“I’m Alive!” howls leathery legend Tom Jones on the opening track of his first studio album in six years. Yes readers, the boy from Pontyypridd is back and this time he means business as 24 Hours is a record that will dumbfound the critics in seconds. After spending a decade trying to mix it up with the young ‘uns in a bid to enhance his ‘Sexbomb’ credentials, our Tom has decided to go back to his 60s roots and put together a collection of songs that hark back to his white soul days (‘I’m Alive,’ ‘Feels Like Music’). It’s a master-stroke really, as in an era of Mark Ronson produced throw-backs it makes sense to have the singer show the new breed how it’s done.
At 68 years of age, Mr Jones has nothing to prove to anyone though, but that doesn’t seem enough for him. The world’s coolest pensioner gives every song a passionate performance, and the crisp, modern production from Future Cut provides a modern, yet classic feel. Tom even co-writes most of the tracks and the schmaltzy ‘The Road’ is every bit as good as anything from his 70s heyday. There are a few dodgy moments, such as the Bono and The Edge penned ‘Sugar Daddy’, which sees Tom once again try to play the lothario role of old, but it’s a minor gripe to make of a pretty remarkable album. To say this is a return to form is an understatement and goes a long way to proving that Jones still has “it” by the bucket-load.