NEWS: Neil Diamond's New Album Going Over Well

MUSIC: Neil Diamond's New Album Going Over Well

Neil Diamond's new Rick Rubin-produced album, 12 Songs, is gathering all sorts of praise, and not just of the ironic, "awesomely bad" sort. The record was just released today, but influential bloggers have already been lining up behind it. Stereogum links to the Myspace page where you can stream the entire record, and brooklynvegan is excited. Muzzle of Bees enjoys it as well:

Gorilla vs. bear hosts an MP3, and Slant digs it:

But Billboard dampens the buzz a little bit, saying that it's "his best album since 1972's "Moods", but "not strong enough to qualify this as the instant classic some have suggested".

Rick Rubin can make anybody cool

That's amazing that Billboard could even say something like "his best album since 1972's Moods"! Even more amazing that Neil has managed to keep himself, hm, let's say, known, for so long without any new "hits". I mean come on, the guy has never stopped selling out shows. Can't really say that any amount of praise would make me buy this album though. Oh I'll check it out for sure - just can't do a blind (or deaf maybe) purchase on it.

I'm listening to it right now.... pretty damn good.

Me too! How can you NOT love Neil
"The Jewish Elvis" Diamond? Anybody who went to college on a
fencing scholarship is f'ing cooler than hell in my book. I just have to learn all the words to this new album so I can dance around my apartment singing.

I'm slowly turning into Jack Black from Saving Silverman...

The Chilis, Cash, Diamond. Is there anything he can't do?

He's the man, the man with the Midas touch.

I'm only on my second spin but so far but it sounds pretty good, certainly the best thing he's done in decades. Essentialy I agree with Billboard but I think it's going to grow on people, me included.

So Rick Rubin is now the go-to guy if old musicians want to make cool records for the kids.

In fairness to Rubin, though, all he does is tell them to go back to a classic, minimalist sound. The opposite of trying to be hip, like doing a Santana or something, with all the latest pop hitmakers and producers. He just goes, hey: drum, bass, guitar, piano, microphone. That's all you need.

I want Rick Rubin to do an album with Prince like that so freaking bad.

That would be uber-rad assuming that Prince would let him do his job. Which I guess we all know he wouldn't. Dang.

make system of a down better

heh.

You know I think really the genius of Rubin is that he hears what an album could or should be. This album for instance isn't about going back to old Neil Diamond. It recognizes and embraces the places Diamond's music has been, but then it puts all the best of those places in a modern sonic context.

I have been waiting for this album for a long time. It sounds as brilliant as I'd hoped. So much Neil Diamond love.

Well, that's not all he does. He also gets them to actually do it.

Neil Diamond listening party? My place?

Seriously, I'm in. SO in.

I'll have my people speak to your people.

This record is so good that I actually bought it

Listening party. My place.

And then, after listening, just over the park from my place = Neil Diamond karaoke.

(Confession: I actually sang "Holly Holy" at karaoke earlier this year. Not at the Karaoke Across the Park From My Place, but at the Java Jive in Tacoma, Washington. Fuck yeah.)

Hey... I happen to like Neil Diamond.

I'll admit that I always kind of dug Neil Diamond so I'm biased, but I got the record today and its pretty stellar. Rick Rubin gave him the same makeover he gave Johnny Cash and it works just as well.

i never given him much of a listen, but it is a safe bet i'll give this one a whirl

He wrote some of the Monkees' best songs.

Exactly!!

And lest we forget "Saving Silverman"....

My top five tracks I reccomend:

Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon
Cherry, Cherry
Holly Holy
Sweet Caroline
I'm a Believer

[Edited on Nov 10, 2005 by SenorRandom]