Tom Jones has already recorded three songs for his first album for S-Curve, including one penned by U2's Bono and featuring guitar work by the Edge.
Jones is working with the same team that helped shape Joss Stone's albums, specifically Betty Wright and Mike Mangini.
S-Curve owner Steve Greenberg said they intend to drive home the idea that Tom Jones is one of the world's great soul singers. "This pushes him in several different directions. In 1965, he was a raw R&B singer that might have emerged as England's answer to Otis Redding. Of course his career went in a different direction, but we're placing him back at that crossroads."
One of the first tracks recorded is a cover of the Arctic Monkeys' "I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor." Rather than emulate the Monkeys' recording, for Jones' version they used Eddie Floyd's "Big Bird" as a rhythmic base; Jones unveiled his version at the recent Concert for Diana.
Greenberg said the album is not limited to deep soul ballads and will not be a Motown tribute or a duets disc. "It will be a creative adult album." There is no release date penciled in.