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Home Before Dark (Deluxe Edition)by Neil Diamond |
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Price Range: $14.99 - $19.99
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$17.92 |
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$14.99 |
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$18.38 |
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Home Before Dark is the long awaited new album from legendary artist Neil Diamond. Home Before Dark was produced by legendary producer Rick Rubin who also produced Neil's critically acclaimed 12 Songs.
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Disc 1
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Disc 2
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Diamond Not in the Rough with Rubin by His Side for a Second Collaboration -  |
Home Before Dark Review |
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At an age when most people retire, Neil Diamond managed a truly transcendent return to form with the release of 2005's 12 Songs thanks primarily to the behind-the-scenes work of Rick Rubin, the renegade producer who directed the late Johnny Cash to produce similar stellar results on his acoustic 1994 return to form, American Recordings. For his latest recording, Diamond has wisely re-teamed with Rubin, and comparisons with the previous stellar effort are inevitable. Although the legendary musician's unique talent as both songwriter and performer are in full evidence, the 2008 result is simply not as revelatory as "12 Songs". The acoustically-oriented arrangements that worked so well before somehow don't seem quite enough this time around because Diamond's newest compositions seem to beg for fuller arrangements. On the upside, the core ensemble of "12 Songs" has thankfully returned and perform strongly - not just Diamond but also Mike Campbell of the Heartbreakers and Smokey Hormel on guitars and another Heartbreaker, Benmont Tech, on keyboards.
While all fourteen songs reflect Diamond's sterling craftsmanship, they are somewhat more variable in musical quality than one would hope. The opening track, the declarative "If I Don't See You Again", is a smooth-as-silk transition from "12 Songs" perfectly reflecting Diamond's true pop sensibilities, even if it runs too long at over seven minutes. Moreover, only Diamond could bring such dynamic conviction to his melodramatic ode to love's transcendence, "Pretty Amazing Grace", replete with his aggressively played fretwork at the song's climax. He displays a welcome sense of humor with the clever lyrics on the bluesy "Don't Go There", especially with the emphatic, frog-throated repeat of the chorus. It melds nicely into "Another Day (That Time Forgot)", a haunting duet with the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines about not getting over a long-lost love that. It's suitably heartbreaking, even though Maines' reedy soprano does not make her Diamond's most ideal partner, at least tonally. Diamond uses every metaphor imaginable for seeking second chances on "One More Bite of the Apple" building to quite a guitar-strumming crescendo. The mood of the recording becomes slightly mercurial at this point with the undeniably catchy "Forgotten" followed by the slow waltz of "Act Like a Man". Despite his bold guitar strumming, the anthem-like "Whose Hands Are These" comes across as a bit too slight to be genuinely memorable, while the Billy Joel-like "No Words" gallops along without really going anywhere. As a classroom example of straight-ahead pop music, "The Power of Two" is refreshing even if the chorus is inane - "We have the power of two...me and you!". Starting out like a country reel, "Slow It Down" takes its title too literally and becomes a dirge. Fortunately, he rebounds with the nominal closing track, as the title tune is classic Diamond - beautiful, full of yearning and lots of pointed references to the open road. On the Deluxe Edition, two bonus tracks have been included - first, a percussive arrangement of Harry Nilsson's "Without Her", which sounds like an outtake from a 1970's-era recording session as it glides over an abundance of lyrics; and Bob Dylan's melancholy "Make You Feel My Love". Even though Diamond can be a charismatic performer, the accompanying DVD is a decidedly low-key affair. He performs "Pretty Amazing Grace" and "If I Don't See You Again" seated in a dimly lit studio. This is followed by black-and-white footage of Diamond in the recording studio performing "Forgotten" and a rather hurried version of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer". |
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Disappointed, again -  |
Home Before Dark Review |
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I'm a die-hard Neil Diamond fan. It took me awhile to figure out why I didn't like his last album, but it is this: I like Neil's music because it makes me feel good. It is upbeat, it is catchy, it's optimistic. I liked the strings, the horns, the drums. This album and the last one are just downright depressing. I can understand Rick Rubin wanting to get Neil back to the craft of songwriting, and leaving out the over-production, but geesh could we at least have a little percussion?! And what happened to the upbeat, catchy songs? Even Neil's slower ones like Captain Sunshine (one of my personal favorites) were more upbeat than these. Where is the old Neil? I miss him. |
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A Living Legend -  |
Home Before Dark Review |
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"Home Before Dark" is playing while I type this review! I'm 33 years old and have truly become a Neil Diamond fan within the last 10 years. Brought up mainly with the love of Elvis... Neil Diamond managed to skip my childhood memories. My parents always liked him but not as much as their Memphis "King". I do not want to compare the two but would like to just say one thing and that's Neil Diamond wrote all of his own music.
My favorite Neil songs were mostly from the late 60's through the mid 70's. He still managed to make great music though till roughly the mid 80's. He has so much soul in his voice with lyrics that are both poetic and haunting. He is simply a man who has been around a good long while and has experienced so much of life. When I bought "12 Songs" I realized that he still had it. He managed to continue with his "sound" but in a more quiet and subtle way. I must admit when I bought "Home Before Dark" I was anxious to know if this follow up album would compare. All I can say is that Neil's new CD is absolutely amazing! It is brilliant in every way imaginable. He sounds so comfortable behind the microphone... like he's talking to an old friend. To me it has a similar sound to his early work from the 70's. This man is almost 70 years old and is by far putting out the most groundbreaking material I've heard in a long time. It's so hard to pick a song that stands out as they ALL stand out. Every song on this CD is magic. Neil Diamond is a living legend and needs to be respected and forever immortalized in music history. |
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A Deeper Cut - |
Home Before Dark Review |
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Deep, dark, mature, intelligent and moving...Diamond has never been better, under the laser gaze of producer Rick Rubin. A 5 star treat for the ear and the emotions..... |
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A touching, beautiful CD. - |
Home Before Dark Review |
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Even after all these years Neil Diamond can still write these amazing, beautiful and honest songs that can touch us so much. Is it worth the extra money to get the deluxe set? Hell Yeah! His voice on "The Boxer" alone is worth it! At this point in his career he sure doesn't have to be working so hard to make these songs come alive but I am so grateful that he does. This is an excellent set of songs with an added bonus of the videos. Don't miss it. |
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