SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOWARD JONES – CELEBRATE IT TOGETHER – THE VERY BEST OF HOWARD JONES 1983-2023

HOWARD JONES
CELEBRATE IT TOGETHER – THE VERY BEST OF HOWARD JONES 1983-2023
CHERRY RED RECORDS

Forty years in the music business is cause for celebration, and Howard Jones is doing just that with the release of Celebrate It Together.

This is far more than a greatest hits collection, however. The four CD box set covers Jones’ entire recorded catalogue. It includes material from his days at Warner, as well as from his independent label, Dtox. As opposed to sorting songs chronologically, Jones has grouped the songs into different categories: Popular Hits, Electro, Chill, and Curiosities.

For the collectors out there, Jones has included a deluxe clamshell box with each card wallet sleeve featuring a new photo of the artist. Also included are four previously unreleased tracks and six other tracks that were previously unreleased on CD. Finally, there is a 12-page booklet that is fully illustrated, and topping it all off are excerpts from Jones in conversation reflecting upon his 40 years as a recording artist.

At the end of the day, however, it is the music that matters, and Celebrate It Together doesn’t disappoint. Early hits such as “Things Can Only Get Better”, “New Song” and “No One Is To Blame” are great reminders that Howard Jones was a pioneer in bringing synthesizers into the mainstream. His distinctive sound is combined with an optimism in his lyrics that continue to resonate with audiences today.

The fourth CD is called “Curiosities” and I enjoyed exploring this one. It features a variety of mixes and versions of his songs, and there are some real gems here. “Road To Cairo” is a slower, stripped-down ballad, and it showcases Jones’ vocals beautifully. “Lazarus” is from a live performance at Siyan, and this intimate song features Jones playing solo at a piano. People often lose sight of the fact that Jones is a gifted pianist. “Collective Heartbeat (Havana Version)” features Latin-inspired rhythms and a sizzling trumpet line that creates a brilliant dance groove.

The risk of releasing a four CD box set is that it will be liberally interspersed with “filler” material. Happily, this is not the case with Celebrate It Together. Jones obviously put a lot of thought into the curation of this release. It is a very fitting celebration that looks fondly at the past, while at the same time pointing to the future. Fans of Howard Jones are going to be delighted.

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