Blogcritics: Comments on If you like Neil Diamond, are you hideously kitschy?

Comment by David M. Holdren

Sun, 24 Jul 2005 19:37:43 EDT

I've been a Neil Diamond fan since I can remember...I bought my first album in '71 or '72 (I was 11 or 12), and I've been buying them ever since. Anyone know when the new one will be released? I originally saw July 26, but I think that's changed. Rock on, Neil!

Comment by Eric Olsen

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 13:41:20 EDT

it makes the UB40 version sound 2-dimensional, and I love the UB40 version

Comment by HW Saxton

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 13:14:13 EDT

"Red,Red Wine"... D'oh!!!!

Comment by Andrew

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 12:09:05 EDT

Kitch? Irony? Was that what I was doing? Air guitar on the sofa as a 7-year-old...31 years later -- Earl's Court last night. He took the voice a while to warm up, and he can't hit everything, but he can still rock, and croon, and get the (mainly oldie) crowd going. Nothing beats Hot August Night.

Comment by Bennett

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 09:42:50 EDT

Okay, I've never publicly admitted this, and would have died under torture before letting it out to my rocker buddies during the late seventies, but the very first record I ever bought was "Hot August Nights" Oh crap, I'll never live this down...

Comment by Eric Olsen

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 09:34:28 EDT

as has been amply stated by others, early Neil wasn't kitsch at all, but well-nigh timeless rootsy pop-rock. But once he turned, he turned hard and has never returned - maybe Rubin can coax something reasonable out of him. Of the classics, I can't believe n one mentioned "Brother Love" or, most astonishingly great of all, his original of "Red Red Wine"

Comment by Lono

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 03:31:44 EDT

As someone who listens to Bad Brains and vintage Metallica (before Cliff died), I am not ashamed to say I have a big spot in my heart and on my iPod for Neil Diamond. The thing is, even though the songs are not hard hitters... they are very well written songs. There is something to be said about that. For example: Jimmy Buffet music is for insufferable drunken retarded middle aged white dudes (a demographic I am rapidly approaching). However, a song like 'Margaritaville' is just really good songwriting. Same goes with 'Forever in Blue Jeans' or 'Sweet Caroline'. What is also cool about Neil D is that he embraces and plays with his public image. He really pitched in for Saving Silverman, and was at Will Ferrel's final SNL show as an homage to the brilliant faux Storytells piece Ferrell did. dude writes great, simple, and timeless melodies... there is nothing uncool about that. Also it's important to note that he started out in the Brill Building in NYC - what this means is that he literally wrote the songs you sang. Before the Beatles, pretty much all contemporary music came from young jewish guys working in cubicles in NYC.

Comment by Andrew Ian Dodge

Tue, 31 May 2005 07:28:30 EDT

In a word...YES. But what the hell is wrong with being hideously kitsch?

Comment by cait

Tue, 31 May 2005 07:25:50 EDT

Neil Diamond is way cool. I too can't wait to see what Rubin will help Neil come up with this time. If Neil Diamond is kitchy... well then I will have to say kitchy is cool! Great Article. :-)

Comment by Mat

Tue, 31 May 2005 03:57:09 EDT

I'll stand right beside Nicolette and shout that, I too, love Neil Diamond. Though, I still blame my mother for it. He went the crooning standards route there for awhile (along with way too many christmas albums) so I'm glad he's getting Rubin to produce something more old school style.

Comment by Nicolette Rivers

Mon, 30 May 2005 18:20:08 EDT

I freely admit my love of Neil Diamond.

Comment by HW Saxton

Mon, 30 May 2005 18:05:53 EDT

Shark, Thanks fer the compliments man. I've never heard Johnny Cash's cover of: "Solitary Man". I can imagine that is's great though. I 've some of the other Rubin produced tracks and dug 'em like mad. Anyone who can make a f' ing Nine Inch Nails song listenable is beyond genius. JC is a genius anyhoo but that ("Hurt") was just TOO cool man. Since Rubin's producing this upcoming Neil D. rekkid, maybe he'll do a Johnny Cash cover?

Comment by Shark

Mon, 30 May 2005 16:47:54 EDT

Saxman the Musical Whiz sez: "Deep Purple's cover of "Kentucky Woman" ...*back when they were good, I might add! *waaay back PS: Don't forget Johnny Cash's version of "Solitary Man" on the American Recordings. Whew. It NEVER sounded that good before!

Comment by HW Saxton

Mon, 30 May 2005 16:38:52 EDT

Neil D.'s tunes make great rockers for others. To wit: Deep Purple's cover of "Kentucky Woman", Groovie Ghoulies cover of "Hello Again" (great pop punk)and of course "I'm A Believer" which was done by The Monkees first and later by Bram Tchaikovsky(ex-The Motors). Plus Neil's tune "Cherry,Cherry" which The Romantics TOTALLY lift for "What I Like About You" and NOFX do one Neil D's tunes I can't think of off hand but it's really good. Maybe it's "Sweet Caroline"? His songs have such strong melodies and are so well crafted it's hard to ruin them no matter who does them or how they are arranged.That said,I think that N.D. is so completely corny that it hurts to listen to him do them himself.

Comment by Vern Halen

Mon, 30 May 2005 14:14:09 EDT

Neil Diamond had a bunch of good tunes that have stood up over time: Holly Holy - defies description. Acid rock, pop, or bubblegum, or all at the same time? Cherry Cherry - Acoustic guitar driving a Cadillac of a song. Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon - the Pulp Fiction version by whoever shows an edge you would've never thought was there in the original. Quite versatile - more than just the pop MOR fixture that many people thinks he is.