Spring '08 LPs From Madonna, Coldplay, The Roots, Mudcrutch, Elvis Costello

Neil Diamond

Home Before Dark 5/6

Three years after Rick Rubin helped Neil Diamond remove the Vegas polish on 12 Songs, the duo are back with another collection of personal acoustic songs. "This one is more rhythmic," Diamond says. "I view Rick as an enabler. He allows the musicians and me to just go off and do whatever we want, and then he becomes an editor." Backed by an all-star group — including Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench — Diamond, 67, dedicates some of the songs to his thirtysomething girlfriend. "I'm the pro-love candidate," Diamond says. "The songs reflect it."