Three Chord Opera

Performer: Neil Diamond
Engineer: Bernie Becker
Producer: Alan Lindgren; Peter Asher
Distributor: Sony Music Entertainment

Notes: Personnel includes: Neil Diamond (vocals); Hadley Hockensmith (acoustic, electric & 12-string guitars); Doug Rhone (acoustic & electric guitars, tiple); Michael Thompson (electric guitar); Assa Drori, Shari Zippert (violin); Evan Wilson (viola); Susie Katayama (cello); Don Markese (clarinet, baritone saxophone); Dominic Ordinaire (accordion): Larry Kilmas, Everette Harp (tenor saxophone); Ralf Rickert, Dan Fornero (trumpet); Alan Lindgren (piano, Hammond organ, keyboards, programming); Tom Hensley (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Vince Charles (marimba, congas, steel drums, tambourine, percussion): Reinie Press (bass); Ron Tutt, Russ Kunkel (drums); Peter Asher (percussion); Jeff Turzo (programming); Linda Press (background vocals). Recorded at Archangel Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California and Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California. You've got to admire the consistency of Neil Diamond's vision. Another artist in his position--'60s/'70s pop icon putting out a new album in 2001--might pander to changing tastes by grafting trendy contemporary sounds onto the songs, or bringing in a raft of current stars for duets and photo-ops. Instead, Diamond remains true to his singer-songwriter stance and plays it straight; no drum loops or guest appearances, just twelve new songs in the classic Diamond style, presented with elegance and emotion. Thus, the album opens with possibly its least commercial song, the moody, minor-key ballad "I Haven't Played this Song in Years," which mightn't have sounded out on place on Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello's PAINTED FROM MEMORY album. Along the way, Diamond picks up the pace with the optimistic "Don't Look Down" and Bo Diddley-beat rocker "Baby Let's Drive." He also provided plenty of romantic moments bound to steal the hearts of his longtime fans, such as "My Special Someone" and the warm closer "Turn Down the Lights."

Entertainment Weekly (7/27/01, p.70) - "...His ruminative ballads come as naturally as ever..." - Rating: Ba Q (10/01, p.118) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Diamond is aging well, his voice still powerful, his songwriting still...masterful..."

With a career as a hitmaker stretching across the decades, Neil Diamond has purveyed catchy, three-chord pop/rock, progressive singer/songwriter material, middle-of-the-road balladry, and even traditional country. He started out as a Brill Building hitmaker; a songwriter for hire, he worked alongside the likes of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and penned hits for the Monkees and Jay & the Americans. His solo career took off in the mid 1960s and made him one of America's most successful recording artists and concert attractions for a long time to come. Even decades down the road, younger groups such as UB40 in the '80s, Urge Overkill in the '90s, and Smash Mouth in the 2000's were still scoring hits with Diamond's evergreen compositions.

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