Review: “Carrying A Torch” by Tom Jones (CD, 1991)

Today’s Pop Rescue from a fate unknown, is the 1991 album Carrying A Torch by Welsh singer, TV personality, actor, and sex icon, Tom Jones. Will this album light up your life, or have the batteries gone flat? Read on…

Tom Jones - Carrying A Torch (1991) album. — Tom Jones – Carrying A Torch (1991) album.

This 13 track CD opens with the titular and second single Carrying A Torch, which features the album’s producer, and this track’s writer and guitarist, Van Morrison. The track opens with a nice gentle piano introduction before adding in some warm strings, a slow beat, and Hammond organ, all of which makes Tom’s authoritative vocal sound like he’s delivering a sermon. Van had already released this himself on his album (also 1991), but it’s featured here as a cover version. Unfortunately, it’s a plodding and dreary track that fails to make the use of Tom’s booming vocals until the mid point, after which he’s flanked by backing vocalist Carol Kenyon who adds a great contrast for the ending. It’s unsurprising therefore that this version fell down at #57 in the UK charts, perhaps a sign that the bulb had blown.

That’s followed by Some Peace Of Mind, which gives us a switch to a more upbeat sound, with backing vocals laden with ‘ooh’ and ‘doo do doo’ as Tom seems to relish the new vocal range and brightness that the song feeds him. He feels in his element here with this more pop-ish song. He’s joined by saxophone, that works really well alongside his vocals. This really should have been the lead single.

Strange Boat sails in next, and this is a cover of the 1988 song by The Waterboys. It’s a swaggering mellow song, loaded with violin and acoustic guitars over a brushed snare. Here, Tom gets some slow and easy vocals, and some somewhat repetitive lyrics as the narrative evolves. Despite this, everything in the song is ‘strange’ and after a while the repetition of that word gets annoying – clearly the lyricists needed a thesaurus for their birthday! After a nice harmonica solo, the song just seems to fade out without resolving the song’s narrative.

The tempo is up to ‘probably tapping my foot’ level as Hammond and percussion gives us a nice catchy little intro to next song I’m Not Feeling It Anymore. Here, Tom seems to be back on fine form giving us a full range of vocal power and range, flanked expertly once more by Carol Kenyon who offers a wonderful contrast in the chorus. Despite this upbeat and pretty catchy song, when it was released as the album’s third and final single in its full 7m 6s form, the UK seemingly took note of the song’s title and it aptly didn’t chart. Some banging remixes would probably have (and still) worked a treat.

Do I Ever Cross Your Mind is next, and we’re straight into schmaltzy loved-up ballad. This is musically a paint-by-numbers sound – with Tom’s heart-aching vocals sat on top of a piano and plodding simple beat. Unexpectedly in the mid-section an electric guitar kicks in to give a roaring solo to see the song out.

That’s followed by Fool For Rock ‘n’ Roll, which gives us a somewhat un-rock ‘n’ roll pop beat and light sound as Tom takes the microphone. That changes for the choruses though, which gives us a glimpse of some harder guitars and bass, but they’re a bit buried in the mix against the pop beat. Briefly there’s a section that sounds like ’60’s Gerry and The Pacemakers, but it’s all too brief. Nestled in the mix too, on backing vocals, is Sheryl Crow (credited as ‘Sheril Crow’), but it’s hard to pick her voice out from four other backing vocalists credited to this track.

Only In America follows that, and we’re back to a brooding guitar waiting in the wings as a soft beat and piano tease until the chorus. The guitar roars in for the chorus alongside Tom’s big vocals, but over all, the song is a bit cheesy, feels very 1980’s, and I can imagine that this would get David Hasselhoff’s lips wet.

‘I watch you as you’re sleeping as I am standing at the door‘ begins what could easily be the creepiest song in pop – Couldn’t Say Goodbye. Nothing that a restraining order couldn’t handle, Tom! Despite this stalkery start (penned by Diane Warren), this slow heartfelt song stood as the album’s lead single. Here, Tom’s vocals feel reigned in, and the backing track feels lacklustre and poorly suited to his voice. There’s even a key change moment that would get Westlife off their stools. A slight relief comes in the form of some nice saxophone from Gary Barnacle, and once again Sheryl Crow is tucked away in the backing vocals (which i can’t hear any of them singing). Unsurprisingly, and rightfully, this hammy crock flopped at #51.

The wonderfully titled Killer On The Sheets is next, and sounds like where in for a Tom Jones seduction-fest… It opens as you’d expect. Sexy whispering, growing electric guitar and thick bass. ‘Well I left a dirty message on your answer machine’ Tom sings, and he sounds like he’s utterly in his element and matching his sex machine image. This is magnificent and worthy of having been a hit single, or at least on his hit Reload album.

Give Me A Chance is after that, and by contrast we’re back to slow ballad again. The sound is rich here though, and Tom gets to show off some more big heartfelt vocals. The soft beat and synths keep out of his way, giving a nice warm swell of sound in the background, with the song only really flying the nest in the final quarter. This is a cover of the 1987 Paul Carrack track and Tom puts in a nice performance of this ‘alright’ song.

Then we’re on to Zip It Up, and this takes on a completely different sound, much more a-kin to his hit Kiss with the Art Of Noise. This track bounces along wonderfully with dramatic drums and sound effects – making it worthy of being a candidate for a fun single. Tom’s vocals are crisp, playful, clear, and booming once again and he sounds like he’s having a load of fun singing this one. Even the backing vocalists (including Sheryl) are audible here.

Penultimate track It Must Be You is next, dropping us back in to a more mellow sound with flute and Hammond. This sounds like a hotel foyer singer as it meanders through the loved-up lyrics. Tom’s joined once again by Carol Kenyon on backing vocals and her vocals help to add depth and warmth to the song.

The album closes with what sounds like accordion and piano – it’s Old Flame Blue. This is a version of Jon Carroll’s song from the previous year, and whilst it’s an oddly constructed, Tom’s vocals boom wonderfully as he sounds like he’s completely unleashed to reach as far and wide as he wants with his voice. Roughly at 2m 10s, he seems to go for it, albeit briefly and he sounds wonderfully. Sadly the music sounds a bit plinky-ponky and all over the place like it’s supposed to be watched as a comedic accompaniment to a funny scene in a stage show. Whilst Tom’s vocals do wonderfully well with what he’s given here, the song’s a mess.

Tom Jones’ lead single ‘Couldn’t Say Goodbye’ (1991).

Verdict

Over all, this album is a real mixture of hidden could’ve been hits, meh songs, and messy compositions.

The highlights of the album are clearly Killer On The Sheets (as I half expected when i saw the title on the CD artwork), Zip It Up, the flopped un-charting single I’m Not Feeling It Anymore, and Some Peace Of Mind. The rest of the tracks lurk somewhere around the country meets middle-of-the-road songs, which is somewhat a safe place for Van Morrison, and heartache ballads that sound like they’re boring Tom to death. The lowest points are very much Couldn’t Say Goodbye, Strange Boat, Old Flame Blue, and Only In America.

If this is a torch, then careful where you shine it.