Label boss blasts new Tom Jones album

Island Records vice president David Sharpe has blasted the new album by Tom Jones.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Sharpe, who sent an email to his colleagues, has claimed that Praise & Blame sounds like "hymns", and ordered that the label "pull back this project immediately or get my money back".

The executive wrote: "Imagine my surprise when I walked into the office this morning to hear hymns coming from your office - it could have been Sunday morning.

"My initial pleasure came to an abrupt halt when I realised that Tom Jones was singing the hymns! I have just listened to the album in its entirety and want to know if this is some sick joke?

"We did not invest a fortune in an established artist for him to deliver 12 tracks from the common book of prayer. Having lured him from EMI, the deal was that you would deliver a record of upbeat tracks along the lines of 'Sex Bomb' and 'Mama Told Me'."

Praise & Blame is to be released on July 26.