Three Chord Opera

You've got to admire the consistency of Neil Diamond's vision. Another artist in his position--'60s/'70s pop icon putting out a new album in 2001--might pander to changing tastes by grafting trendy contemporary sounds onto the songs, or bringing in a raft of current stars for duets and photo-ops. Instead, Diamond remains true to his singer-songwriter stance and plays it straight; no drum loops or guest appearances, just twelve new songs in the classic Diamond style, presented with elegance and emotion. Thus, the album opens with possibly its least commercial song, the moody, minor-key ballad "I Haven't Played this Song in Years", which mightn't have sounded out on place on Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello's PAINTED FROM MEMORY album. Along the way, Diamond picks up the pace with the optimistic "Don't Look Down" and Bo Diddley-beat rocker "Baby Let's Drive". He also provided plenty of romantic moments bound to steal the hearts of his longtime fans, such as "My Special Someone" and the warm closer "Turn Down the Lights".

Q (10/01, p.118)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...Diamond is aging well, his voice still powerful, his songwriting still...masterful..."

Entertainment Weekly (7/27/01, p.70)
- "...His ruminative ballads come as naturally as ever..." - Rating: Ba