MUSIC 2005: In Tune music critics pick their favorite (NOT 'the best') CDs of the year 12/30/2005 We liked these, even if you didn't ... 1. Drew Emmitt, "Across the Bridge (Compass) July 19 - Leftover Salmon's longtime mandolin maestro Emmitt called a few friends, grabbed a couple of covers, headed for a woodshed in the Colorado Rockies and made the album Bill Monroe might have recorded had he fathered "jazzgrass" instead of bluegrass. Oh, there's plenty of the latter here, driven blissfully by Stuart Duncan's and Sam Bush's talking fiddles. But "Bridge" rises above the pack with stunning musicianship on gems such as Dylan...
Picks of 2005 The year's best music Our critics tell what got them going By Jeffrey Lee Puckett and friends jpuckett@courier-journal.com Courier-Journal Music Critic During a year in which nature taught us yet again that we're only borrowing the planet and the Cards lost to the Cats, we needed good music more than ever. Luckily, we got it. Here are three looks at the year's best records. Bruuuuuuuuce (Jeffrey Lee Puckett's picks) 1. Bruce Springsteen, "Born to Run: 30th Anniversary Edition" (Columbia) -- I wasn't making best-of lists in 1975, except in my bedroom, so here's the chance I never had to put my all-time favorit...
Updated 02:00 PST Fri, Dec 30 2005 It started off slow but thanks to a strong final two quarters, 2005 proved to be another record year for gross ticket sales revenues in the concert business. Pollstar estimates that revenues for all major North American concerts increased to $3.1 billion, up from $2.8 billion in 2004. Total tickets sold, however, continued a downward trend while average ticket prices continued to rise. The Top 100 touring artists sold a combined 36.1 million tickets as compared to $37.6 million in 2004. The average ticket price for the Top 100 tours increased to a record $57.00, up sharply over last year's $52.39. ...
Super-Prolific Song Kings From Previous Century Emerge From Rocking Thrones Burt Bacharach; Neil Diamond by Mikael Wood December 29th, 2005 5:44 PM These old people today, they're never satisfied. Do Burt Bacharach and Neil Diamond, two of 20th-century pop's most prolific and distinctive songmen, even know how good they've got it? Bacharach's deep-pile catalog continues to inspire reminiscences of an imagined mid-'60s utopia; Diamond remains a live draw on a par with Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney. Yet here's Burt with At This Time, the 77-year-old easy-listening master's first solo album in a quarter-century, on which he has th...
Neil Diamond 12 Songs (Columbia) This year, many of those hungry for a sandpaper voice and pained-balladeer brooding turned to Bright Eyes' often overwrought I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. Me, I opted for this set of intimate, beautifully gruff contemplations of mortality, last chances, and amour won and lost that reminds us what made Diamond so potent in the first place. Conor Oberst could take a few tips on song structure and understated vocal projection from the old-schooler comeback of '05.
SEAN DALY Published December 29, 2005 A party for your ears Listening to music is supposed to be fun. And in 2005, it was. From Neil to Kanye, the Lovemakers to the Gorillaz, there was plenty to groove to. Before diving into this year's Best of Pop extravaganza - where Kanye West rules, the Gorillaz get down, and the Pussycat Dolls lap up my last shred of credibility - I'd like to take a moment to thank the strange drunk woman I met at the Rolling Stones show in October. There I was, the new guy at a new job, alone in a press booth at the St. Pete Times Forum - and so dreadfully serious about making Jagger jokes before DEADLINE - ...
The "12 Songs" of Diamond Rhinestone Balladeer Returns to his Solid Pop Roots Mark Williams Music Editor Neil Diamond has undoubtedly earned a place in the annals of great American songscribes; as one of the finest talents of the Brill Building era, Diamond played a crucial role in defining just truly what it means to be a "singer/songwriter." From there, he went on to pen some of the most instantly recognizable songs of the past 40 years: "Sweet Caroline," "Cherry Cherry," "Solitary Man," the Monkees' "I'm A Believer" -- just to name a few. Bands in the 80's and 90's revived his song catalog: UB40 had a ubiquitous hit with "Red ...
He created the Beastie Boys but can Rick Rubin make Neil Diamond cool? By Ciar Byrne and Nicholas Mayes Published: 28 December 2005 He is the man behind some of the biggest success stories in the music industry. Now Rick Rubin, who launched the Beastie Boys, worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Run DMC and revived the career of Johnny Cash has a new ambition - making Neil Diamond cool. The housewives' favourite, who shot to fame in the 1970s with hits including "Sweet Caroline" and "Song Sung Blue" is attempting to stage a comeback in Britain. Rubin has produced Diamond's new album, 12 Songs, which has already been a c...
A self-consciously stripped- down effort from the famous crooner, featuring uncharacteristically non-bombastic settings courtesy of producer Rick Rubin. Diamond calls himself “a lucky old dreamer” and apparently sees it as his mission to save souls through song. This entails a lot of earnest discussion of heartbreaks, trials of faith, and dreams deferred, not to mention addressing the listener directly as “you” on nearly every track. The unabashedness of these grand gestures is actually somewhat refreshing in our age of elliptical, ironic lyrics. And the backing musicians—Billy Preston, Brian Wilson, and others—are superb. Rating: 8...
Legend sticks to classics at ipayOne concert By Nina Garin UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER December 23, 2005 The greatest thing about Neil Diamond, even better than his sideburns, just has to be his red and black sequined outfits. No, wait. It's definitely how he looks out at, and waves at, the crowd while he serenades it, the way he did when he performed Wednesday night at the ipayOne Center at the Sports Arena. During Diamond's 25-song set, the legend, as people were calling him, was sweet and gracious. He was all smiles, too, as he walked around his sparse but modern stage, waving at the screaming Diamond-ites. After...
Diamond Shines at E Center By Pat Reavy Deseret Morning News NEIL DIAMOND, E Center, Friday. Three-quarters of the way through Neil Diamond's show at the E Center Friday night, Diamond went back to his roots. Sitting on a stool with his acoustic guitar and accompanied by just two other acoustic guitars, Diamond recalled the days of performing in coffee houses in New York's Greenwich Village in the '60s. He played "Glory Road,""And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" and "Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow." He followed those songs with two off his new album, "12 Songs," an album that has rightfully received high critical praise. Songs ...
Neil Diamond fans paying a higher price to see him in Stockton Ian Hill Published Tuesday, Dec 20, 2005 Neil Diamond fans who attended the singer-songwriter's Northern California shows in September may get sticker shock when they buy tickets for his Jan. 15 concert at the new Stockton Arena. Tickets for the Stockton show cost $67.75 to $152.75 without fees, about twice the $42.50 to $75 ticket prices for Diamond's San Jose and Sacramento concerts, as well as his shows this month in Denver and San Diego. The cost of a ticket for the Stockton show is comparable with the $52.50 to $183.75 fans will have to pay for Diamond's ...
Diamond delivers old but famed goods By Matt Sebastian, Camera Staff Writer December 20, 2005 DENVER — The story's been nearly inescapable these past few months: A road-weary and creatively tapped Neil Diamond reluctantly agrees to work with career revivalist Rick Rubin — a hip-hop producer, no less — and cranks out one of the best-reviewed albums of his storied career. The tale of Diamond's 12 Songs — a serious and stripped-down record that's almost as strong as its hype — has been repeated in nearly every American music magazine and major newspaper, not to mention across network and cable television, ad infinitum since the disc'...
concert review Vast collection of hits brings sparkle to Diamond's concert By Elana Ashanti Jefferson Denver Post Staff Writer Although some stops of Neil Diamond s current tour have highlighted his latest album, "12 Songs," Monday s show in Denver stuck mostly to his greatest hits. (Post / Brian Brainerd) Members of Neil Diamond's vast, adoring fan base insist the reason this "Solitary Man" has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide is that Diamond packs an unparalleled combination of humility and showmanship. The entertainer proved his fans right Monday night during an expertly staged two-hour concert at the...
Diamond remains a cut above Despite his sequined silliness, showman can still rock a house By Jay Dedrick, Rocky Mountain News December 20, 2005 To some, Neil Diamond's a singing, songwriting legend, a Brill Building craftsman whose work has been unavoidable for 40 years. To others, he's a squinting, sequined caricature, a rose-scattering troubadour whose familiar stage shtick makes him the target of spoofing from the likes of Will Ferrell. At 64, the veteran showman seems comfortable with both sides. His lauded 12 Songs album has given him hipster buzz for the first time in years, boosting the "serious artist" side of his perso...
Songs sung cool You might sneer, but Diamond's catalog just got even richer By Ricardo Baca Denver Post Pop Music Critic Go ahead, bash Neil Diamond all you want. We'll even give you more ammunition. (His middle name is Leslie.) Neil Diamond deserves a good ribbing. Even he must understand that. But as the insults are hurled, don't forget to look past the pablum - yes, "Song Sung Blue," we're talking about you - and into one of the richest songwriting catalogs in the past five decades of American music. To answer your question: Yeah, dead serious, especially given his recent release, "12 Songs." Diamond plays the Pepsi ...
Diamond delivers, but sticks to the tried-and-true hits By Dan Nailen The Salt Lake Tribune WEST VALLEY CITY - Watching Neil Diamond's tried-and-true delivery for his packed E Center show concert Friday, it's clear the popular performer hasn't lost a step since his last visit to Utah four years ago. At the same time, the daring and risk-taking present on his popular new album, "12 Songs," was largely missing from the proceedings. The music on "12 Songs" is a return to his roots, a subtle collection of largely acoustic tunes showcasing Diamond's still-kicking skills as a strong songwriter. If there ever was a time for Di...
Golden dozen By Bernard Zuel December 17, 2005 12 Songs (American/Sony BMG) Neil Diamond is drawing attention again from the kind of general media that long ago consigned him to the "forever in (elastic-waisted) blue jeans" golden oldies circuit. Lest that be seen as a sneer at other publications, can anyone remember the last time a Neil Diamond album was reviewed in the Herald? Indeed, can anyone remember the last time a Neil Diamond album was worth reviewing? But here he is with the album of the week. There are three ways to look at this. Cynically, but not unfairly, it's true that if you stay alive long enough people forget ...
When the stars align Two of the most popular touring acts in pop music make this an unusual weekend in Utah as Neil Diamond and U2 hit the Salt Lake Valley. With a combined 78 years in the music biz, Diamond and U2 always land in the list of top-grossing tours whenever they go on the road. It was true when the acts last played Utah, just nine days apart in the fall of 2001, and it surely will be again when the numbers are counted for 2005. Rabid fan bases and bombastic live shows aren't all these seemingly disparate acts share. U2 covered Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" on parts of the band's "Pop Mart" tour. There's no wo...
Posted on Thu, Dec. 15, 2005 REWIND REVIEWS AND REPORTS OF RECENT SHOWS By TIMOTHY FINN The Kansas City Star There may be times in this digital/satellite/cyber-music world when Neil Diamond feels like an eight-track tape trapped in the console of a '68 Mustang. Then again, there must be times, like Tuesday night, when he feels like Cheap Trick at Budokan. Or 50 Cent on MTV. He will turn 65 in January, but Diamond isn't spending his time playing shuffleboard or boccie ball where the sun shines year-round. Instead he has hit the road again, taking with him his thick catalog of Brill Building pop songs plus a folder of new songs ...
Diamond Cuts "12 Songs" is Diamond's first album in four years Richmond.com Thursday, December 15, 2005 In "What About Bob," Bill Murray's character, Bob Wiley, proclaims: "There are two types of people in this world: Those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't. My ex-wife loves him." Neil Diamond's latest album, "12 Songs," is an album that might possibly satisfy those that claim to like, dislike and love the Jewish Elvis. Producer Rick Rubin is responsible for the mass appeal of Diamond's latest effort. Rubin, of course, produced Johnny Cash's last five studio albums, which introduced the Man in Black to a whole new g...
NEIL DIAMOND: 12 Songs (Columbia) 9.29966 out of 10 Goes Well With: Nothin'. He's one of a kind! He's NEIL!! Critics claim that producer-cum-mystic Rick Rubin is doing for Neil Diamond's career what he did for Johnny Cash's in the '90s. But whereas Cash had been forgotten at the time (sad, but true), Diamond never left the public eye. Never a superb lyricist, Neil's greatest asset is that voice. One that (unlike Cash's or Dylan's) has aged so beautifully that when he sings something as potentially cheesy as, "I've been lost before/but not lost this way," it's the height of profundity. And then there's "Hell Yeah," a song ab...
Diamond tickets go on sale Saturday Ian Hill Record Staff Writer Published Wednesday, Dec 14, 2005 STOCKTON -- Tickets for the inaugural concert at the new Stockton Arena, a Jan. 15 performance by Neil Diamond, are set to go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday on the Internet, over the phone and at the arena box office, arena officials announced Tuesday. Depending on seat location, tickets will cost $67.75, $87.75 or $152.75, excluding service fees. Fans can buy tickets at www.stocktontickets.com, through a lottery system at the box office or by calling 866 373-7088. The ticket price only includes seats for the concert; the flo...
Neil Diamond By Donna K. Korando ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 12/13/2005 Any fears that Neil Diamond was slowing down were dispelled quickly at Savvis Center Sunday night. The veteran songwriter, singer and showman recently garnered critical acclaim for a new CD, "12 Songs," a beautifully produced collection of mostly melancholy ballads. Well, banish melancholy and put your hands together, for as the band ascended section by section from below the stage, the close-to-capacity crowd rose to its feet. Through "Crunchy Granola Suite" and "Desiree," Diamond started with a blast of energy, slowing things down with "Remember Me." After "Beau...
Review: Neil Diamond, reinvented and re-energized By SEAN DALY Published December 11, 2005 On the new 12 Songs, the most ballyhooed Neil Diamond album in decades, the balladeer's love life is still stranded on the rocks, but the grandiose sonic cheese he so often likes to slather has been replaced by a stark, stripped bleakness and the pure power of That Voice. There are moments of such unfettered vulnerability here - especially the hymnal grace of opener Oh Mary - it's almost too painfully pretty at times. Talk about a solitary man: With the exception of a few notable session players - including Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Be...
December 10, 2005 Neil Diamond reprises 40 years of hits By David Lindquist david.lindquist@indystar.com While Friday's conditions outside Conseco Fieldhouse were far removed from a hot August night, Neil Diamond rubbed four decades of hits together to generate steady warmth inside the arena. The 64-year-old showman stoked the fire with pop expertise (consecutive renditions of "Kentucky Woman" and "Cherry Cherry"), personal tales of love ("Desiree" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers") and celebrations of music ("Crunchy Granola Suite" and "Beautiful Noise"). The singer -- dressed in black with silver and blue rhinestones ...
Questionnaire: Neil Diamond By Cam Lindsay December 08, 2005 What are you up to? I have this new album, 12 Songs and that’s it, that’s full-time. We do a leg of an American tour in December and we’re making plans for shows next year right now (including Canada). What are your current fixations? I’m fixated on two weeks in Hawaii on the beach. I don’t have any plans on going, I’m just fixated. Why do you live where you do? You can be kind of anonymous in Los Angeles; nobody makes a big deal about you if you’re at a hot dog stand or watching your kid play soccer. It’s a more normal life here if you’re a public person. ...
12 SONGS - Neil Diamond If Elvis Presley were still alive, there's a good chance that he'd be making a comeback record with Rick Rubin. A producer with a keen ability to guide veteran artists back to their vital roots, Rubin helped Johnny Cash resurrect his career in the '90s with a series of stripped down acoustic albums. Now Rubin is poised to do the same for Neil Diamond. Actually, Diamond's career arc isn't so different than Presley's. Rebellious early years. Rousing acoustic hits. Sexy, hip-shaking stage presence that leads to the kind of superstardom where image becomes bigger than life and eventually overshadows taste in mate...
Shine On You Crazy Diamond By Jake Brown, December 8, 2005 Rick Rubin is not God. He has produced more than a few bad albums in his day. Yes, his early work the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC and Slayer is undeniably awesome. But after that, for every Johnny Cash record, there have been plenty of mediocre releases by the Cult and Red Hot Chili Peppers. And Weezer. The magic that he created on Cash's 1994 American Recordings is not that easy to replicate. He tried with Donovan in 1996 on Sutras but failed. I might be the world's biggest Donovan apologist, but that album is just not that good. It's out of print now, so most people will never eve...
Time has not diminished Diamond's musical talents By:Al Choman 12/08/2005 During this seasonal time of year, diamonds are usually a girl's best friend. But at Wachovia Arena on Wednesday evening, another Diamond (Neil, that is), seemed to be a pretty good friend of the ladies himself. Pop music icon Neil Diamond returned to Wachovia Arena on Wednesday evening with something his audience has not experienced in quite some time. New songs - 12 of them to be precise. Diamond is busily touring to promote is aptly titled recording "Twelve Songs." While Diamond blended a representative sampling in the mixture, there was no doubt th...
Posted on Thu, Dec. 08, 2005
Old songs and new, Diamond glitters
once again at arena Review
Music legend returns to the facility he opened in 1999 and serenades appreciative crowd.
By ALAN K. STOUT astout@leader.net
WILKES-BARRE TWP. - Pop icon Neil Diamond returned to the Wachovia Arena on Wednesday, six years - almost to the day - that he christened the venue with its first concert.
Wednesday, like Dec. 13, 1999, was another good night of music, and provided the near-capacity crowd of 7,800 with another strong performance from Diamond.
The singer, who acknowledged his history with the region and thanked the crow...
One unimaginable night 25 years ago, a gunman killed John Lennon, turning Dec. 8 into a black day in music history Local musicians remember where they were when they heard John Lennon had been killed Pop-rocker and well-known Beatles fan Darin Murphy recently understudied in the New York musical "Lennon". I remember every second of where I was, what I was doing and what I did after I heard. That was a bad time. My family and I had lived in Amarillo just over a month. We had come from South Carolina and were staying in this little apartment across the street from my high school. I was playing solitaire in front of the TV. "Monday...