Tom Jones Greatest Hits Rediscovered 2cd (2010)

Tom Jones Gold is a two-disc, 42-track set that does an admirable job of mixing all his major hits recorded between 1965 and 1975 for the American Parrot label with well-chosen album tracks and B-sides. Interestingly, the U.K. Deram versions of Jones' singles and albums would occasionally differ slightly from the U.S. releases. All eight of those tracks are wisely included on Gold along with remastered favorites like "Delilah," "She's a Lady," "What's New Pussycat?" "Green, Green Grass of Home," "I (Who Have Nothing)" and "Help Yourself." Recommended for those who want to go a step beyond the average greatest-hits package.

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This is one of those albums that requires the prospective purchaser to flip it over to the back and read the small print. "Recordings mastered from the legendary U.S. coast to coast T.V. specials" is what that print says, and while The Biggest Hits is certainly a generous collection, containing 30 tracks and running over 76 minutes, it does not include the original hit versions of Tom Jones favorites "Green, Green Grass of Home," "What's New Pussycat?," "She's a Lady," "Delilah," "Without Love," or "Say You'll Stay Till Tomorrow." Applause sometimes signals a live performance, but otherwise the exact sources of the material remain murky. And the title The Biggest Hits seems intended to suggest that Jones is performing songs that were hits for somebody, though not necessarily for him.

Where to begin? The superbly remastered sound that transforms even the most familiar cut (and, let's face it, most of this stuff has been reissued so often, you'd need to be deaf not to know it backwards) into a whole new listening experience? The 33-song selection that revives the greatest hits alongside some of the greatest bits, to present a truly well-rounded examination of the full 10cc experience? The gleeful dip into both pre- and post-band history that places both "Neanderthal Man" and "Cry," and "Groovy Kind of Love" and "Bridge to Your Heart," into some kind of context? The two songs that premier Kevin Godley and Graham Gouldman's new project, GG06? A lone Gouldman four-song re-creation of his late-'60s Graham Gouldman Thing solo album? For anybody with even a passing fascination with the self-styled worst band in the world, Greatest Hits & More is such a treat that, no matter how many other "best-of" collections you already own, this is the only one you need…

Tom Jones became one of the most popular vocalists to emerge from the British Invasion. Since the mid-'60s, Jones has sung nearly every form of popular music – pop, rock, show tunes, country, dance, and techno, he's sung it all. His actual style – a full-throated, robust baritone that had little regard for nuance and subtlety – never changed, he just sang over different backing tracks. On-stage, Jones played up his sexual appeal; it didn't matter whether he was in an unbuttoned shirt or a tuxedo, he always radiated a raw sexuality that earned him a large following of devoted female fans who frequently threw underwear on-stage. Jones' following never diminished over the decades; he was able to exploit trends, earning new fans while retaining his core following.