Diamond uses every facet of collaboration for 'Dark'

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2008 | by Edna Gundersen; Gary Strauss; Gary levin

Home Before Dark, Neil Diamond's second collaboration with storied producer Rick Rubin, arrives May 6 on Columbia Records with all new material composed by the legendary singer/songwriter.

The album, recorded in Los Angeles, includes the title track, Pretty Amazing Grace, If I Don't See You Again and Another Day (That Time Forgot), a duet with Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. It's Diamond's first major-league pairing since he and Barbra Streisand stormed the charts with You Don't Bring Me Flowers in 1978.

He and Rubin first joined forces on 12 Songs, released in 2005 to widespread acclaim; Newsweek hailed it as "the best work Diamond has done in 30 years." It has sold 570,000 copies since entering Billboard at No. 4, his highest chart placement since 1980's...