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Neil Diamond's New Album Going Over Well

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8 2005 5:00 PM

Submitted by Keith. Edited By Keith.

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:

You are just going to have to trust me. The new Neil Diamond album, �12 Songs� which hits stores tomorrow is great. Produced by Rick Rubin, Neil Diamond returns to his old singer songwriter ways. Much like what Rubin did for the late Johnny Cash, �12 Songs� sounds fresh and finds a rejuvenated Diamond with only his voice and guitar on most of the tracks. The album was streaming at Neil Diamond�s MySpace page, but the streams to not seem to be showing up right now. I will keep you posted, and try to get an MP3 up for you sometime this afternoon.

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

...the album stands as, if not the best of a phenomenally strong year for music, one of the most indisputably interesting pop albums of the year.

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".

25 Comments

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NatasKaput

Bozeman, MT

December 2002

NOV 08, 2005 05:54 PM

Rick Rubin can make anybody cool

Ainur

Alameda, CA

May 2005

NOV 08, 2005 05:58 PM

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.

Lemonkid

Montreal, QC

May 2003

NOV 08, 2005 06:17 PM

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

ThisIsWhoWeAre

Oakland, CA

July 2004

NOV 08, 2005 06:29 PM

Lemonkid said:
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...

g_whiz

Hollywood, FL

October 2004

NOV 08, 2005 06:33 PM

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

Lemonkid

Montreal, QC

May 2003

NOV 08, 2005 06:35 PM

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

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

chrisnail_and_i

Victoria, BC

December 2003

NOV 08, 2005 06:37 PM

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.

starguitar

Chicago, IL

August 2004

NOV 08, 2005 06:53 PM

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

Keith

Oklahoma City, OK

August 2002

NOV 08, 2005 06:55 PM

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.