar, Pete Bordonali on acoustic guitar, Kenneth Buttrey on drums, and Little Feat guitarist Fred Tackett.

The sound is good and total playing time is 33'39.

"