Two years ago Tom Jones released a stunning album, 24 Hours, that I recently declared to be the best of his career. While I don’t retract a single word of that declaration, I have changed my mind in the last few weeks. The reason being, of course, that Mr. Jones has just dropped his 39th studio album, and although it is completely different in every way from its predecessor, Praise & Blame is really his finest recording ever.
With 24 Hours, Jones updated his successfully updated his sound without losing his identity, and it really is a great modern pop record. This time around, however, Jones decided that he was going back to his roots and record an album of gospel songs and songs of devotion, many of which he has been singing since he was a youngster. Also thrown into the mix are a couple of genial covers of more contemporary material that fit incredibly well into this record.
Jones hired Ethan Jones (no relation) to produce the album, and the two worked closely together to achieve the intimate and raw quality of this record, which works wonders for Tom’s incredible voice. There’s not a hint of the Vegas showman belting out pop tunes while dodging knickers in his performance on this album, just the stark grit and soul that comes all the way from somewhere deep within. 
So stripped-down is the sound here that each track only sports a few instruments to lay the backdrop for Jones to sing over in such a way that he rarely needs to use any of that power to make a point. Much of the credit, of course, goes to the players, which include Benmont Tench, Booker T. Jone,s and the multi-instrumentalist producer himself. His singing on this record is really just brilliant; every note is delivered from the heart and his often overlooked ability to evoke a whole range of emotions is well and truly recognizable here.
Perhaps Jones’ most powerful performance on Praise & Blame would be his stirring take on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” a song originally recorded by Blind Willie Johnson. Willie Nelson also covered this on his new spiritually-charged gem Country Music, but as good as it was on that record, I honestly think Jones’ cut here is the definitive version of this great old song. Another blatant standout is a cover of John Lee Hooker’s “Burning Hell,” which finds Jones digging deeper than ever for one of his most inspired performances; his determination and the angry guitar riff are a force to be reckoned with.
“Did Trouble Me” is another song that is a perfect fit for Jones who a little more like his old self here than on any of the other tracks to be found here. The blues/rock of “Lord Help” and the commanding vocal by Jones are in perfect unison, as Jones gets busy as only he can (“Lord help the war-torn peoples!”).
Easily the most curious inclusion on this album is a simple but very effective cover of Bob Dylan’s “What Good Am I?.” Jones gave a superb performance here and I’m sure Dylan would approve, how could he not? Three outstanding songs close the album out with a bang as Jones romps through the rollicking “Didn’t It Rain,” eases his way into the more somber “Ain’t No Grave,” and powers his way through the sublime “Run On.”
There really ain’t no more to say except for this, Praise & Blame is Tom Jones at his very best. Ethan Jones has done for Jones what no other producer has done before – which was to realize that with a voice like that, less is always more, and I really hope these two work together again because there is so much more they could do. The last few years Tom Jones has really been in the zone, and there’s no reason not to keep the ball rolling now.