Sir Tom Jones has released Pop Star the fourth song to be taken from his forthcoming album Surrounded By Time out April 23 via EMI.
Cleverly constructed imagery illustrating the song’s narrative accompanies the track, presenting another piece of the aural landscape of Surrounded By Time.
“To me, ‘Pop Star’ is all about the excitement I felt at the time of my first success, and I imagine that a great many bands and artists feel the same when things start to happen for them,” explains Sir Tom. “To get your first TV records out there, to be on TV for the first time, to get your first important gigs, and to go to the bank with your first earnings… what could be better than that? This track contains all that fantastic energy and brings back great memories for me.”
Co-produced by Ethan Johns and Mark Woodward, Surrounded By Time marks out new territory with a sonic landscape of outstanding musicianship and a vocal delivery that re-imagines a diverse set of songs of personal importance that have impacted Jones throughout a long, unpredictable but undeniably impressive career.
For an artist such as Sir Tom Jones, with over 100 million record sales to his name, certain milestones loom large over the horizon – and with those milestones come certain expectations. A few years ago, Tom’s record label raised the topic of his 80th birthday coming in June 2020. When you’ve enjoyed 36 Top 40 hits spanning five decades, a new Greatest Hits collection somewhat suggests itself. But after a period of upheaval which saw him come to terms with the loss of his wife Linda of 59 years, and time spent in the hospital with a bacterial infection, Tom’s instinct was not to reflect upon his legacy, but to further extend it.
“You know, I wasn’t so well a couple of years ago. When I came out of hospital, I saw the doctor and he said that, taking my age into account, it was time to slow down. Well, really, that was like a red rag to a bull.”
Having recorded three acclaimed albums with producer Ethan Johns (Laura Marling, Paolo Nutini, Kings Of Leon, Ray Lamontagne), Tom was keen to continue what was already the longest musical association of his career. An avid record collector, there were songs he had set aside for decades, waiting to reach an age at which he would truly be able to do them justice. Here and elsewhere, perhaps the question that determined the shape and feel of Surrounded By Time was this: what if this were to be Tom Jones’ final album? “I hope I get to make several more,” he adds, “But at this point, you really have to make it count.”
Sir Tom Jones announces a very special and exclusive full album performance of ‘Surrounded By Time’, live at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Tuesday 27 July 2021. Tickets will go on sale 9am Friday 16 April at LiveNation.co.uk.
The announcement of this unique performance comes ahead of the release of the multi-platinum singer’s highly anticipated new album, ‘Surrounded By Time’ on April 23. As one of the most celebrated and successful artists of the past five decades, the new record is Tom Jones’ most personal collection to date. Fans can expect a rare and unmissable intimate show with Tom performing the new album in its entirety live for the very first time.
TICKETS: Pre-order new album ‘Surrounded By Time’ from https://tomjones.lnk.to/
SIR TOM JONES TOUR DATE
Tue 27 July 2021 London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
