The Very Best of Neil Diamond

iTunes Review

With this 23-track album summarizing his career up to 2011, Neil Diamond snaps a portrait of himself as a versatile singer who can weather decades of musical change while remaining true to his own style. Whether it’s the stripped-down power of “Solitary Man” or the lush Barbra Streisand duet “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” Diamond is always committed to the material and unashamed of being a performer craving big moments. His catalog is full of songs perfect for sing-alongs; their big choruses demand full attention. From the gentle sway of “Sweet Caroline” and the piano pump of “Cherry Cherry” to the spectacular fireworks of “America” and the sweet lope of “Song Sung Blue,” Diamond performs these tracks with a grand essence and an economy rare in modern times. All points of his career are covered, from his earliest recordings with Bang! Records to his signature years and his Rick Rubin–produced albums of the ‘00s. Throughout, Diamond has ridden the line between Brill Building pop and rock ‘n’ roll with an allegiance to the song.