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DISCID=a708650c
DTITLE=Neil Diamond / Tap Root Manuscript
DYEAR=1972
DGENRE=Rock
TTITLE0=Cracklin' Rosie
TTITLE1=Free LIfe
TTITLE2=Coldwater Morning
TTITLE3=Done Too Soon
TTITLE4=He Ain't Heavy... He's My Brother
TTITLE5=Childsong
TTITLE6=I Am The Lion
TTITLE7=Madrigal
TTITLE8=Soolaimon
TTITLE9=Missa
TTITLE10=African Trilogy
TTITLE11=Childsong (Reprise)
EXTD=Originally Released 1970\nCD Edition Released ??\n\nAMG EXPERT RE
EXTD=VIEW: The follow-up to Touching You, Touching Me was an ambitious
EXTD= set of songs, all originals except for a Top 20 cover of "He Ain
EXTD='t Heavy...He's My Brother," including the side-long suite "The A
EXTD=frican Trilogy" (which featured the hit "Soolaimon"), the number 
EXTD=one hit "Cracklin' Rosie," and "Done Too Soon." Going gold within
EXTD= two months, this album confirmed Diamond's breakthrough as a rec
EXTD=ording star.  -- William Ruhlmann \n \nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW
EXTD=\nA Legend In His Own Time., November 7, 2005\nReviewer: Betty Bu
EXTD=rks (Knoxville, TN)\nOn CBS Sunday Morning, I learned that it is 
EXTD=not 'hip' to be a Neil Diamond fan, and never has been. He claims
EXTD= to be the original 'outsider' (Rodney Crowell is the newest one)
EXTD=, and likes it that way. We wandered back to the little dumpy clu
EXTD=b in New York where he got his start at $50 a night performance. 
EXTD=\n\nThe summer I visited my son's 'family' in Chicago, he asked i
EXTD=f I liked Neil Diamond and was surprised when I admitted that I d
EXTD=o. My introduction to this incredible songwriter was the movie, '
EXTD=Jonathan Livingston Seagull' and then along came his rendition of
EXTD= 'The Jazz Singer,' which I loved. Now, he has out a new CD, 'Twe
EXTD=lve Songs' with the way he sounds today -- not much different fro
EXTD=m the early years. I missed his rock songs as I was never into th
EXTD=e rock music scene with the drugs and confusion. My music of choi
EXTD=ce was pop with the baritone Eddie Fisher. Neil still has his mel
EXTD=odious baritone (though strained) sounds and is as good now as he
EXTD= was forty years ago.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNeil Diamo
EXTD=nd At His Absolute Best, December 8, 2004\nReviewer: GregCnAZ "Gr
EXTD=eg" (Phoenix, AZ USA)\nIn my opinion, this is THE best Neil Diamo
EXTD=nd album ever recorded. "Stones" and "Moods" were close with many
EXTD= of the same production values, but "TRM" could not be topped. My
EXTD= first exposure to this album was when I was 10. My aunt and uncl
EXTD=e had just purchased a new set of stereo components and they love
EXTD=d playing this album for those who had never heard it before. Whe
EXTD=n I first heard Neil's amazing voice, the incredible orchestral a
EXTD=rrangements by Lee Holdridge, and the experimental concept of "Th
EXTD=e African Trilogy", I at my young age never knew music could soun
EXTD=d so good. Though some may argue the point, I believe this album 
EXTD=sounds just as good today as it did in 1970. There's not much mus
EXTD=ic around today that can claim that. \n\nMost people are familiar
EXTD= with the two big singles from this album, Cracklin' Rosie and So
EXTD=olaimon. But, if you've never heard "Tap Root Manuscript" from be
EXTD=ginning to end, you owe it to yourself to add this to your collec
EXTD=tion. True, the CD doesn't have all the cool packaging of the ori
EXTD=ginal album, but the music is there and intact. \n\nHey MCA, how 
EXTD=about a 25th Anniversary edition of "TPR" for 2005 with all the o
EXTD=riginal artwork and liner notes restored?! I'm sure I'm not the o
EXTD=nly ND fan that would snatch that one up in a second. \n\n\nAMAZO
EXTD=N.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nTaps musical, childhood roots, April 8, 20
EXTD=04\nReviewer: J. Marsh (Missouri, USA)\n\nI was born in late 1969
EXTD=, and my parents must have bought this album shortly thereafter, 
EXTD=for I have always known it. These songs are interwoven into my ea
EXTD=rliest memories. Consequently, it's probably not possible to writ
EXTD=e an entirely objective review. But I think my judgment may have 
EXTD=matured to the point where I can separate at least some of the mu
EXTD=sical wheat from the chaff of my childhood. \nThis album was obvi
EXTD=ously a labor of love for Neil Diamond. Everything about it was l
EXTD=ovingly wrought, including the packaging. In fact, my only compla
EXTD=int about the CD reissue is the loss of the gorgeous design work 
EXTD=of art director John C. Le Prevost, designer Virginia Clark, phot
EXTD=ographers Jim Metropole and Larry Bartome, and calligrapher Jonza
EXTD=rr Haber. The original album cover had a satisfying heft to it, b
EXTD=eing printed on incredibly heavy, textured stock. Although it hou
EXTD=sed a single record, it folded out like a double album, revealing
EXTD= the other half of the moody, introspective photograph that began
EXTD= on the front cover and continued on like a Cinerama movie screen
EXTD=. Included inside was a booklet, printed on fine writing paper, s
EXTD=upplying the lyrics for 'Childsong,' 'I Am The Lion,' 'Soolaimon,
EXTD=' and 'Missa' (in both English and Swahili) in earthy sepia calli
EXTD=graphy. Additionally, it included Neil Diamond's own explanation 
EXTD=of the concept of the album: \n\n"When rhythm and blues lost its 
EXTD=sensuality for me I fell in love with a woman named gospel. We me
EXTD=t secretly in the churches of Harlem, and made love at revival me
EXTD=etings in Mississippi. And loving her as I did, I found a great y
EXTD=earning to know of her roots. And I found them. And they were in 
EXTD=Africa. And they left me breathless. The African Trilogy is an at
EXTD=tempt to convey my passion for the folk music of that black conti
EXTD=nent. -n.d." \n\nSadly, this inscription and the other extras wer
EXTD=e left off of the reissue CD. Gone are the printed lyrics, the qu
EXTD=ality paper, the calligraphy, the credits, and all the other feat
EXTD=ures that gave 'Tap Root Manuscript' its air of earnest dignity. 
EXTD=The CD merely has a glossy photo of the front cover. Gone is the 
EXTD=other half of the photograph. The spine is generic. There are no 
EXTD=liner notes, and inside is a jarringly anachronistic and graphica
EXTD=lly ugly advertisement listing other MCA artists. If I were Neil 
EXTD=Diamond, I would be peeved. Heck, I'm not Neil Diamond and I'm st
EXTD=ill peeved.\n\nNonetheless, the music remains, and what others ha
EXTD=ve said above is true. 'Tap Root Manuscript' beat Paul Simon's 'G
EXTD=raceland' to the punch by a good 15 years. It also foreshadowed D
EXTD=avid Byrne's Brazilian epic, 'Rei Momo.' But neither Byrne nor Si
EXTD=mon were brave enough or honest enough to include something as ov
EXTD=ertly Christian as 'Missa' (in English, "Christ, Christ, Christ, 
EXTD=I shall meet him... A child has been born. Christ, gloria.") Neil
EXTD= Diamond remains the only artist to acknowledge the explosion of 
EXTD=Christianity in Africa and to link it to American gospel music, t
EXTD=hough at times 'African Trilogy' sounds more like traditional cho
EXTD=ral music and chant than gospel.\n\nOn another technical note, I 
EXTD=am grateful that the CD returns to the original continuity of the
EXTD= album. Like the Sergeant Pepper album, some of the songs on of '
EXTD=Tap Root Manuscript' were contiguous, without the standard five s
EXTD=econds or so of silence in between. When MCA released the cassett
EXTD=e version, they arbitrarily stuck in some pauses that didn't belo
EXTD=ng, with a result that sounded careless and disjointed. The CD ve
EXTD=rsion wisely restores the original, continuous format. \n\nThis i
EXTD=s one of the few albums I own that is good all the way through. I
EXTD=t is also one of the very few that seems to appeal to all generat
EXTD=ions. My boomer parents, my classically trained wife, my 70-year-
EXTD=old mother-in-law, and my Radiohead-loving brother all have embra
EXTD=ced it. \n\nI recently played 'I Am the Lion' for my three-year-o
EXTD=ld daughter, and it captured her imagination with an immediacy th
EXTD=at echoed the me I must have been thirty years ago. I had forgott
EXTD=en all about that. It's sort of nice to be able to recapture it.\n
EXTD=\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA Modern Concerto, January 19, 20
EXTD=04\nReviewer: James R. Whalen (Fairfax, VA)\nThis may be my all t
EXTD=ime favorite album. I originally had the vinyl which is now repla
EXTD=ced by a CD. This is beautiful music to listen to on many occasio
EXTD=ns, particularly the old "side 2". The musical themes cycle throu
EXTD=gh the whole album and reappear under haunting and different circ
EXTD=umstances. If you like the way classical composers weave in and o
EXTD=ut of different mucical themes and instrumentation, you'll love N
EXTD=eil Diamond's explorations of several patterns in this album. Som
EXTD=e seem based upon African music which I generally don't appreciat
EXTD=e. But this album is an exception. I think the greatest appreciat
EXTD=ion of it comes from listening to the whole thing at once. It'll 
EXTD=give you goosebumps.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nLove it, bu
EXTD=t puzzled with the Kiswahili, October 1, 2002\nReviewer: Lawrence
EXTD= A. Barr (Indiana, PA USA)\nWe first owned and listened to this a
EXTD=lbum while living in Kenya. So of course we loved the African par
EXTD=ts! I am wondering if anyone connected with Neil Diamond would kn
EXTD=ow where he got the words of "Missa". There are a few errors that
EXTD= I can explain, but one I can't: "mtoto mazaliwa" should be "mtot
EXTD=o amezaliwa" (a child is born). I am wondering if the meter deman
EXTD=ded the shortened form, which would be "mtoto 'mezaliwa." Anyone 
EXTD=know?\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nIntriguing Experimental Ne
EXTD=il Diamond Album!, July 17, 2002\nReviewer: Barron Laycock "Labra
EXTD=dorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States)\nAt the time of his
EXTD= greatest popularity, Neil Diamond was quite experimental in some
EXTD= of his albums, which boldly showed his unusual willingness to ta
EXTD=ke chances in pursuit of broadening his musical abilities and int
EXTD=erests. This album, "Tap Root Manuscript", was the result of one 
EXTD=such effort to experiment with African sounds and instruments, an
EXTD=d one which paid off in terms of his commercial success and also 
EXTD=with a number of top ten hits coming directly from the album. Som
EXTD=e of the songs, like "Crackling Rosie", were not part of the conc
EXTD=ept, while others such as "Soolaimon", definitely were. At any ra
EXTD=te, the combination of the two aspects of the album made for a nu
EXTD=mber one Billboard rating. \nIncluded here are other popular song
EXTD=s like "Done Too Soon", and a cover of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My B
EXTD=rother". I especially like the whole African song cycle, from "Ch
EXTD=ildsong" through its reprise at the end of the album. "I am The L
EXTD=ion", "Madrigal", and "African Suite" are all interesting and qui
EXTD=te innovative for the late 1960s time frame of the original recor
EXTD=ding. This was a trend-setting album and another notch in the gro
EXTD=wing body of recordings Diamond produced in his reign as one of A
EXTD=merica's favorite singer-songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s. Enjo
EXTD=y!\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nGood-pretty good album, worth
EXTD= buying, December 28, 2000\nReviewer: Richard R McGraw "helpmeimd
EXTD=ying" (Newburgh, NY USA)\nThere is something unique about Neil Di
EXTD=amond and he seems to be harnessing this uniquness very well on t
EXTD=his album. This album demonstrates his ability to write really ca
EXTD=tchy songs and very mystical profound, moving songs. The album do
EXTD=es fall short with a few average songs, some long winded instrume
EXTD=ntals and some expermentions with African music that seem but aim
EXTD=less. These "songs" are still beautiful though, even if I don't h
EXTD=ave patients for them. I don't like the specific references to pe
EXTD=ople used in the song "Done too soon" a style exemplified by Bill
EXTD=y Joels "We didn't start the Fire". But the song ends with a very
EXTD= pretty universal tone. "Coldwater morning" is one of the most be
EXTD=autiful songs I've ever heard. With classics like Crakling Rosie,
EXTD= He's not Heavy, and strong songs like solomain and the fun "I am
EXTD= the lion", and the strange "childsong" added to this the experim
EXTD=ental and beautiful production, This album is worth buying. I giv
EXTD=e it 3 1/2 out of five stars.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nLo
EXTD=ng before Graceland there was this, September 10, 2000\nReviewer:
EXTD= Stephen Lloyd (London, England) \nThis was an brave album in 197
EXTD=0 - mixing a side of what would now be called "classic Diamond" w
EXTD=ith a side of African concept music. It works in a way I doubt an
EXTD=yone expected. Side one contains the amazing "Coldwater Morning" 
EXTD=which is still one of his best ballads, "Done too Soon" - again l
EXTD=ong before Billy Joel lit his fire along a similar vein - the lai
EXTD=d back jazzy "Free Life" and global smash "Cracklin Rosie". Weake
EXTD=st is his version of "He Ain' Heavy" - lost amongst the 1000s who
EXTD= have now covered that. Side two fits together like a glove and a
EXTD= hand, wonderful in concept and execution. Hard to describe, just
EXTD= brilliant. This was one hard album to follow.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CU
EXTD=STOMER REVIEW\nBest Neil Diamond album...ever!, August 31, 2000\n
EXTD=Reviewer: David Hugaert (Honolulu, HI United States)\nWhat makes 
EXTD=this CD such a joy to listen to is the musical arrangement of the
EXTD= songs and the catchy lyrics. The instrumentals "Madrigal", "Miss
EXTD=a", and "African Suite", give this CD a "progressive-rock" feel t
EXTD=o it. Very creative! "Childsong" and "I Am The Lion" are wonderfu
EXTD=l arrangments as well. Let's not forget the hit "Cracklin' Rosie"
EXTD=, which Neil says the inspration of this song came from him visit
EXTD=ing an Indian Reservation in Canada, where the natives were lonel
EXTD=y on Saturday nights and drank "Cracklin' Rose" Wine (aka Muscate
EXTD=l). The song "Free Life" can pertain to an existence with no worr
EXTD=ies, and just feeling carefree, which is the way you'll feel when
EXTD= you listen to this CD. Please enjoy!\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER RE
EXTD=VIEW\nJoyous Moments, August 30, 2000\nReviewer: swilson_76@hotma
EXTD=il.com (Dallas, TX)\nCall me blessed - in my childhood, my dad "m
EXTD=ade" me listen to Neil and I thank him for it. One day he played 
EXTD=this and I heard the kids singing about a lion and I was hooked. 
EXTD=Whenever I feel a bit down, I play this album and immediately my 
EXTD=spirit is lifted up. How can it not? The songs, especially "Soola
EXTD=imon," express such joy, passion, and a sense of musical freedom,
EXTD= that one can get, and often does, caught up in the moment Neil c
EXTD=reated with song. I think this album is ahead of its time using A
EXTD=frican influences and styles. Its no wonder I also love Paul Simo
EXTD=n's Graceland. The simular expression in the music is beautiful. 
EXTD=If you are a Diamond fan, this one MUST be in your collection.\n\n
EXTD=\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nDelightfully different Diamond, May
EXTD= 5, 2000\nReviewer: Eric V. Moye (Dallas, by way of Gotham)\nThis
EXTD= was such a departure from the Brill Building tunes! Neil Diamond
EXTD= so dominated the sixties with song after wonderful song. This al
EXTD=bum has included a few of his 'traditional' pieces here to satisf
EXTD=y the fan who wants the music the way it had been. The commerical
EXTD=ly popular include "Cracklin Rosie" and "Done Too Soon" and his e
EXTD=motive "He Ain't Heavy". \nThe magic, though, comes on side two w
EXTD=ith "The African Trilogy". I, too could have done without the sou
EXTD=nd effects, but they do not distract me too much (not like the cr
EXTD=itic) from the wonderfully gentle and passionate music. Almost a 
EXTD=full decade before Paul Simon discovered the beautiful sounds of 
EXTD=Soweto in Graceland or Brasilia in Rhythm of the Saints, N.D. was
EXTD= way out in front of the pack.\n\nI had been too many years witho
EXTD=ut hearing this album. It was immediately as comfortable and fami
EXTD=liar as a lover's embrace.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA far
EXTD= cry from Africa, September 17, 1999\nReviewer: Peter Letheby (Ad
EXTD=elaide, South Australia Australia)\nDiamond's best work pre-dated
EXTD= the mega successes of "Hot August Night" and "Moods", as evidenc
EXTD=ed by this concept album of pastiche African tribal rhythms (year
EXTD=s before "Graceland") and good old fashioned Brill Building pop. 
EXTD="Soolaimon", one of Diamond's best hits of 1970, heralds the Afri
EXTD=cana theme with its pulsating rhythms and primal scream - "God of
EXTD= my want, want, want; Lord of my need, need, need". "Done Too Soo
EXTD=n" and "Free Life" represent Diamond at his most compelling - sha
EXTD=rply drawn, yet poignant, parables about the complex nature of th
EXTD=e human condition.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nDiamond is Ba
EXTD=cchus incarnate, June 15, 1999\nReviewer: warthog@lamar.colostate
EXTD=.edu ((peregrine, no location))\nThis album is structured around 
EXTD=a saccharine lattice, but all the better: form dissolves, cannot 
EXTD=contain the hot liquid passion that is Neil Diamond. His voice sl
EXTD=ips deep into our darkest psychic cheese and holds it in front of
EXTD= us, sohwing us a heart we thought was hollow is as full as a tha
EXTD=nksgiving fon-du pot...\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNon-trad
EXTD=itional Diamond, you will be pleasantly surprised, December 21, 1
EXTD=998\nReviewer: A music fan\nThis one's different from all the res
EXTD=t. Turn OFF your Heartlight and listen to some real Diamond music
EXTD=. Give The African Trilogy a try, I bet you'll like it.\n\n\nHalf
EXTD=.com Details \nProducer: Neil Diamond, Tom Catalano \n\nAlbum Not
EXTD=es\nHalf a straight-ahead pop album and half an exotic song cycle
EXTD= centered on a musical portrait of Africa, TAP ROOT MANUSCRIPT pr
EXTD=ovides prime examples both of Neil Diamond's superlative way with
EXTD= a pop song in the classic "Cracklin' Rosie," and of his ambitiou
EXTD=s artistic leanings in most of the album's second half. Blending 
EXTD=African rhythms and Christian imagery was obviously no problem fo
EXTD=r this Jewish singer-songwriter from Coney Island, as shown by so
EXTD=ngs like the LION KING precursor "Soolaimon" and the majestic, go
EXTD=spel-influenced "Missa," while the children's choruses on "Childs
EXTD=ong" and "I Am the Lion" are utterly charming.\n\nIndustry Review
EXTD=s\n...a half step at being artistic....The only trouble is, I hav
EXTD=en't any idea who would want to listen to it. Certainly not the a
EXTD=udience he has...\nRolling Stone (04/01/1971)\n\n\nROLLING STONE 
EXTD=REVIEW\nIf groups are a thing of the past, and the solo artist ha
EXTD=s again come into prominence, then maybe Neil Diamond's time has 
EXTD=come.\n\nIt's not that he hasn't achieved success in his field. O
EXTD=nce a young kid from Coney Island, turned down by every music pub
EXTD=lisher in New York, he turned out a string of top-selling singles
EXTD= that fairly rivals John Fogerty, and probably made a lot of musi
EXTD=c business people wish they had listened earlier. He set out to c
EXTD=onquer the industry, and he did it. First as a writer, then as a 
EXTD=singer of his own material.\n\nBut Diamond has always aimed at a 
EXTD=fairly teenybop audience. And, now he isn't satisfied. He wants t
EXTD=o be an artist. Since, presumably, no one is an artist on 45s, an
EXTD=d since his albums have never been more than assemblages of singl
EXTD=es that made it and singles that didn't, he's tried something dif
EXTD=ferent with his last two albums. One was successful, and one wasn
EXTD='t. I doubt that either will afford him recognition beyond which 
EXTD=he holds. But, maybe.\n\nHis latest album, Tap Root Manuscript, i
EXTD=s a half step at being Artistic.\n\nSide One is the usual a coupl
EXTD=e of dynamite singles and a couple of not-so-hot singles. "Crackl
EXTD=in' Rosie," which made it to number one nationally, is excellent 
EXTD=Neil Diamond. Named after the wine of the same name ("Cracklin' R
EXTD=ose, you're a store-bought woman") Rosie's a good chick. Diamond 
EXTD=isn't afraid to throw in a little early-Sixties schmaltz. He has 
EXTD=thoroughly bypassed, or ignored "rock" progressive or otherwise. 
EXTD=He's chosen to go ahead with straight pop. But, two things set hi
EXTD=m apart from, say, Bobby Vee. One is that he has a really knockou
EXTD=t voice once it might have been called a "strong baritone." And t
EXTD=wo, he's deeply involved with the music he writes.\n\n"He Ain't H
EXTD=eavy...He's My Brother," one of the only songs Diamond has record
EXTD=ed that he didn't write, is a good example of the straight-on sou
EXTD=l that Neil Diamond can sing. "Free Life" is another good cut, al
EXTD=though it hasn't made it on Top-40. "Done Too Soon" is one of the
EXTD= duds. Reminiscent of Paul Simon's "A Simple Desultory Phillipic,
EXTD=" it's just a rhyming list of famous, groovy people who were ahea
EXTD=d of their time done too soon.\n\nSide Two is the Artistry, open 
EXTD=to question. This is The African Trilogy (a folk ballet). It's a 
EXTD=varied and ambitious work. Here is the written introduction:\n\n"
EXTD=When rhythm and blues lost its sensuality for me I fell in love w
EXTD=ith a woman named gospel. We met secretly in the churches of Harl
EXTD=em and made love at revival meetings in Mississippi.\n\n"And lovi
EXTD=ng her as I did. I found a great yearning to know her roots. And 
EXTD=I found them. And they were in Africa. And they left me breathles
EXTD=s.\n\n"The African triology is an attempt to convey my passion fo
EXTD=r the folk music of that black continent."\n\nI know you're laugh
EXTD=ing. The strange thing is, it's not that bad a piece of music. It
EXTD='s certainly far less pretentious than its introduction. The wors
EXTD=t of it has been identified as: "wimoweh" off-key, the "Missa Lub
EXTD=a" by Doc Severinsen, or the sound track to Elephant Walk. In its
EXTD= better parts, though, it's quite charming children's chorus, int
EXTD=erpretations of African music and the like. The only trouble is, 
EXTD=I haven't any idea who would want to listen to it. Certainly not 
EXTD=the audience he has. No one interested in African ballet. Freaks 
EXTD=leave the room when it's on. But then again the Moody Blues got r
EXTD=ich off stuff that's sillier than this. If somebody gives you a c
EXTD=opy, listen to it, but I wouldn't recommend your blowing your dop
EXTD=e money on it.\n\nNeil Diamond Gold, on the other hand, is probab
EXTD=ly his best album. He already has a Greatest Hits album on Bang, 
EXTD=his first label. But, this record is all his best songs, from ear
EXTD=ly and late, with something added. Gold is recorded live and he c
EXTD=omes across much better on this record than he does on his single
EXTD=s.\n\nThe singles have a tendency to be overproduced. Gold has gu
EXTD=itar, bass, and drums, with some backup singing. It does the worl
EXTD=d for him. He's forced to add a little more to his voice and it's
EXTD= worth it, even if it produces some excess. His looseness reveals
EXTD= a potent singer.\n\nThe version of "Kentucky Woman" he does is t
EXTD=he best one I've ever heard. In fact, all his get-it-on songs, "T
EXTD=hank The Lord For the Nightime," "Sweet Caroline," "Brother Love'
EXTD=s Traveling Salvation Show" sound better for being reduced to a k
EXTD=ind of whoop and holler presentation. It's not the kind of record
EXTD= you'd want to play all the time. Neil Diamond is not a singer of
EXTD= great depth, nor is his music many-faceted. But, frequently, it 
EXTD=just hits the spot.\n\nThe slow stuff on Gold is very pretty: "An
EXTD=d The Singer Sings His Song" and "Solitary Man" have the straight
EXTD=forward approach of country music. It's unabashed sentiment and y
EXTD=ou have to be willing to meet the singer halfway. Sometimes, his 
EXTD=excesses are too much. "Cherry Cherry" is unconvincing emotion an
EXTD=d he murders "Both Sides Now." But, those are exceptions. All in 
EXTD=all, Gold is a record I've had for quite a few months, played fai
EXTD=rly often, and plan on keeping. Unless you hate Neil Diamond, and
EXTD= a few people do, it's definitely worthwhile. Fspecially side two
EXTD=.\n\nNeil Diamond is a talented song writer and an excellent sing
EXTD=er, but he is limited. I can understand his wanting to go past To
EXTD=p-40 writing, but, by overreaching himself, as he does on African
EXTD= Triology, he'll keep himself in Top-40. Whatever his moves, I ho
EXTD=pe he keeps writing singles. They're among the best there are. (R
EXTD=S 79 - Apr 1, 1971)  -- AIEC DEBRO
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