Music : Home Before Dark

Rating: - A musical journey
If you are a Neil Diamond enthusiast, as I am, then I think you will find this album to embody the artist's heartfelt reflections on his life. I have always found Diamond to be both story-teller and poet in his music and, most of the time, at an honest level. One thing he certainly has been on over the last few decades is a journey of spiritual discovery, and I have appreciated his integrity. I believe "Pretty Amazing Grace" says it all.

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Rating: - Neil Diamond's Latest CD - Home before Dark
Neil missed it on this one. We are big Neil Diamond fans and when we heard of the new CD we bought it right away. We wee disappointed in the CD. Maybe he is getting too old now. Not anywhere as good as any of his other works.

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Rating: - A Prolific Partnership Continues
With "Home Before Dark" Neil Diamond and producer Rick Rubin succeed more often than they fail in continuing the creative renaissance they began with Diamond's 2005 collection, "12 Songs." The new album's highlights ("Don't Go There"; "Another Day That Time Forgot") can take their place along side the finest recordings of Diamond's 4 decade career and would have been at home on any of his late 60's or early 70's albums. Less effective ("No Words"; "The Power of Two") are songs which find Diamond retreating to pedestrian melodies and trite, cornball lyrics.

One could quibble about the rest. The otherwise fine album opener "If I Don't See You Again" loses cohesion before the end of its seven minute duration and Ben Tench's heavy handed keyboard work is more an irritant than a complement. Overall, however, "Home Before Dark" showcases fine song-craft in a worthwhile second collaboration between Diamond and Rubin.

Bonus covers of Harry Nilsson's "Without Her" and Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" are well worth the higher price of the deluxe edition.

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Rating: - Accoustic style album
This is one of Neil's better albums. Not as good as the early stuff of the 60's, and 70's, but it is a different, more mature sound. There is a definite accoustic sense to this album. The man still has his talents. the one song getting most airplay is "Pretty Amazing Grace" which is very nicely performed.

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Rating: - We love Neil Diamond's music
This album is as good as his other music and he is still a great singer songwriter. If you like his other music, you will also enjoy this album.