August 6: Neil Diamond, Home Before Dark (2008)

Neil Diamond seemed to me to be a victim of the production values of the seventies. But even so, his songs always shone through the strings and horns and overwrought production that defined much of the 70's singer-songwriter genre. In the end he wrote pretty good songs that have, for the most part, survived the test of time. This Rick Rubin produced album seems to know that the thing that made Diamond relevant was his songwriting, and that is the focus here. There is nary a drumset to be found on this album, and little more than rhythm and lead guitars and bass (there is the occasional string and horn sections, but they are subdued in the mix). His signature baritone, that can easily rise a couple of octaves before returning, is still in place. And he is wordy on here, with the twelve songs filling up a full hour. Only one song clocks in at less than four minutes, with several hovering around the six minute mark, and the opening track, If I Don't See You Again stretching out to over seven. All of the songs move at slow to medium tempos, feeling meditative at times, as Diamond stretches out words, or just leaves space between lines. Most of the guitar is easy strummed guitar with non-obtrusive lead lines, making Diamond's voice the central aspect of every song. There are some light blues riffs here and there (Forgotten, Don't Go There), but mostly it is the light unplugged structure that defines the album. Lyrically, Diamond seems to be looking back at his life, examining different eras, aspects and relationships of his past, much of it celebrating his failed and successful relationships. But there are also stories of dangerous women (Don't Go There), his artistic self (Act Like A Man, One More Bite of the Apple), and enjoying what one has (Slow It Down). For the most part he avoids cliché, but also doesn't find a lot of inspired lines either. On the opener he sings what is typical of many of the lyrics, "I know it's crazy out there/I hated sleeping around/I went out looking for love/And never liked what I found," walking that middling space between clever and cliché. At times he delves further into the predictable than others, "Been away from you for much too long/Now I'm back where I belong," on One More Bite of the Apple. In the end it is a solid effort, if not completely inspired.

Listen:

Don't Go There

If I Don't See You Again

One More Bite of the Apple