Stones - NEIL DIAMOND****

I Am I Said/The Last Thing On My Mind/Husbands & Wives/Chelsea Morning/Crunchy Granola Suite/Stones/If You Go Away/Suzanne/I Think Its Gonna Rain Today/I Am I Said (Reprise)

It is unfortunate that Neil Diamond’s Stones contains a large number of covers, since his songwriting skills reached a peak during this period. Features the US and UK No. 4 hit single I Am I Said and the US No.14 title track. (US:11 UK:17)

“How strange it is that the more popular Neil Diamond became, the more his music gets worse. The title track and the single I Am I Said are pleasant enough, but suddenly I'm finding him boring.”

“One of the best Neil Diamond albums which I love playing on quiet cosy nights, just sitting back and listening to the feeling that it brings. So deep and moving, I would definitely recommend it.”

“A surprisingly good collection of songs. The singing is as you'd expect from Diamond, and while the arrangements do occasionally go a bit over the top, they are far less trying than on some of his other releases.”

“Stones is a depressingly good album that evokes dark winters of short days and long dreams. Diamond's powerful voice and the great arrangement, especially of the strings, make these singer-songwriters classics soar high. The few Diamond originals are also great, especially the dark ballad that is the title cut.”

“For first time listeners who maybe discovered Diamond after hearing a track on the radio this is the place to start. A singer who can evoke moods within the listener like virtually no other artist of the 1970s, and who never sounded better than on Stones. The self penned title track is one of his absolute best, demonstrating a style that is clearly all his own. I Am I Said is the showpiece tune, a light that could not even be extinguished by it's overplay on the radio. No one covers a song quite like Diamond, making it all his own, and this album has many examples.”

“Even though most of the songs are covers, Neil Diamond covers them eloquently; Chelsea Morning evokes images of lazy summer mornings in a butter-yellow kitchen watching the early rising sun. Stones is a great album just to kick back and listen to or during a long road trip. Decades later, it still sounds crisp and fresh.”