"Three Chord Opera" is just what you'd hope for from a new Neil Diamond effort. There are some truly inspired--if sometimes maudlin--tunes ("I Haven't Played This Song in Years"; "Midnight Dream"; "Elijah's Song"; "Turn Down the Lights"); the required love songs, delivered as only Diamond can ("I Believe in Happy Endings" is by far the best, and probably the best track on the album); and a handful of fun, upbeat, sometimes too silly, numbers ("Don't Look Down"; "At the Movies"; "A Mission of Love"; "Baby Let's Drive").

Is it Diamond's best? Probably not. There doesn't seem to be an "I Am, I Said" or "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" here (although there IS one catchy spiritual tune, "Leave a Little Room for God"). The songs on this album are more subtle than those, but they ring with that certain quality that has always made Neil Diamond an endearing singer/songwriter. The warmth, introspection, underlying optimism, Solitary-Man-outlook, and honesty are all here.

Bottom line: There's enough top-notch material--all of it, by the way, written by Diamond--to make this CD his best effort in many years. It's good to see this 70s pop icon back at the top of his game.

If I had written this review after I first listened to this CD, I would have only given it three or four stars. However, I listened to it a couple of times and then, I heard Neil Diamond do several of the songs on the CD in concert at Madison Square Garden. As always, Neil was phenominal in concert and after having heard him perform five songs on the CD, I began to like the CD a lot more.

I remember Neil from his rocking "Cherry Cherry" days. I like his rollicking songs such as "America," "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show," and "Soolaimon." I also like some of his early intense songs like "I Am, I Said," and "Holly Holy." Therefore, a less rocking Neil Diamond really has to grow on me. I really appreciated, "I Haven't Played This Song in Years" after hearing it performed in the concert. "At the Movies" is another song that I really like much better having seen it performed. Neil is sounding better than he has in decades, both in concert and on this CD. He turned 60 but the quality of his voice has really been sounding great. He has a somewhat gravelly voice that was becoming exagerated but, on this CD, he is back to the Neil of the 1960s as far as voice quality is concerned. I don't know whether he quit smoking or what the reason is, but he sounds great.

This CD is more subdued than the early Neil, but listen to it carefully and revisit it a couple of times. It will grow on you as it did on me.

The first time I listened to this, my feeling was that it was pleasant enough, but nowhere close to vintage Neil Diamond, and with no songs that truly stood out.

Each time, though, that I would play it, more songs would stand out, and though I would'be given it three stars after the first listen, I now feel that it deserves a strong four stars. There aren't any songs here which I consider equal with "Song Sung Blue", "Sweet Caroline", "Cracklin' Rosie", "Love on the Rocks",

"Holly Holy" or "You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore"...Well, on second thought, "Turn Down the Lights" (in my personal opinion) just might come awfully close to his best, and there are quite a few really good songs here.

The opening song "I Haven't Played This Song In Years", is a feeling portrayal of a long ago love, and a song most of can probably identify with. Then comes the rousing pep talk, "Don't Look Down". "Midnight Dream" approaches Neil Diamond's stronger and earlier work, at least in my opinion. However, my personal favorite is "A Mission of Love", a real feel good type song which should get anybody's energy level up. That one is first of the last four cuts, each of which is indeed worthy. There's "Elijah's Song", and then the gospel flavored "Leave A Little Room For God", leading up to the tender love song, and the one song here which I may easily, with time, count as one of the best in his whole career, "Turn Down The Lights".

I am impressed with the instrumental breaks in several cuts: "Don't Look Down", "I Believe in Happy Endings", "Midnight Dream", "You Are the Best Part of Me", "Baby Let's Drive", "My Special Soneone", "Elijah's Song", and "Turn Down The Lights".

All in all, I think most Neil Diamond fans will welcome this, and it's strong enough that it may well win over new fans. Don't expect this to quite match his most notable efforts, but do expect to enjoy it.

When I first listened to "Three Chord Opera," I felt that it was okay but that none of the songs seemed to be earmarked for "standard" status. The more I listened to it, though, the more different songs began to appeal to me in different ways. First of all the arrangements: I usually prefer the ballads and I immediately found "You Are the Best Part of Me" memorable and gradually warmed to "Midnight Dream" (it has that "epic" Diamond feel to it), "Elijah's Song" (a beautiful lullabye) and "My Special Someone" (after "Canta Libre" and "Carmelita's Eyes," the third in his Spanish trilogy). However, "At the Movies" was clearly a fun song from the word go and it didn't take long for me to appreciate what the Tower of Power horns add to "Baby Let's Drive," "Mission of Love" and "Don't Look Down." Perhaps influenced by this, I felt that the album slowed down a bit too much at the end. Then the lyrics: "I Haven't Played This Song in Years" harkens back to the devastatingly personal tone of "If You Know What I Mean." It took me a few listenings to figure out how the gospel song ("Leave a Little Room for God") and the singalong ("Turn Down the Lights") fit into the mix. An eclectic set, but one that makes no concessions to "the times." As a friend of mine said, "He wrote what he wanted to write." And, yes, he did write a couple of new standards!

I love that line from the opening track,"I Haven't Played This Song In Years" because it sounds like Neil Diamond the pop-romantic battling the darker Solitary Man of his youth,and the Solitary Man winning."I Haven't Played This Song In Years" is the type of song Neil wrote in the early 70's-cynical of human beings,cynical of true love.Being alone in the house watching

his ex "in the company of strangers,laughing just a little bit too loud/i can see the smiling faces,but not me among the crowd".

Then the next track,"Dont Look Down" is a rocker with a blazing horn section.In the lyrics,Diamond is advising new rockers

how to make it in the music business:"Don't Look Down or contemplate...fix both your eyes and concentrate...".

Then we get the beautiful closing song from the Saving Silverman movie "I Believe in Happy Endings".Think an Elton John disney song without the cheese.

next is my favorite song on the album "Midnight Dream".A beautiful tear jerker about a lonely man dreaming of the perfect girl.The acoustic parts,and the harmonies by Linda Press are beautiful.But it is Diamond's voice at its strongest.Lyrics like "All Alone in my despair,I call you there my midnight dream" are

some of Neil's saddest and most moving.

next is the ballad "You Are The Best Part Of Me".To be honest,this is my least favorite song on the album.

but things really pick up with the rocker "Baby Lets Drive".Here the horn section is in great use.The song simply rocks!

another fine song is "Leave A Little Room For God".a truly beautiful love song to God with a catchy guitar hook,and a choir

section that doesnt get in the way.The lyrics again are strong and personal:"Leave A Little Room For God,Just In Case You Need A Friend/Everyone's got rainy days,It isnt so much if,but when"

the album ends with the haunting "Turn Down The Light".It is amazing that this song wasnt the show closer for the Three Chord Opera tour.

Three Chord Opera is a true masterpiece from one of our greatest singer/songriters.It shows that Neil is best when he writes the songs alone.And he doesnt need over-production to drown out his one-of-a-kind voice.5 stars is not enough.His best album since 1989's equally rocking and introspective The Best Years Of Our Lives.