Neil Diamond - The Best Sounding Collections as of 2018

Neil Diamond - The Best Sounding Collection's as of 2018

Neil recently announced his retirement from touring due to Parkinson’s disease.
I would love to re-acquire to his catalog. I prefer the early years of his career.
Very interested in good compilations with “the right version of the songs”.
If seems that many are hit and miss. Some remastered for the best, some not.
I‘ve searched through most of the threads and most are closed.

I would love any feedback you would care to share.


The Feel Of Neil Diamond 10/66
Just For You 09/67
Velvet Gloves And Spit 11/68
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show 05/69
Touching You, Touching Me 12/69
Gold: Live At The Troubadour 08/70
Shilo 09/70
Tap Root Manuscript 11/70
Do It! 02/71
Stones 11/71
Moods 07/72
Double Gold 01/73
Rainbow 09/73
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (OST) 11/73
Hot August Night (live) 01/74
Serenade 10/74

Compilations
1968 Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits Bang
1970 Shilo
1971 Do It
1972 Diamond's Diamonds
1973 Double Gold
1973 Rainbow
1974 Brooklyn Roads
1974 His 12 Greatest Hits
1976 Solitary Man
1976 20 Super Hits
1976 And The Singer Sings His Song
1978 Early Classics
1978 20 Golden Greats
1980 The Very Best Of Neil Diamond
1981 Love Songs
1982 12 Greatest Hits Vol. II
1983 Classics: The Early Years
1984 The Very Best of Neil Diamond
1992 The Essential Collection
1992 The Greatest Hits: 1966–1992
1992 Glory Road: 1968-1972
1996 The Best of Neil Diamond
1996 The Ultimate Collection
1996 In My Lifetime
1996 The Essential Collection
1999 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Neil Diamond
1999 The Neil Diamond Collection
2001 The Essential Neil Diamond
2002 The Very Best of Neil Diamond
2002 Play Me: The Complete Uni Studio Recordings...Plus!
2005 Gold
2005 The Essential Greatest Hits Collection
2006 The Best of Neil Diamond
2007 Classic – The Universal Masters Collection
2008 The Best of Neil Diamond (2008 version)
2009 The Essential Neil Diamond (Limited Edition 3.0)
2010 Icon
2011 The Bang Years, 1966–1968
2011 The Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings
2014 All-Time Greatest Hits
2017 50th Anniversary Collection

 

Let me add the live box set "Stages" is excellent if you like some of his deeper cuts and not just the hits. 2 CD's are strictly deeper cuts or hits that weren't on previous live albums. There is also a complete concert from 2002 on there which is excellent.

You also left out Love At The Greek which was a follow up to Hot August Night. I consider that essential too.

In My Lifetime is a good boxset that has a some rarities and most of the hits. The mastering is favorable on this.

 

The Bang years are a mess. The original stereo mixes have never been on CD. The mono mixes are currently only available in sort-of a fake stereo. A number of the original single versions were released on CD in good quality, but not the whole lot.

 

1974 His 12 Greatest Hits on cd sounds really good.
But my favorite era is Bang and it doesn't sound good on cd.
On Vinyl I like the Frog King record of his bang era songs

 

His 12 Greatest Hits, 1985 Sanyo Japan for US (Shame his entire catalog couldn't sound this great)
Double Gold-1974 (vinyl)
I also really enjoy the 1996 In My Lifetime Box
The 2014 2 disc All Time Greatest Hits sucks

 

For the Bang years Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits and Double Gold are easy enough to find and have the original mixes although for some songs you need to deal with lousy fake stereo. The Frog King album Early Classics sounds good but it is remixed, most of which was carried over to the Columbia Classics - The Early Years album.

 

:lurking:

 

I can recommend the In My Lifetime box set and I just bought the vinyl remaster of Hot August Night (1972) on Geffen Records. It was released on 180g vinyl in 2017. This is a very good pressing and sounds terrific, at least on my turntable. But I don't know if you're into vinyl.

 

I agree! I was mulling over tracking down a MFSL copy of HAN and the prices were more than I was willing to pay as a casual fan. I bought the 2017 Geffen and can't imagine the MFSL could be appreciably better.

 

Thank you for this, I was on here because my local shop had the 2012 and 2017 pressing of HAN and I want to pick up one but I wasn’t sure which to get. You just helped me make up my mind!

 

The original MCA Japan for US Hot August Night sounds stunning to me. The tree people agree!

 

This is coming out next month. Looks quite comprehensive and some rare unreleased tracks on there!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HGZLM52/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Original vinyl for all Uni studio albums. No CD will do.

And by original, I mean original. The vinyl recuts won't do either.

 

For the UNI/MCA years, I have found the following CD from 1999, a nice sounding overview of that era's hits and then some ...

Neil Diamond - The Neil Diamond Collection

 

For the Bang era hits and equally excellent flip sides, buy all of the original 45's and have friends over for a Neil party! I have six jukeboxes and I may have to do that myself, as it sounds like a great idea, of course, also adding in the great UNI/MCA hits as well! Got to also get "America", "Love On The Rocks" and You Don't Bring Me Flowers" in there too. Always glad that I have almost all of those great old singles in my collection, as they all have that warm "boom" that we all remember when we used to hear these songs on the radio.

 

As a pretty good overview, the "In My Lifetime" box on Columbia/SONY is pretty good, but I still think that the mono BANG hits in that box, aren't nearly as good as those old original 45's sounded.

 

I just posted on another thread started by ABBAFANUSA entitled Neil Diamond Compilations, my detailed opinion on 5 separate 2-CD sets by Diamond that I have owned. Here, I will provide a quick summary. Before doing so, I want to express appreciation to alchemy for providing a nice list of hits collections by Diamond.

--The sets I really do not like are Gold from 2005 and All-Time Greatest Hits from 2014. The former presents a grating listening experience (compression?) whereas the latter just sounds off. Its as if I am listening to some other artist doing covers of Neil Diamond songs. I like to hear songs as originally presented.
--The Essential from 2001 is better but still does not sound right. Neil's voice is not gravelly when it should be, and everything seems way too muted.
--Glory Road: 1968-1972 is a great set covering the MCA/Uni years. It presents a relaxed listening experience, with the music nonetheless being highly detailed. This is how I remember Neil sounding back in the day.
--The Ultimate Collection from 1996 is European, I believe, and comes without mastering credits, which turns out to be of no concern. It, like Glory Road, sounds great, and better yet contains songs from the Bang, MCA, and Columbia years all in their studio versions. Highly recommended.

I also possess and heartily recommend the thorough and completely enjoyable In My Lifetime box set. It, along with Glory Road and The Ultimate Collection, do much to fulfill my Neil Diamond needs.

 

I'm taking a chance on that one. I have the In My Lifetime collection, but I really prefer the sequencing and track selection on the upcoming 6 CD set later this month. I'm tired of skipping the early demos and songs that start off In My Lifetime every time that I want to hear hits, plus the demos look to me to be more interesting & well placed on the upcoming set, plus the upcoming one covers a lot more ground. The couple of songs that's not included that I wouldn't mind were only covers anyway (and I have his Christmas albums), so not a huge loss.

I'm taking a chance on it.


CAPITOL/UMe TO RELEASE NEIL DIAMOND – 50TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR’S EDITION ON NOVEMBER 30, 2018 - Neil Diamond


DISC ONE

1. SOLITARY MAN – Mono
2. CHERRY, CHERRY – Mono
3. I GOT THE FEELIN’ (Oh No No) – Mono
4. DO IT – Mono
5. THE BOAT THAT I ROW – Mono
6. YOU GOT TO ME – Mono
7. GIRL, YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON – Mono
8. I’M A BELIEVER – Mono
9. THANK THE LORD FOR THE NIGHT TIME – Mono
10. KENTUCKY WOMAN – Mono
11. RED, RED WINE – Mono
12. BROOKLYN ROADS
13. GLORY ROAD
14. HOLLY HOLY
15. AND THE GRASS WON’T PAY NO MIND
16. SHILO
17. SUNDAY SUN
18. BROTHER LOVE’S TRAVELLING SALVATION SHOW
19. DIG IN
20. SWEET CAROLINE
21. CRACKLIN’ ROSIE
22. SOOLAIMON
23. CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE
24. LORDY (Live)

DISC TWO

1. I AM…I SAID* – Original Demo
2. I AM…I SAID
3. DONE TOO SOON
4. STONES
5. MORNINGSIDE
6. PLAY ME
7. WALK ON WATER
8. LONELY LOOKING SKY
9. SKYBIRD
10. BE
11. I’VE BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE
12. THE LAST PICASSO
13. ROSEMARY’S WINE
14. SONG SUNG BLUE
15. LONGFELLOW SERENADE
16. THE GIFT OF SONG
17. BEAUTIFUL NOISE
18. JUNGLETIME
19. LADY-OH
20. STREET LIFE
21. SIGNS
22. SURVIVING THE LIFE
23. STARGAZER
24. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

DISC THREE

1. DRY YOUR EYES
2. DESIRÉE
3. ONCE IN A WHILE
4. I’M GLAD YOU’RE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT
5. AMERICA* – Original Demo
6. AMERICA
7. HELLO AGAIN
8. LOVE ON THE ROCKS
9. AMAZED AND CONFUSED
10. SONGS OF LIFE
11. YESTERDAY’S SONGS
12. I’M ALIVE
13. HEARTLIGHT
14. ON THE WAY TO THE SKY
15. HEADED FOR THE FUTURE
16. YOU DON’T BRING ME FLOWERS – Duet with Barbra Streisand
17. FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS
18. SEPTEMBER MORN

DISC FOUR

1. THE STORY OF MY LIFE
2. IT’S A TRIP (Go For The Moon)
3. HOOKED ON THE MEMORY OF YOU
4. BABY CAN I HOLD YOU* – Live in Dublin R.D.S. 1989
5. HARD TIME FOR LOVERS
6. ALL I REALLY NEED IS YOU
7. IF THERE WERE NO DREAMS
8. SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN YOU
9. THE WAY
10. ONE GOOD LOVE – Duet with Waylon Jennings
11. BLUE HIGHWAY – Featuring Chet Atkins
12. OPEN WIDE THESE PRISON DOORS
13. EVERYBODY
14. NO LIMIT
15. I HAVEN’T PLAYED THIS SONG IN YEARS
16. YOU ARE THE BEST PART OF ME
17. DELIRIOUS LOVE
18. I BELIEVE IN HAPPY ENDINGS
19. MAN OF GOD
20. WE

DISC FIVE

1. I’M ON TO YOU
2. WHAT’S IT GONNA BE
3. SAVE ME A SATURDAY NIGHT
4. CAPTAIN OF A SHIPWRECK
5. ANOTHER DAY (THAT TIME FORGOT) – Duet with Natalie Maines
6. DON’T GO THERE
7. HOME BEFORE DARK
8. FORGOTTEN
9. PRETTY AMAZING GRACE
10. MELODY ROAD
11. NOTHING BUT A HEARTACHE
12. SOMETHING BLUE
13. IN BETTER DAYS
14. SEONGAH AND JIMMY
15. SUNNY DISPOSITION
16. THE ART OF LOVE
17. HELL YEAH

DISC SIX

1. SUNFLOWER*
2. C’EST LA VIE*
3. GIRLS GO FISHIN’*
4. MAYBE*
5. CARIBBEAN CRUISE*
6. YOU ARE*
7. EASY (TO BE IN LOVE)*
8. BEFORE I HAD A DIME*
9. THE BALLAD OF SAVING SILVERMAN*
10. IT DON’T SEEM LIKELY*
11. LONG NIGHTS, HOLD ON*
12. MOONLIGHT RIDER*

*previously unreleased

 

Avoid unless you like loads of live versions sung in Neil's less than impressive early 90's voice.

 

I don'the like "Live" on greatest hits collections, especially when they are not specified on the info you look at before you buy.

Neil put out a Greatest Hits labeled LIVE GREATEST HITS. That I would mind as I would not be surprised.

Would people grumble if a "Greatest Hit's Live" snuck on some "studio" cuts instead of live?

.

 

I would say The Very Best Of CD comp (2010, Columbia) sounds stellar IMO and at the time, it was touted as the first single disc comp to have all of his Original Studio Recordings from Columbia and MCA.

The 1966-1992 Greatest Hits 2CD set (Columbia, 1992) also sounds excellent, and I'm referring to his Columbia studio tracks. I know there are a lot of live songs on this set as well, but the Columbia studio hits sound completely normal to me...they won't sound quite like this again on future comps. However, the sound quality on this 1992 comp was secretly tweaked at some point later on and the SQ is slightly more suppressed, but an original 1992 copy sounds completely normal.

Both of these comps are technically OOP today, since he moved his catalog back to UMe/Capitol in 2014.

 

In some cases it leaves me hoping for a straight forward reissue without any tinkering.
Is that the case with the regular albums? Most original copies I have on CD are actually very good. The comps, especially the later ones, sometimes appear to suffer from tinkering.

I haven’t got the 2000 comp yet but might now look it out just out of curiosity. I have most of the others and some of the older comps seem more wholesome and rounded in their sound to me.

GH 1992 is great for the original stuff but suffers from a few live tracks ( Neil’s delivery had dipped to slightly over-talky and shouty at times at that time ) and some studio re-recordings which, whilst OK, are not as superb as the originals. All this presumably due to label wars at the time.

I can’t help feeling in general that digital techniques took over a lot of music over sound quality. Of course, listening varies from person to person but I sense lots of modern reissues and comps often suffer from compromised sound compared to older standards.

However, the choice of tracks on a comp matters greatly as well. The new collection 2018 seems to promise at least as wide a span as we have ever had. My copy should arrive today, hopefully.

 

Imagine is Columbia one day made a 'complete albums' box set like the Johnny Cash, Dave Brubeck, Dylan collections!
Including all the Bang material on extra CD's.
THAT would be a great set!

 

I personally think ''Early Classics'' sounds great on CD or LP, his 60s material is the only thing i listen to.

 

A shout out for the new box set. Mine arrived today and, whilst I've not played any of it, I'm bowled over by the packaging.

I was not expecting such an exquisitely printed hardback volume with full, larger than A4 pages, wonderful images and fresh, informative text. It really is befitting the artist this time. It is very, very impressive in its look and feel. A huge upgrade from the previous 50th set of 3 disks. It is kind if an update (it says so) of the excellent In My Lifetime 3 disker but is so much more like a coffee table book.

Now... I have to brave trying those CDs... to see if their sound matches the quality of the packaging.