Tom Jones: The Golden Hits

I’d be the last to laud Tom Jones’s recent Vegas-styled concoctions, but I don’t hesitate to go on record as one who believes that such efforts barely hint at his potential. Witness this affecting collection of unadorned early pop hits, which includes full-bodied readings of “It’s Not Unusual,” “Green, Green Grass of Home,” and Mickey Newbury’s “Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings.” Happily, by the way, Jones’s sexist “She’s a Lady” is not on the bill.