Customer Reviews

The Best Of Neil Diamond: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you own the above album and were highly disappointed because some of the songs were live versions instead of studio versions, then this CD is for you!!! This CD has the studio versions we are used to hearing on the radio AND it's remastered. Good job, MCA :-)

If you bought this and "Classics: The Early Years" you'd own practically everything you'd want from Neil Diamond. The problem is Diamond recorded for three different labels--four, if you count the three Top Ten singles released from the Capitol Records' soundtrack to "The Jazz Singer." So what you have here are his hits from the Uni years (1968-1972).

It's nice to have this package include his first Uni label single, the autobiographical "Brooklyn Bridge" (No. 58) and the B-side "Crunchy Granola Suite." However, why didn't they include his two other Uni singles: 1970's "He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother" (No. 20) and 1972's "Walk on Water" (No. 17)? Because of licensing restrictions you aren't going to get the early Bang-era singles or his MOR hits from Columbia, but here was a chance for MCA to get one of its 20th Century Masters releases perfect, and they blew it.

That complaint aside, this is a smart (if brief) collection of Diamond's original version hits from his artistic peak. RECOMMENDED

If one is going to put out something with as definitive a title as Millenium Collection, how can they omit four of Diamond's greatest songs, Cherry Cherry, Kentucky Woman, Shilo and Solitary Man? I am sure there are other significant omissions too from later in his career (September Mornings?), and surely there is room on today's modern CDs to have included more than 12 songs. Don't get me wrong, the songs on here are great and they sound fine, but I am just very disappointed in the selection. A more appropriate title would be Some of Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits.

Great songs as only Neil can do them, but my beef, as has been stated by other reviewers, is the selection. What we have here is just a duplication of his "12 Greatest Hits" collection with the exception of "Shilo" and "Done too soon", and the addition here of "Crunchy Granola Suite". So, anyone who has his Greatest Hits collection already, really doesn't need this. But for anyone else, I suppose it's a good collection. Booklet includes a 2 page essay and a photo of Neil. No lyrics though.

The songs are excellent (hence the four stars), worthy examples of Brill Building tunefulness married to lyrical phrases influenced by Dylanesque dissociation. That Diamond, like Elton John's Bernie Taupin, can render said dissociation prosaic and sometimes absurd (remember the "not even a chair" line?)only makes him slightly more gauche than Billy Joel, Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson at their least inspired. But like them he has an undeniable gift, and in my opinion he's written more good songs than James Taylor, Don McClean or at least Joe Walsh. Not all of them, unfortunately are on this disc, which thus fails to deliver on its title's promise (hence the aforementioned four stars) of including the best of the featured artist. For that you also need two other releases that bookend this one: "Classics The Early Years" for additional key tracks from his 60's pop-rock period and "12 Greatest Hits Vol. 2" for highlights from his more recent adult-contemporary material. Sure there are still songs that will be missed by some, but if you have at least two of these three collections (which may depend on your budget and what phase of Diamond's musical career you favor) you are bound to have most of his more memorable and popular compositions. This album,like the two others I've mentioned, offers the original recordings of the hits, an advantage over more exhaustive, multiple-CD anthologies marred by live performances which, while quite enjoyable on their own terms, leave many listeners longing for the studio versions of songs they cherish. Even if you decide to purchase only this album you will have made an excellent addition to your music library. But if, as I suspect, it leaves you wanting more, seek out the others I've recommended at your leisure and you will get much more of a very good thing.

Over the years, Neil Diamond has switched record labels so many times it's funny. So many times, it's almost impossible to have the perfect Neil Diamond collection. There's always x, y and z missing or something like that.

However, MCA Records (now owned by Geffen Records), which now owns and operates the rights to Diamond's ABC years, cashed in on yet another Diamond compilation with his 1999 installment in UMG's ongoing '20th Century Masters' series.

This isn't a terrible Diamond compilation. It does fulfill it's purpose, which is collect 11 of his most well-known MCA sides. 'Sweet Caroline,' 'Holly Holy,' 'I Am...I Said,' and 'Brooklyn Roads' are all on this set.

As always, UMG does a superb job remastering the tracks. The sound quality is excellent!

However, the three stars aren't here for the music. Every song here is definitely worth five stars. But, I think they could have included one or two songs from another label. For example, 'Cherry Cherry' would be a fine choice to include on a best-of.

If you want a bare bones, basic Diamond hits collection, than '20th Century Masters' just might satisfy your needs. For everybody else that wants more Diamond for their buck, I strongly recommend 'Classics' or 'The Neil Diamond Collection' for a single disc retrospective, or if you want more, pick up the two CD set 'Greatest Hits.'

Overall, you can't go wrong with Neil Diamond. But, keep in mind there are better ND collections on the market.

This is recommended for new fans, casual fans and budget-minded fans alike, but again, you must keep in mind that there are better options than this 11-song and relatively skimpy compilation.

A thoroughly enjoyable sampler of Neil Diamond's memorable pop-rock hits which preserved and updated the virtues of Brill Building songwriting, namely, an instant accessability and enthusiasm married to certain degree of emotional resonance and sophistication - an artful balance that faltered when the times unfurtunately demanded or creative inspiration dictated that Diamond sacrifice the former in favor of the latter. Yet while it includes "Sweet Caroline" and "Cracklin' Rosie" (hence the four stars), it does leave out several songs that most people who enjoy Diamond's music will probably want to hear(ditto). To those who wish to have several more his finest songs from the early years I humbly recommend that they seek out "Classics: The Early Years." For the best known of his more recent and still tuneful adult-contemporary material I advise them to look up Columbia's "12 Greatest Hits Vol. 2." To the best of my knowledge, none of the selections on these compilations overlap, and this due to reasons of music label ownership. Anyway, last I checked the two other hits collections I've named were also available. Together they provide a very good (though, of course, by no means definitive) overview of Diamond's work and, in terms of cost and content compared to multiple-CD sets, it may be the way to go for more casual listeners.

This is a good mix of Neil Diamond's early hits. From "Sweet Caroline" "I am I Said", "Play Me", "Holly Holy", "to "Cracklin Rose" each song was a hit that was played on the radio in the 1960's through today. While not a complete CD of Neil's greatest hits, (that would be at least 3 CD's), this is a good variety of the songs that made him famous.

Neil Diamond songs are timeless. He is one of the few artists that I can listen to going down the road and know the words to each and every song and enjoy singing them out loud (of course by myself). His CD's are the type that I could listen to again later in the day after playing them earlier in the day. His unique voice, sense of passion in his lyrics, and his story telling when he sings is unique and very well received. I look forward to hearing his songs on the radio, listening to his songs in my collection, and purchasing his new works when they are released.

Overall, this is a great CD to have, is it a complete version of his greatest hits? NO. Is it one to enjoy over again? Absolutely YES!! Highly recommended!

This CD is a great 'part' of one's Neil Diamond collection, but certainly not the only one you will need. Due to it being a studio recording, and not a live album, it's perfect for adding to your MP3 repertoire, but since it does not include some of his older and fantastic work (Cherry Cherry, Solitary Man, Shilo, Kentucky Woman ...) I highly recommend you combine this album with Neil Diamond 'Classics' (also studio recorded) to get a more complete collection of his music.

OK, this is basically Neil's best MCA (Uni) charted recordings. It is recorded very well and it does go right to the point about which are Neil's greatest records from his MCA contract.

But, they always seem to make sure that there is one rather obscure song added to the collection, even a collection this short. I've never heard of "Crunchy Granola Suite", and it never really charted either. The title even sounds dumb and it was on the flip side of the song "Stones" which charted #14 in 1971. If they would put "Walk on Water/Theme" (#17) from 1972 instead of "Crunchy Granola Suite", this would have been a perfect MCA collection for Neil Diamond.

I can see now why people just download individual songs to just make their own interpretation of someone's most essential songs.