My Amazon Reviews: Seals and Crofts "Diamond Girl"

Jewel of the 70's
4 Out Of 5 Stars

While it took James Seals and Dash Crofts four albums to finally have a hit, the classic "Summer Breeze," they made certain to craft a follow-up that was near its equal. The 1973 release of "Diamond Girl" met the challenge, and included two of the duo's most enduring hits. Both the title track and "We May Never Pass This Way Again" helped make "Diamond Girl" Seals and Crofts highest charting album, peaking at number four.

While not as strong musically as "Summer Breeze," Seals and Crofts were stretching out musically. In addition to the harmonized folk they're best known for, they also took turns at Texas boogie ("Standing On A Mountain Top") and a country story song (the weak "Dust On My Saddle'). The jazzy instrumental "Wisdom" closes the CD showcasing Seals' saxophone abilities. But their strengths were still in the CSN styled mellow sounds, and "Diamond Girl" was loaded with them.

The hit "We May Never Pass This Way Again" became the theme to many a mid-seventies high-school prom, but Seals and Crofts were all about the spiritual bonding. "Ruby Jean and Billie Lee" was a heartfelt valentine to their wives and newborn children, and "Nine Houses" an explicit song about their Baha'i religious faith. They hadn't yet crossed the line into proselytizing (that would happen on the next album, "Unborn Child"), so "Diamond Girl" maintains its luster as one of Seals and Crofts' best works.