Neil Diamond has been putting out music for so many years, some good and some not so good. So a few years ago, when he hooked up with Rick Rubin, who had just come off his Johnny Cash series, it was exciting to hear what they put together. 12 Songs was the result of their collaboration and it was clear Rick had managed to pull something special out of Neil. Over those many years he had become a punch-line of sorts, but the great part was that he was laughing too. He was seemingly at ease with the way people viewed him. It's hard to say what a person is really like, but its obvious Neil Diamond still has a lot to say and his work with Rick is nothing to laugh at. I was very excited for the release of Home Before Dark because I think 12 songs was his finest work. It was poignant and contemplative. On his newest disc, these two qualities are still evident. Like a sage, he disperses knowledge by exposing us to tales based on his own life lessons. It's great to hear an artist who is not afraid to let us see who he is. He has made a lot of mistakes and has a few regrets but that’s okay because that’s life. In the song “Slow It Down, “there is no mistaking the message. He tells us to take things slow and by doing so we will find meaning. It's great advice and surely being spoken with the truth of his experience. In another stand-out track, “Pretty Amazing Grace,” he tells us all about the redemptive power of love. These are only two of the great songs on this release from an under-appreciated songwriter. His late-career resurrection could not have been possible without Rick Rubin’s guidance, but the songs are still all Neil Diamond. They are songs in which he bares his soul backed by raw, stripped-down music. When I hear these songs I can see him and his guitar standing alone in front of a fire, in the middle of a forest, singing to the stars. His music is cathartic for him and the listener as well. Home Before Dark is a good companion to 12 Songs. Hopefully there are a few good songs left in him and few more records like this.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

For more info go to: www.neildiamond.com