Neil Diamond: 12 Songs

Columbia, 2005
Producer: Rick Rubin
Genre: Resurgent pop god acoustic rock (think Rick Springfield with talent)

What the hell? A Neil Diamond review? This isn't 1978, is it?

Interestingly enough, the Neil Diamond album of 2005 is markedly different than the bubblegum pop star of the 70's who penned and recorded classics like "Solitary Man," and "Sweet Caroline." Although I was a fan of the Diamond in those days, it was more of a guilty pleasure than an artistic appreciation. After 12 Songs, however, I'm coming out of the closet as a solid supporter.

I couldn't explain this record without raving about the creative artistry of Rick Rubin, co-founder of Def Jam Records. Rubin was widely credited for revitalizing Johnny Cash's late career, and marketing it to a younger crowd in the American Recordings sessions. If you haven't listened to Rubin-produced Cash, you are missing out on some of the greatest music he recorded since Live at Folsom Prison. Rubin took an approach of "stripping down" Cash's music, to focus on the vocal stylings and emotive dynamics of the artist himself, rather than swallowing him with overproduced peripheries.

Rubin finds success here with Neil Diamond in the same stripped-down way. It seemed to be the perfect time for the singer and the producer to come together. Diamond told National Public Radio's Fresh Air that his songwriting subject matter hadn't changed much over the years. "I've always wrote about relationships, but I think I've matured as time went on." This is clearly evident on his first studio recording in 4 years.

Diamond's voice has never been more powerful, subtle, and sensitive as it is in 12 Songs. He's right. Most of the songs are about relationships, but from a perspective that only a career pop idol could share. The second track ( "Hell Yeah") is a heartening retrospective from an old man's point of view that will have most people pumping their fists as it peaks. The deeply emotion-laden "Evermore," sounds every bit as beautiful and thought provoking as REM's "Everybody Hurts". And the relatively upbeat "Save Me a Saturday Night" has a melody that should stick in your head for days.

Diamond seamlessly transitions between mini-genres in a fashion few can pull off. From Buffett-style tropicana ("Captain of a Shipwreck") to zealous gospel ("Man of God") to Broadway musical ("Face Me"), the musical stylings might change, but the mood and the lyrical content remain the same, glued together by Diamond's gruff but deliberate vocals.

I've got to admit, I passed this album many times before buying it. So far it's been worth the price. It's one of those records that, even the first or second listen, you'll find yourself singing along in the car. Be ashamed no longer, Neil Diamond fans! Your idol has released an album that anyone could love.