Neil Diamond’s Surprise : NEIL DIAMOND

“The Best Years of Our Lives.” Columbia. *** 1/2

Diamond’s new album is perhaps the most heartening return to form by a major pop artist since Brian Wilson’s masterly solo debut. And it’s nearly as big a surprise: Though Diamond made some of the most engaging pop music of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, many of his songs in this decade have been hopelessly overwrought or have featured slushy, schmaltzy arrangements. But the Brooklyn native is back on track with this convincing mix of energetic rockers and graceful, lovely ballads.

The title track is a joyous, anthemic rocker which has much of the bravado of Bruce Springsteen’s music. A version of Tracy Chapman’s “Baby Can I Hold You,” one of only two songs on the album not written by Diamond, is tender and poignant. Much of the credit for Diamond’s creative resurgence goes to producer/arranger David Foster, who stripped away the easy-listening gloss that has long chararacterized Diamond’s music, and encouraged the star to return to the lean, spare approach of his early recordings. The result is the year’s most welcome Christmas surprise.