During the 2000s, Neil Diamond collaborated with acclaimed producer Rick Rubin on two well-received and commercially successful studio albums. 12 Songs was released in 2005, and was followed in 2008 by Home Before Dark. The latter album became Diamond’s only album to top the Billboard 200 chart.
Videos by American Songwriter
Now, Diamond is set to release an album featuring mostly previously unheard songs from the 2007 Home Before Dark sessions. Wild At Heart, which is due out on May 8, is a 10-track collection featuring nine unreleased tunes that Neil recently fleshed out, plus an alternate take of “Forgotten,” a song that first appeared on Home Before Dark.
“My work with Rick was a labor of love,” the 85-year-old singer-songwriter said in a statement. “I’m so gratified that these songs will finally be set free into the world to complete our trilogy of work.”
The album’s country-influenced title track has been made available as an advance digital single. A music video for the tune, featuring archival footage of Diamond playing the song in the studio, has debuted at his official YouTube channel.
Wild At Heart can be pre-ordered now and will be released on CD, vinyl, and via digital formats and platforms. Limited-edition colored-vinyl and two-CD versions of the album also will be released.
For the Home Before Dark sessions, Rubin assembled a group of talented musicians to accompany Dimaiond. They included Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench and guitarist Mike Campbell, lauded session guitarist Smokey Hormel, and guitarist Matt Sweeney. Sweeney co-founded the respected New York City indie-rock band Chavez and played in Billy Corgan’s short-lived side project Zwan.
Watch a Trailer for the ‘Wild At Heart’ Album
A trailer for Wild At Heart, featuring 2024 footage of Diamond and Rubin discussing their collaborations, also can be viewed on YouTube. The video also includes 2007 footage of Diamond in the studio during the Home Before Dark sessions.
Early in the trailer, Rick recalled how he pursued Neil and convinced him to collaborate with him.
“I tracked down Neil over a period of years,” Rubin said. “I hounded him and stalked him as a fan. … There was a side of [Neil] that I loved that I hadn’t heard in a while, and I knew we could capture it.”
Diamond then commented about working with Rubin, “[It’s] great to know that you’re walking on the wire, and somebody’s going to catch you if you slip. So, I appreciate that, Rick.”
Rubin then recalled how prolific Diamond was during the making of Home Before Dark.
“I couldn’t stop myself,” Neil shared. “It was a good feeling. … I was living with these songs for about a year. They were like part of my everyday life. I went to have a sandwich at a delicatessen, and I was writing songs. That’s how each one came.”
Rubin then asked Diamond if those songs had “a diary-like feeling” for him.
“They really do,” Neil replied. “They feel like they were born to be written. It was all very natural and enlightening for me. It doesn’t exist, and then it does exist.”
Near the end of the clip, Rubin told Diamond, “The fact that people are listening to your music today all over the world is a testament to the power of the songs and the power of your voice.”
Diamond responded, “Any kind of power is good right now.” Neil retired from touring in 2018 after revealing he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
‘Wild At Heart’ Track List:
- “Wild At Heart”
- “You Can’t Have It All”
- “Talking It To Death”
- “Shine On”
- “The Secret You”
- “You Never Know”
- “You’re Getting To Me”
- “You Still Look Good To Me”
- “You’re My Favorite Song”
- “Forgotten”
(Photo by Jesse Diamond)
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