Neil Diamonds transformation with Rick Rubin

CyberDave

Just had a listen to Neil Diamonds latest album 'Home Before Dark' produced by Rick Rubin. I think it sounds great, but methinks Rick Rubin is pulling the same trick he pulled with the resurrection of Johnny Cash in his later career. The sound is pared back and acoustic and just looking at the album cover and photos of Diamond on the website they are art directed very similarly to Cashs. Anybody got any thoughts?

bullpost

Neil Diamond wrote some great songs in his time. He's now being rescued from the MOR limbo he's gravitated towards by Rick Rubin, and not before time.

CyberDave

I'm not saying he hasn't written any good songs. I know he has. My point is on his last two albums Rick Rubin is producing him in very similar to the way he produced Cashs American series.

Driver 8

The main difference would be that Cash's American Recordings albums were mostly covers, whereas Diamond's last two albums have been original material.

CyberDave

Driver 8 wrote: »

The main difference would be that Cash's American Recordings albums were mostly covers, whereas Diamond's last two albums have been original material.

I'm not doubting the songs, I think they are quiet good. Just saying that Rick Rubin is applying the same tactics again. ie. Acoustic sound, theme of the the songs and the album covers / photography.

flogen

CyberDave wrote: »

I'm not doubting the songs, I think they are quiet good. Just saying that Rick Rubin is applying the same tactics again. ie. Acoustic sound, theme of the the songs and the album covers / photography.

But isn't that the whole point? Neil Diamond has done the big band stuff for years, to the point of him being a cheesy cabaret performer. Rubin comes along and tries to take him back to the root of a song and it seems to work.

With Cash it was something similar - taking Cash out of the rut he was in (tired and stale country music) by giving him unusual music to play and more simplified ways to play it.

It's not like that's Rubin's only sound or that he does it with every artist he finds.

Hardrain

Jakob Dylan (Yes Bob's Lad) recorded an album with him due out soon,

Jakob Dylan has revealed details of his first solo album.

Bob Dylan's son and the former Wallflowers frontman will release 'Seeing Things' in the US on May 13.

The mostly acoustic album was produced by Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park) at his home studio in the Hollywood Hills throughout 2007. It contains 10 tracks including 'Evil Is Alive And Well' and 'Will It Grow'.

The tracklisting is:

'Evil Is Alive And Well'
'Valley Of The Low Sun'
'All Day And All Night'
'Everybody Pays As They Go'
'Will It Grow'
'I Told You I Couldn't Stop'
'War Is Kind'
'Something Good This Way Comes'
'On Up The Mountain'
'This End Of The Telescope'

CyberDave

I know it's not Rubins only sound but you do admit that Diamonds transformation is very similar to Johnny Cashs... prooving that Diamond is trying to emulate Cash when really, they are two very different artists.

CyberDave

Hardrain wrote: »

Jakob Dylan (Yes Bob's Lad) recorded an album with him due out soon,

Jakob Dylan has revealed details of his first solo album.

Bob Dylan's son and the former Wallflowers frontman will release 'Seeing Things' in the US on May 13.

The mostly acoustic album was produced by Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park) at his home studio in the Hollywood Hills throughout 2007. It contains 10 tracks including 'Evil Is Alive And Well' and 'Will It Grow'.

The tracklisting is:

'Evil Is Alive And Well'
'Valley Of The Low Sun'
'All Day And All Night'
'Everybody Pays As They Go'
'Will It Grow'
'I Told You I Couldn't Stop'
'War Is Kind'
'Something Good This Way Comes'
'On Up The Mountain'
'This End Of The Telescope'

Just listened to some samples of the album there on his site. Sounds great. I'm a big fan of acoustic folk/rock types. I realy like this. Any other recommendations of good acoustic artists?

CyberDave

Also, while we are on the subject of "Sons of established musicians". More country than acoustic.
http://www.myspace.com/justintownesearle

Hardrain

Steve Earle is a genius, one of the all time greats. Well worth checking out. Can't go wrong with Townes Van Zandt either!

CyberDave

Hardrain wrote: »

Steve Earle is a genius, one of the all time greats. Well worth checking out. Can't go wrong with Townes Van Zandt either!

Yeah two of my favourites. I take it you have heard Steve Earles latest album then? What dya think?

Hardrain

CyberDave wrote: »

Yeah two of my favourites. I take it you have heard Steve Earles latest album then? What dya think?

Love it, Oxycontin blues is a tune. his Live acoustic at Montreaux gig is magic. Worth buying if you don't have it.

CyberDave

Hardrain wrote: »

Love it, Oxycontin blues is a tune. his Live acoustic at Montreaux gig is magic. Worth buying if you don't have it.

No, I've got that too. Got all of his albums, I think. I really loved 'Live at Montreaux'. Songs like 'Rich Mans War' and 'Revolution Starts Now' are better on that album than they were on 'Revolution Starts Now'. He's a great writer, but if he has a weakness, it's his voice.

Amazotheamazing

CyberDave wrote: »

I know it's not Rubins only sound but you do admit that Diamonds transformation is very similar to Johnny Cashs... prooving that Diamond is trying to emulate Cash when really, they are two very different artists.

Don't really agree. Obviously any producer will have his own style, but the huge difference is the songs are mostly being written by Neil Diamond, and the sound of the backing band is very different. Very hard to imagine Brian Wilson doing harmonies to Johnny Cash for example. The backing on Johnny Cash was a lot sparser.

lostexpectation

he's number one in america album charts

CyberDave

Yes and fair play to him. He'll never be Johnny Cash though...

grumpytrousers

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

The backing on Johnny Cash was a lot sparser.

Was it? I don't have any of the American Recordings Albums (having just heard the odd single here and there) but certainly having heard Neil Diamonds 12 songs, i thought the arrangements to be very sparse. I mean, the only drums played (and they weren't always even there) were played with brushes and everything was pretty acoustic.

Frankly I'm glad Diamond is doing what he's doing. Cash was always about 'the voice' but I think Diamond was *always* a fine songwriter. Oh sure, he's not writing stuff for people who live in bedsits and want to be miserable and introspective, but his pop credentials (and i mean this in a good way) are second to none.

It's quite nice to see him branch out and finally do music that's *close* to being almost Adult without being OTT serious. If anybody gets a chance to hear 12 songs, or a bit of it, the song 'Hell Yeah' is quite wonderful. You can hear the echoes of his earlier songs in there, but it's just on a whole new level!

And it's sparse.

Real sparse!

CyberDave

Yes. 12 songs was a good album, not as good as this current one. My favourite track was probably "Captain of A Shipwreck". I don't know, I like the sound of both albums and the way the songs are written, but his subject matter seems to be very similar on them all.

grumpytrousers

I know what you mean; all the songs on 12 songs at least were quite reflective on a life rather well spent! I guess he's just a singer, handy with a tune, able to carry it who doesn't feel the need to exorcise those demons in the same way that a lot of Rubins collaborators have needed!

Eamo71

CyberDave wrote: »

Yes and fair play to him. He'll never be Johnny Cash though...

No and he doesn't need to be Johnny Cash because he's Neil Diamond.