Top tracks — play these first
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What Good Am I? Start here — This opening track sets the introspective tone of the album, with Jones exploring themes of self-worth and redemption through poignant lyrics and a soulful melody.
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Burning Hell — A gripping reinterpretation of the classic song, it showcases Jones' ability to infuse deep emotional gravitas into traditional material, making it resonate powerfully.
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Ain't No Grave — This track stands out with its gospel influences and haunting arrangements, embodying the album's theme of spiritual reflection and resilience against adversity.
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Did Trouble Me — Jones delivers an evocative performance that captures the essence of struggle and yearning, demonstrating his vocal prowess while enhancing the album's overall narrative.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong vocal performances over bluesy arrangements, creating an authentic yet accessible sound.
What we noticed
- The first three tracks feature a slow, steady tempo that sets a reflective mood, while the fourth track introduces a slightly faster pace.
- Most songs are built around sparse instrumentation, allowing Jones' vocals to dominate the mix and convey emotional weight.
- Several tracks incorporate traditional blues elements, such as call-and-response patterns and minor key melodies, enhancing the album's authenticity.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- reflective listening experiences
- emotional vocal performances
- introspective late-night vibes
- steady, contemplative pacing
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Critical Peak — Marks a return to roots with acclaimed authenticity, showcasing artistic depth.
- Themes
- spiritual reflection· southern gospel roots· self-worth exploration
- Moods
- Introspective· Melancholy
- Career context
- Released in 2010, Praise & Blame marked Tom Jones' return to his roots in soul and blues after years of exploring pop and commercial music. This album followed his 2008 release, 24 Hours, further showcasing his artistic reinvention at a time when he was seeking to connect with deeper emotional themes in his work.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Joe Cocker· Engelbert Humperdinck· Wilson Pickett
Tracklist
- 1 What Good Am I? Start here 3:51
- 2 Lord Help 3:41
- 3 Did Trouble Me 4:15
- 4 Strange Things 3:00
- 5 Burning Hell 3:26
- 6 If I Give My Soul 3:30
- 7 Don’t Knock 2:17
- 8 Nobody’s Fault but Mine 3:40
- 9 Didn’t It Rain 3:21
- 10 Ain’t No Grave 3:08
- 11 Run On 3:58
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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