The Essential Neil Diamond

iTunes Review

No one can accuse Neil Diamond of aiming small. He launched his career with celebratory folk-rock tunes like “Cherry, Cherry” and “Kentucky Woman,” then quickly reached for melodramatic heights with epochal numbers like “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show” and “Holly Holy.” Fortunately, Diamond grounded his aspirations towards grandeur in the solid traditions of Tin Pan Alley songwriting, allowing him to transition easily into his later status as a mature balladeer. The peaks of his greatest hit-making years (1966-1986) are surveyed on The Essential Neil Diamond. Pegged as a commercial artist early on, Diamond nevertheless managed to push against the pop medium’s restrictions. His catalogue includes personal manifestos (“I Am…I Said”), gemlike pop nuggets (“I’m a Believer”), esoteric tribal chants (“Soolaimon”) and nostalgic rock ditties (“Forever in Blue Jeans”). Even his more conventional MOR hits like “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” and “Love on the Rocks” display real gravitas and passion. The inclusion of live cuts along with studio tracks gives a sense of Neil’s on-stage power. There are unexpected pleasures and revelatory moments to be found in this near-definitive set.