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 Neil Diamond's MCA hits Apr 06, 2009
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.
" Holly Holy" Just one of the great songs on this mega hit album by:Neil Diamond Jan 03, 2009
20th Century Masters: The Best Of Neil Diamond (Millennium Collection)There is only "ONE" Neil Diamond, This albun Loaded with "HITS" this and other 20th Century Masters should be in your collection
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
good--but not the best (three and one-half stars) Dec 30, 2008
20th Century Masters put out yet another average, somewhat disappointing "best of" hits CD for the great artist Neil Diamond. Please don't misconstrue: Neil Diamond remains a titan and he sings very well; his performances are quite memorable and he gives his all every time he performs. However, the CD manufacturers should have added at least a couple more songs to this album; it runs a tad short. On the other hand, the quality of the sound is good and the artwork is great. Moreover, as Amazon notes, perhaps the record label was hampered by the fact that they couldn't get permission to add another song or two. Who knows?
"Sweet Caroline" begins the album with Neil singing a passionate love ballad that celebrates the joys of being in love with your very special someone. The chorus is great and Neil sings and plays this flawlessly; it will always be a classic hit for Neil Diamond. There's another great hit, "Holly Holy" that is very catchy and the melody is very pretty. "Holly Holy" is quite strong and Neil is placed right in the spotlight where he does an awesome job. I predict that you'll enjoy "Holly Holy." "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" shines just as brightly as it ever did; "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" is timeless and Neil Diamond fans will be thrilled to hear this again even if they've heard it many times before. "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" is also a great tune to show newcomers to Neil Diamond just how special was and still remains.
"Brooklyn Roads" is a song I haven't heard Neil sing in ages; I really like that they put it on this album. Neil never misses a note and the musical accompaniment works very well for "Brooklyn Roads." Listen also for "Crunchy Granola Suite;" this tune has lots of energy and Neil bats this one straight out of the ballpark! "Crunchy Granola Suite" is certainly a fun number.
"Soolaimon" has great drum and guitar work as Neil sings this with heart and soul; and "I Am...I Said" is sure to please you. "I Am...I Said" features Neil's strong baritone voice and I really like "I Am...I Said." The title may sound simple; but "I Am...I Said" is a total masterpiece. The album ends strong with Neil Diamond performing one of his best known hits, "Cracklin' Rosie." "Cracklin' Rosie" sports a great melody and it's totally unforgettable. What a good ending for the song set!
Unfortunately, this is not the best "best of" hits CD and Neil Diamond deserves better than this. Sure, it's great for casual fans and newcomers to get a taste of Neil Diamond's work; but the more serious fan would do better with the two CD set entitled The Essential Neil Diamond.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Great summary of the ABC years for ND Aug 23, 2008
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.
Classic Neil Aug 13, 2008
This has a nice mix of Neil Diamond songs, especially good for those who don't like everything he has done but prefer select tunes. There are several "extra" songs that I did not care for, things I'd never heard or that just didn't reflect his quality or style; it would have been better had the producers opted to use some of the songs they left out (i.e. Shiloh, Cherry-Cherry, You'll Be a Woman Soon).
Overall, it's a great addition to my collection and very reasonably priced.
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