Nothing shines like a Diamond

Last year's Rick Rubin-produced 12 Songs from Neil Diamond was everything I had hoped it to be. The stripped down setting allowed the songs to connect on a personal level, not to mention that these were some of the best lyrics Neil had written in some time.

Next Tuesday, a special edition of the album will be released with a bonus disc of demo versions of all of the songs called Artist's Cut- 12 Sketches.

As if that wasn't enough to get excited about, word has come down that Rubin and the mighty Neil have agreed to work again on another album. It could be covers, all new songs, some kind of mix, but it's gonna happen, baby!

You know, some days the bastards get ya down, but one thing remains true. Neil Diamond will be there to pick you up. Every time.

Bless his sideburns.

- Russ