Driven by the hit singles "I Am...I Said" and "Crunchy Granola Suite,"
Stones is a stronger album than most of
Neil Diamond's late-'60s records. Instead of padding the album with mediocre originals,
Diamond picked several fine covers to fill out the remainder of the album, including
Roger Miller's "Husbands and Wives,"
Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Morning,"
Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne,"
Randy Newman's "I Think It's Gonna Rain,"
Jacques Brel's "If You Go Away," and
Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind." There are still a few weak patches on
Stones, but the record remains an engaging collection of mainstream pop.