Billboard CD reviews: Neil Diamond, Robyn

ARTIST: NEIL DIAMOND

ALBUM: HOME BEFORE DARK

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Though Neil Diamond is riding the good will created by 2005's Rick Rubin-produced "12 Songs," there is a song on "Home Before Dark" called "Don't Go There," and the danger of overemotive "Heartlight"-ness always looms. While not quite as revealing and rewarding as its 2005 cousin, the new album will certainly please fans of Rubin and Diamond's stark-yet-comfy acoustic direction. The sprawling opener, "If I Don't See You Again," has the right sprinkling of epic; "Another Day (That Time Forgot)" is a gorgeous duet with Natalie Maines. It's hard to shake the feeling that "Home" sounds like the younger brother of "12 Songs," but it's a warm, supremely confident next step in Diamond's unlikely renaissance. Best of all, there's not a seagull to be found.

ARTIST: ROBYN

ALBUM: ROBYN (Konichiwa/Cherrytree/Interscope Records)

She's a two-time recipient of the Nobel Prize for Super-Foxiest Female Ever. Does stunt doubles for Jackie Chan on the weekends. Out super-freaked Rick James. Is there anything Robyn can't do? While these accomplishments intoned by the booming voice in the intro to "Robyn" might be a stretch, there's no contesting the Swedish singer's pop music power. "Robyn" finally sees its U.S. release: From the cheeky hip-hop of "Konichiwa Bitches" and the warped bass underpinning her cover of Teddybears' "Cobra Style" to the Kylie Minogue-esque "With Every Heartbeat" and sweeping strings carrying "Be Mine," the album holds 14 sassy and sweet dance pop gems.

ARTIST: THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS

ALBUM: THE AGE OF THE UNDERSTATEMENT (Domino)

Given that he finds regular employment as frontman of alt-rock phenomenon Arctic Monkeys, it's unlikely that Alex Turner has any immediate plans to give up the day job. But should he ever decide he's finished with Monkey business, he could do a lot worse than concentrate on this extracurricular collaboration with Miles Kane of rising U.K. band the Rascals. Already No. 1 in Britain, "Understatement" is a far cry from the Monkeys' stock-in-trade of grubby urban realism, instead resembling a long-lost Scott Walker album or James Bond soundtrack. Songs like "Calm Like You" and "Black Plant" positively swing, and despite the presence of a 22-piece orchestra, the lyrical bite and brisk pacing mean things never topple into cheesy pastiche. Moonlighting hasn't been this much fun since Bruce Willis had hair.