Movie Album, The: As Time Goes By [Soundtrack]

I felt a little nervous as I read the track titles on this CD. As a lifelong Neil Diamond fan there are two facts I am aware of, 1) his wonderful deep and moving voice which can arouse all sorts of emotions has it's limitations and 2) he is much better sticking to his own compositions than other people's. I need not have worried however. With the assistance of an 80 piece orchestra conducted by the legendary Elmer Bernstein he produces a very creditable performance of songs as old as 'Puttin' on The Ritz' and as recent as 'My Heart Will Go On'. The CD is actually entitled 'The Movie Album' and subtitled 'As Time Goes By', and, as the name suggests, all the 20 songs are from movies. Although he fails at times to hit some of the high notes this shortfall is well disguised and compensated for in his own inimitable style.

I particularly liked his version of Elton John and Tim Rice's 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' which suited his voice so well it could have been written by or for him. On the other hand I wish he had chosen something - anything - else rather than 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'Love With A Proper Stranger' both of which lacked any sort of life or emotion. His rendition of The Windmills of Your Mind' is wonderful and both Diamond and the orchestra bring to it a drama which I am sure Michel Legrand and his co-writers intended but which the original version by Noel Harrison never quite achieved. Sadly 'Puttin' on The Ritz' did not really get going, having been slowed down to a pace which dragged and which neither singer nor orchestra seemed comfortable with.

Nobody sings a romantic ballad like Neil Diamond. Nobody tugs at the old heartstings and gets the emotions going quite like he does and this is well demonstrated with 'When You Wish Upon A Star', The Look of Love' and 'Ruby'. Although I have seen him sing Beatles songs on stage I am not sure if he has ever released a recording of one. If 'And I Love Her' is anything to go by he should record more - a whole album of Beatles songs maybe!

I fully enjoyed this delightful record. It is an anytime, anywhere album which would be equally listenable to with eyes closed. feet up and a glass of wine, as background for a dinner party - it will not intrude, or in the car - guaranteed to eliminate road rage.

Sad to say, but as time goes by, so does the talent that was once Neil Diamond. Once a great interpreter of other artists' material, he seems to have lost the craft of taking a song and adding something worthwhile and ultimately making it his own. "He ain't heavy...........he's my brother", "Free man in Paris", "Until it's time for you to go", "I think it's gonna rain today" and "God only knows".........shall I go on? No point really, for any committed Diamond fans, they'll know what I mean when I say that classic covers (and there are many more), were very much a part of this man's talent, along with writing and recording some incredible original material over the years.

However, time has somehow drowned his unique talent in a sea of mediocrity, with constantly overblown orchestration. Unfortunately, there isn't a single song on here that in any shape or form comes close to some of the classic renditions other artists have recorded. Hence the question.............why bother if you can't add anything new. The voice, once a great instrument in it's own right, is nothing more than a mix of constant mid - key whining accompanied by a spoken form of singing, something he developed in the 80s and is devoid of any melody. Tuneless and bland.

What a shame! Had Neil Diamond attempted this record in the mid 70s, I dare say he could have turned it into a classic. Seek out "As Time Goes By: The Complete Schmilsson in The Night" by Harry Nilsson. This is how you take on a classic batch of songs and a full blown orchestra and triumph. When you compare Diamond's version with Nilsson's, it ends up being a very embarrassing 2nd.

I mentioned before that Diamond's fall from grace was due to a posse of yes men who failed to implement a quality control over his output. This album had everything in place to turn it into something special. The songs, orchestra and Elmer Bernstein to conduct. A classic car with a finely tuned engine full of top grade petrol...............except nobody knew how to drive it.

Fortunately we true fans cling to the optimistic hope that "12 Songs" will usher in a new dawn in the Autumn of his creative years. Still time to produce some quality work again...............but as the title suggests on this album, time is a precious thing..................it would be a shame to waste it on below par offerings such as this.

If you like Neil Diamond then you will like this collection of movie songs. I can't really say much more as it does what it says on the tin. For those who are buying this just because it is a collection of movie songs you may want to look elsewhere as I think this is more for the Neil Diamond fan.