{|The Best Of|} from {|Universal UK|} was originally released in 1996 on {|MCA|} as {|The Best of Neil Diamond|}, and as far as greatest-hits collections go, it's in the upper echelon. There are no insufferable stretches of mid-'80s material like {|H... Read more

{|The Best Of|} from {|Universal UK|} was originally released in 1996 on {|MCA|} as {|The Best of Neil Diamond|}, and as far as greatest-hits collections go, it's in the upper echelon. There are no insufferable stretches of mid-'80s material like {|Heartlight|} or {|Headed for the Future|}; rather, the compilers chose to focus on the {|pop/rock|} legend's prolific late-'60s/'70s period. While by no means exhaustive, classic {|Diamond|} gems like {|Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show,|} {|Sweet Caroline,|} {|Cracklin' Rosie,|} {|Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon,|} and {|Shilo|} sound as good as ever, making this 21-track anthology as good a place as any to begin your journey down the sequined streets of Diamondtown. ~ James Christopher Monger Less