Reload is the 34th studio album by Tom Jones, released in 1999. It contains 15 duets with a range of artists including Van Morrison, Cerys Matthews, Stereophonics, Robbie Williams, and Portishead, mostly recorded with each of the featured artists' usual record producers and in their usual studios. The tracks are mainly cover versions, with a new version of one of Jones' own songs, "Looking Out My Window" (1968), and one original track, "Sex Bomb".
Reload became the highest seller of Jones's career, reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart in 1999 and again in 2000. Its biggest single was the collaboration with Mousse T., "Sex Bomb", which reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and was later used in a 2003 episode of The Simpsons (a show Jones had guest starred on in 1992). The album has sold more than four million copies worldwide. It was not released in the US; instead the compilation Reloaded: Greatest Hits was issued there in 2003 and featured highlights from Reload.
Release The album was released on 16 September 1999 in the UK by Gut Records and was released a little later in the US by V2 Records. Five singles were released from the album: "Burning Down the House" (September 1999), "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (December 1999), "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (March 2000), and remixes of "Sex Bomb" (May 2000) and "You Need Love Like I Do" (November 2000).
Critical reception
In a review for AllMusic, Carlo Wolff described the album as "Ultra-modern and topical", and that "Reload suggests you can easily ignore Jones' "What's New Pussycat?" past." He went on to opine that "Not only does Jones deliver one of the more invigorating workings of modern pop here, his selection of material and choice of mates prove that in addition to his routinely extraordinary performances, he's still recording quite potently, thank you." Wolff described the featured artists as "a motley, and very talented, crew", and that "Jones more than holds his own, turning the [covered] tunes into unusually personal and expressive vehicles.
Commercial performance Reload became the highest seller of Jones' career, reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart in 1999 and again in 2000. As of April 2021, it has sold nearly 1.5 million copies in the UK, and more than four million copies worldwide.
Track listing
Note A "special edition" release of the album also includes the single remixes of "Sex Bomb" (Peppermint Disco Radio Mix) and "You Need Love Like I Do" (7th District Radio Mix or Double Click Remix, depending on version) as bonus tracks.
Personnel Adapted from the album's liner notes.
Tom Jones – vocals (all tracks)
"Burning Down the House" The Cardigans – featured artist Nina Persson – vocals Peter Svensson – guitar Magnus Sveningsson – bass guitar Bengt Lagerberg – drums Lasse Johansson – guitar, keyboards Tore Johansson – additional keyboards, backing vocals Pece Masalkovski – additional guitars Jens Lindgård, Petter Lindgård, Sven Andersson – horns Hello Bobadee – horn arrangement Lynette Koyana, Per Sunding, Patrik Bartosch, Maurits Carlsson – backing vocals Produced by Tore Johansson Recorded at Tambourine
"Mama Told Me Not to Come" Stereophonics – featured artist Kelly Jones – vocals, guitar Stuart Cable – drums Richard Jones – bass guitar Tony Kirkham – keyboards Victy Silva – backing vocals Produced by Bird & Bush; additional production by Stephen Hague Engineered by Bob Kraushaar Programming & percussion by Andy Duncan Mixed by Jeremy Wheatley Recorded at Hook End, Eden & RAK; mixed at the Town House
"Are You Gonna Go My Way" Robbie Williams – featured artist; vocals Fil Eisler – guitar, bass Chris Sharrock – drums Claudia Fontaine, Sam Brown – backing vocals Paul Spong – trumpet Chris White – tenor saxophone Dave Bishop – baritone saxophone Stuart Brooks, Steve Sidwell – trumpet Neil Sidwell – trombone Paul Turner – bass Produced by Guy Chambers & Steve Power Mixed by Hefner Moraes Arranged by Guy Chambers Brass arranged by Steve Sidwell & Guy Chambers Recorded at Metropolis, Mayfair & Battery; mixed at Aquarium
"All Mine" The Divine Comedy – featured artist Neil Hannon – vocals Ivor Talbot – guitar Bryan Mills – bass guitar Joby Talbot – piano Stuart 'Pinkie' Bates – Hammond organ Miggy Barradas – drums Rob Farrer – percussion Phil Eastop, Jim Rattigan, Nick Busch, Richard Clews – horns Maurice Murphy, Andy Crowley, Steve Waterman, Stuart Brooks – trumpets Neil Sidwell, Mike Hext – trombones Pat Jackman, Roger Argente – bass trombones Jamie Talbot – baritone saxophone Gavyn Wright, Perry Montague-Mason, Rebecca Hirsch, Pat Kiernan, Boguslav Kostecki, Jim McLeod, Dermot Crehan, Dave Woodcock, Chris Tombling, Jackie Shave, Vaughan Armon, Mark Berrow, Ben Cruft, Everton Nelson – violins Peter Lale, Katie Wilkinson, Garfield Jackson, Bruce White – violas Martin Loveday, Paul Kegg, Dave Daniels – cellos Chris Laurence – double bass Produced by Jon Jacobs & Neil Hannon Engineered by Jon Jacobs; additional engineering by Andy Scade Arranged by Joby Talbot Recorded at Olympic; mixed by Jon Jacobs at Westside
"Sunny Afternoon" Space – featured artist Tommy Scott – vocals Franny Griffiths – keyboards Jamie Murphy – guitar Dave Palmer – bass Leon Caffrey – drums Jens Lindgård, Petter Lindgård, Sven Andersson – horns Produced by Tore Johansson Recorded at Country Hell & Tambourine
"I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" James Dean Bradfield – featured artist; vocals, guitars, bass Nick Nasmyth – keyboards Greg Haver – drums Produced & mixed by Dave Eringa & James Dean Bradfield; assisted by Boris Aldridge Recorded at RAK; mixed at Olympic
"Sex Bomb" Mousse T. – featured artist; producer Peter Hinderthür – horn, bass Uwe Granitza – horn Lutz Krajenski – Hammond organ Recorded at Peppermint Park & Bunk, Junk and Genius
"You Need Love Like I Do" Heather Small – featured artist; vocals Johnny Douglas – drums, guitars, keyboards Dave Clew – programming, keyboards Paul Turner – bass Mike Stevens – saxophone Nicol Thomson – trombone Duncan Mackay – trumpet Alan Ross – guitar Beverly Skeete, Sylvia Mason-James, Andy Caine, Miriam Stockley – backing vocals Produced by Johnny Douglas Mixed by Ren Swan Engineered by Marc Lane Recorded & mixed at Sarm West
"Looking Out My Window" James Taylor Quartet – featured artist James Taylor – Hammond organ Ed Baden-Powell – programming, bass, keyboards, guitars, drum programming John Thirkell – trumpet, flugelhorn Steve Marston – saxophones Kwame Kwaten – additional keyboards Harriet Williams – opera voice Pascal Consoli – drums Produced by D'Influence Pre-production at the D-lab Recorded at Sarm West & Master Rock Mixed at Master Rock; mix engineer: Paul Emanuel
"Sometimes We Cry" Van Morrison – featured artist; vocals Steve Pearce – bass Ralph Salmins – percussion Mick Cox – acoustic guitar Geoff Dunn – drums Geraint Watkins – keyboards Pee Wee Ellis – horns Johnny Scott – guitar Malcolm Mortimore – drums Andy Duncan – programming, percussion Carmen Smart – vocals Mark Ralph – guitar Tim Sanders – tenor saxophone Simon Clarke – horn arrangement, baritone & alto saxophone Jenny La Touche, Travis J. Cole, Leonard Meade, Cornelius Macarthy, Irene Myrtle Forrester, Carmen Smart – backing vocals Produced by Van Morrison Additional production & mixing by Stephen Hague; mix engineer: Bob Kraushaar Recorded by Walter Samuel Recorded at The Wool Hall & RAK
"Lust for Life" The Pretenders – featured artist Chrissie Hynde – vocals Adam Seymour – guitars, backing vocals Guy Pratt – piano, bass Ged Lynch – drums, percussion Johnny Marr – guitar, harmonica, backing vocals Andy Duncan – percussion Produced by Stephen Hague Richard Norris – recording engineer Chuck Norman – programming Mixed by Jeremy Wheatley at the Town House Recorded at Sarm West & RAK
"Little Green Bag" Barenaked Ladies – featured artist Steven Page – vocals Jim Creeggan – double bass Tyler Stewart – drums Ed Robertson, Kevin Hearn – electric guitar Chris Brown – organ, clavinet Andy Duncan – programming, percussion Mark Ralph – guitar Produced by Stephen Hague Mixed by Stephen Hague & Bob Kraushaar at RAK Richard Norris – recording engineer Recorded at Dep & Sarm West
"Ain't That a Lot of Love" Simply Red – featured artist Mick Hucknall – vocals Gota Yashiki & James Wiltshire – programming, keyboards Gota Yashiki & Greg Bone – guitar Neil Cowley – keyboards Laurence Cottle – bass guitar Ian Kirkham & Chris de Margary – saxophones Kevin Robinson – trumpet John Johnson – trombone Produced by Gota Yashiki James Wiltshire, John Lee, Matthew White, Alan Douglas – recording engineers Emily Cracknell, Josh T. – assistant engineers Mixed by Jeremy Wheatley at the Town House Recorded at Westpoint
"She Drives Me Crazy" Zucchero – featured artist; vocals Chester Kamen – guitar Magnus Fiennes – keyboards, programming Willy South – Hammond organ Guy Pratt – bass guitar Ged Lynch – drums Simon Clarke – baritone & alto saxophones Roddy Lorimer – trumpet, baritone & alto saxophones Tim Sanders – tenor saxophone Annie Whitehead – trombone Produced by Jeremy Wheatley & Magnus Fiennes Recorded & mixed at the Town House
"Never Tear Us Apart" Natalie Imbruglia – featured artist; vocals Alan Ross – guitar Paul Turner – bass Johnny Douglas – drums, guitars, keyboards Dave Clews – programming, keyboards Vocals recorded by Stephen Hague String arrangement by Simon B. Hale Ann Morfee, Ian Humphries, Anna Hemery, Bev Davison, Chris Tombling, Iain King, Andrew Roberts, Rachel Byrt, R. George, Helen Hathorn, Richard Milone – violins Nick Barr, Steve Tees, Andrew Byrt – violas Sophie Harris, Nicholas Roberts, Nick Cooper, Adrian Bradbury – cellos Paul Sherman, Roger Linley – double bass Beverly Skeete, Sylvia Mason-James, Andy Caine, Miriam Stockley – backing vocals Produced by Johnny Douglas Engineered by Steve Price & Marc Lane; assisted by Tim Lambert Mixed by Ren Swan Recorded at Mayfair, Angel & Sarm West Mixed at the Town House
"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Cerys Matthews – featured artist; vocals John Parricelli – electric guitar Steve Pearce – bass Simon Chamberlain – piano Ian Thomas – drums Phil Todd, Jamie Talbot – alto saxophone Chris Davis, Chris White – tenor saxophone Dave Bishop – baritone saxophone Derek Watkins, Steve Sidwell, Simon Gardner, Stuart Brooks – trumpets, flugelhorn Pete Beachill, Neil Sidwell, Mark Nightingale – trombones Adrian Hallowell – bass trombone Rolf Wilson, Jonathan Evans-Jones, Rachel Allen, Bev Davison, Wilf Gibson, Helen Hathorn, Paul Willey, Pauline Lowbury, Paul Robertson, Sonia Slany, Pippa Ibbotson – violins Bill Hawkes, Andy Parker, Steve Tees, Roger Chase – violas Jonathan Williams, Nick Cooper, Mellisa Phelps – cellos Orchestra arranged by Matt Dunkley Produced & mixed by TommyD at the Town House Engineered by Andy Bradfield
"Motherless Child" Portishead – featured artist Beth Gibbons – backing vocals Adrian Utley – guitar, bass Clive Deamer – drums, timpani John Baggott – piano, vibes Gavyn Wright, Perry Montague-Mason, Pat Kiernan, Boguslav Kostecki, Vaughan Armon, Cathy Thompson, Warren Zielinski, Peter Lale, Rachel Bolt, Bruce White, Dave Daniels, Martin Loveday – string players Simon Gardner, Guy Barker, Tony Fischer, Neil Sidwell, Mark Nightingale, Sarah Williams – brass players Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader Strings & brass arranged by Nick Ingman Produced by Geoff Barrow & Adrian Utley Engineered by Steve Price & Niven Garland; assistant engineer: Marty McCorry Recorded at Starfish & Swanyard
Special editions bonus tracks:
"Sex Bomb"(Peppermint Disco Radio Mix) Remix & additional production by Mousse T. & Royal Garden
"You Need Love Like I Do"(7th District Radio Mix)