The tail end of Neil's early commercial period.
simnia | snowy bayou country, USA | 09/24/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This was the album that began to close out the commercial clap-and-strum type hits of Neil Diamond's earlier style. It still contains a few songs of that style, including "Two-Bit Manchild" with an appealing riff, and "Holiday Inn Blues" with a Donovan type sound, but begins to move into deeper and more personal directions, especially with the excellent "Brooklyn Roads," which is soft but beautiful. "The Pot Smokers Song" is a lousy piece of anti-drug propaganda that doesn't belong here at all. The album's decent overall, and worth getting for its non-hit songs."
Gap Filler, Good Add On Collection Album
Robert L. Henry Jr. | Paden City, WV United States | 01/22/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Neil's first UNI release, (now on MCA)bolts out of the gate
with three strong tunes, Two Bit Manchild, Modern Day Version
of Love and the overlooked Honeydrippin Times. After the awful
Potsmokers Song, 2 great wellknown tunes follow, Brooklyn Roads
and Shilo, which Neil recorded previously at Bang records and then re-recorded here for UNI. Then the good track Sunday Sun is next. However after Sunday Sun the rest of the album sounds dated, boring and forgetable. This album is worth having though and is a great gap filler and worth buying, just should not be a priority"
Vintage Neil Diamond
David L Hutchins | Mesa, AZ | 08/22/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is one of Neil Diamond's earliest albums. Never did understand what the title was all about. It's an interesting album because you don't find most of these songs on other Neil Diamond albums. Brooklyn Roads is a nostalgic piece about childhood that I have always loved and I think one of his best songs. The Pot Smoker's Song is rather dated and a bit odd with interviews interspersed throughout. I think this album shows just what a good singer Diamond was even at the start of his career, which has spanned 4 decades. Shiloh was a fairly big hit. This is not just for completists; it's an enjoyable album for anyone who likes Diamond's music."