All-Time Greatest Hits (Neil Diamond) | 3/5

SINGAPORE – Like many singer-songwriters of his ilk, Neil Diamond’s is sometimes overlooked or underrated when people talk about pop culture. Sure, we all know he had No 1 hits with such singalong songs as Sweet Caroline, Song Sung Blue and Longfellow Serenade. But we forget all those other cool songs he wrote, because they were made popular by other music acts. Mention Red Red Wine, for example, and people think of UB40, not Diamond’s own version. Many will know Urge Overkill’s take of Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon; and it’s The Monkees we think of when we hear I’m A Believer – not Diamond’s originals (all from his 1967 sophomore album, Just For You). So this compilation is a great one, not just for fans of the gruff-voiced singer, but for music enthusiasts, too - some recognisable producer credits, for example, include Bob Gaudio (of The Four Seasons) and Robbie Robertson (of The Band). While it’s true the album does feature some predictable tracks, there are some gems, including the version of You Don’t Bring Me Flowers without Barbra Streisand’s vocals; the angsty Love On The Rocks (from The Jazz Singer), and the quirky title track of Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.