Neil Diamond - Home Before Dark (12 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Diamond is forever

Amanda Richards | Georgetown, Guyana | 05/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

""There are two types of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't." - quote from the movie "What About Bob?"

If you're in the latter category, please read no further.

If you're still with me, this is a "pretty amazing" album from the evergreen Mr. Diamond, taking us back to his music of the seventies, namely the "Song Sung Blue" and "Sweet Caroline" period. There's also no complaining about the length of the album, as there are five songs that are six minutes and above, and only one track below four minutes.

American Idol viewers would have been treated to a live performance of the single "Pretty Amazing Grace", and if you liked that one, you're really going to enjoy this album.

Other recommended tracks are:

If I Don't See You Again - the first song on the album, and the longest at 7 minutes 14 seconds.

Another Day (That Time Forgot) - with Dixie Chick Natalie Maines

Forgotten - lots of guitars

Act Like a Man - a little Moon River, a little Country, pure Diamond

Whose Hands Are These - a folksy, inspiring treasure with heavy guitar and piano backing

No Words - you'll be hooked from the intro (personal favorite)

This is vintage Diamond, and I predict a very good year indeed.

Recommended - just recommended - buy it!!

Amanda Richards, May 15, 2008

"

Love this CD!!!

Linda A. Manning | 05/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Home Before Dark may not resemble the music that Neil turned out in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's however the songwriting and performing on this CD is nothing less than incredible. This is a new style for Neil, which he started with 12 Songs, and in my opinion he has fined tuned it in Home Before Dark and made it his own in a very extraordinary way. Don't buy this CD if you are looking for a CD full of Sweet Caroline songs however if you are a serious music lover and Neil Diamond fan I would highly recommend purchasing this CD. This CD showcases Neil's talent at its best!!

Way to go Neil!! Hope this CD makes it to #1!!!!!!!!!"

Nice follow-up

the drifter | minneapolis | 05/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is a great second edition to the Rick Rubin/Neil Diamond collaborations. Neil seems to bring everything to his craft for this one. I would have liked at least one song with a bit more groove to it, but such a song might have stuck out like a sore thumb."

Diamond Strikes Gold with his first #1 Album!

Steven Hedge | Somewhere "East of Eden" | 08/17/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Neil Diamond has been around for 40 years and I've been a fan of his for about as long as that. This CD is a quiet introspective collection of songs that won't disappoint his legion of fans.

I don't normally review CD's, as I just don't have the gift to explain how songs move me; it's all so personal and the words just escape me most of the time. I'm glad I waited to review this new CD though, as I honestly didn't like it much when I first heard it. It's the kind of CD that has to grow on you and you have to get use to the fact it isn't the rock side of Diamond that so many love. These are all personal songs with both subtly and intensity and you don't quite catch that on the first hearing of it.

An obviously favorite for most Diamond fans will be "Pretty Amazing Grace" which is the single he promoted when he appeared on American Idol last season (May 2008). I love that song and bought the CD on the power of that one single, but over time I've come to love other songs on the album even more. My favorite is the long (7 + minutes) of the first song "If I Don't See You Again" and followed closely by "Don't Go There" which is rather hypnotic and playful in tone. The duet with Natalie Maines on "Another Day" is just plain beautiful music. The most interesting song on the album for me was "One More Bite of the Apple" and for the life of me, I can't explain why that is so.

Some may think because Diamond has strayed from some of his more rock roots (America, Cracklin Rosie, Cherry Cherry, Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show, etc.) that he has lost his voice with age, but let me assure that after seeing him in concert at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia on August 9, 2008 that Neil Diamond has NOT lost an ounce of his voice at all. In fact, I was blown away at just how energetic and powerful he and his voice still are at 67 years old. He is just ageless. My family originally had seats in the upper decks of the concert hall, but A staff member came up to us, a family of four, and said, "Neil hates to see holes in the floor seats, so how would you like to have front row seats?" We were dumbstruck! We ended up in the front, on the floor seats, right in front of his microphone. What a way to introduce my kids, who love Diamond's music, to their very FIRST concert of a famous singer.

We will never forget that night and my only disappointment was that Diamond didn't sing "Hello Again" from The Jazz Singer which was the first movie I took my wife to see and that song became our wedding song as your best friend should always be your spouse and that is what that song is about.

Oh, well, I digress here. See why I don't write about CD's often. I just go all over the place. Anyhow, any Neil Diamond fan will want to buy this album, but just know that it may take some time to appreciate its power.

"

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