Hugo Montenegro - Neil's Diamonds

Hugo Montenegro - Neil's Diamonds

LP released in 1973

Arranged & Conducted by Hugo Montenegro

Arp & Moog Synthesizers programmed and played by Dick Hamilton, John Montenegro & Larry Muhoberac

Recorded in RCA's Music Center of the World, Hollywood, California

Today, I reveal to you one of my guilty pleasures (out of many). No, it's not Neil Diamond, it's Hugo Montenegro, particularly this LP of Neil Diamond covers. Hugo's versions are a lot more fun and plain better in my not too humble opinion. They even sound more fresh than the overplayed originals. Plus this has Arps and Moogs!

Dom Cerulli says on the back cover:

Expect the unexpected!
That's true of both Neil Diamond and Hugo Montenegro.
Diamond's haunting songs never quite go where they lead you at first; never quite resolve the way you think they should; never really ever leave you quite the way they found you.
They seem to have a life of their own.
And the arrangements of Mr. Montenegro are very much like that, too.
They shimmer with strange new colors and rhythms that may shock you at first or jar you at first or make you come alert at first. Then they get deeper into the marrow, the soul of a song, and explore it. And while this is going on, the shifting, subtle, sensual sound begins to grow on you. Different, exotic, ethereal sounds come from everyday familiar instruments. New, brittle, sparkling sounds come from electronic inventions still being shaken down.
And before you know it, the Montenegro version is the one you always want to hear.

It is cool that the liner notes (a.k.a label hype) and I are in agreement. That does not happen too often. Happy listening.


Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Cracklin' Rosie {3:10}

2. I'm a Believer {3:33}

3. Song Song Blue {3:25}

4. Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show {3:48}

5. Sweet Caroline {3:09}

Side B

1. Porcupine Pie {2:11}

2. Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon {3:11}

3. Two-Bit Man Child {3:12}

4. Walk on Water {2:35}

5. Hurtin' You Don't Come Easy {3:35}