neil diamond has always had a great voice. what he hasn't always had is a producer who can take that incredible voice and craft it into a great album. well, rick rubin is as good a producer as can be found. his work with johnny cash was astonshing. now mr diamond gets the same treatment. the resulting album is a stunning piece of work, showcasing a stark, uncluttered sound that is pristine and gorgeous. a great set of songs from beginning to end, sung with breathtaking sensitivity and skill. Q magazine selected this as the 19th best album of 2006. great stuff, indeed.

It's been interesting to read the various reviews of Neil Diamond's "12 Songs" album. Opinions are basically unanimous that it's his strongest album in a long time, and I can't disagree with that. Over the last 30 years, the number of albums from which I've really liked most of the songs has been in the minority. That said, there have always been at least a few gems for me, and I've had no trouble remaining a loyal fan, especially since the Internet made it easier for me to attend some concerts (I moved to Japan in 1979 and usually don't come back more than 1-2 times a year). That said, "12 Songs" simply blew me away. Pity to the person who decides to save an insignificant amount of money by buying the 12-song collection: the Brian Wilson-enhanced version of "Delirious Love" (which has amusingly received more mixed reviews than probably any other song on the album) is a historic meeting of musical legends, and I suspect it was a wrenching decision to omit "Men Are So Easy" from the basic set. With only one or two exceptions, every song has something to say to anybody who will take the time to listen. In other words, those willing to give it a chance will find it a revelation; Diamond fans will agree with the Man's opinion that the songs in question are not a radical departure from anything else he's put out over the years. After all, Rick Rubin didn't do any of the writing!

The 2-CD Limited Edition is a revelation, but of course more so for die-hard fans than for casual listeners. Diamond fans will recall having gotten a taste of this in the "In My Lifetime" collection. Speaking as objectively as possible, however, it is a rare insight into the evolution of individual songs, and of an entire album in general. For all the hoopla about Rick Rubin's "unplugged" approach, one of the most fascinating aspects of the Limited Edition is the variety of introductions used. I'm probably not the only Diamond fan whose favorite cut from the original album is "Evermore" because of the sweeping arrangement in the latter part of the song, and I'm glad that this collection gave us the opportunity to hear alternative arrangements for Diamond songs other than live renditions. Granted the Sony anti-dubbing virus was a major put-off (except for Mac users like me), and less-rabid admirers may prefer the more economical route of Internet downloading, but few can deny that either the original set or the Limited Edition present a very welcome addition to any music collection.

To make a long story short, why haven't you checked it out yet?

There was a long time when I could buy any record of Neil Diamond without even listening first,his music was gold for me, I have probably 30 lps of that period, then a little after the jazz singer record, his music lost power for me, to the point that, some years later, I could not even listen to his later material,it was like a never recovered sadness for me as I felt that Neil had lost his soul..And I had lost so much..

Then came today when I heard these new songs and they thrilled me right to the heart.For the first time in years his vocals dominate the music they difuse a lot of emotion and they are the heart of each song.

Neil; today you gained again a very devoted fan and I'm so happy that you could find your way back to very deep music.

Only Neil Diamond can beat Neil Diamond !

I highly recommend this cd to all the fans who loved "I am I said" "

"Now he's back I said"

I wish a lot of success to this very good CD as this is what it really deserves.

Thierry Cordonnier from France.

This special release of the 2005 12 songs give a look into what these Diamond gems were in the "rough." The 2nd CD has many demos and alternate versions of these truly original Neil Diamond compositions. One special cut features Brian Wilson with Neil - it's like Beach Boys ala Neil Diamond! Not the best arrangement of this song, but definately worth a listen! :-)

Sorry to disagree with most reviewers but this album needs a rhythm section to make it brilliant.

The songs are well written but they lack the production of orchestration. A piano, bass, and drums backing up the acoustic guitars would have made this CD better. Most of the reviewers say that this was ND's best album but I have to disagree. All of the tunes here are of the same sound: acoustic guitar and voice.