Tom Jones: Greatest Hits

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald Rating * * *)

Just when the second — or was it the third? — Tom Jones revival looks like it's finally run out of steam, here comes this mopping-up album of 23 tracks tracing the chart life of the big man with the big voice.

That means we get some funky sexagenarian Tom (Sexbomb, Kiss, If I Only Knew) and Britpop's favourite Uncle Tom (duets with the Stereophonics and Robbie Williams) all the way back to hairy-chested Vegas Tom (It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat, Delilah, Daughter of Darkness), and quite a lot of elbow-on-the-piano sentimental boyo Tom (Green Green Grass of Home, I'm Coming Home, Without Love).

It does remind there have been some long fallow periods in his career and he's at his best belting it out rather than crooning. But it does what it says on the tin. And fancy that, it's out just in time for Mother's Day, too.

(Label: Universal)