Reviews (page 11 of 13)
Again struggling to highly rank a cover album. But there are good tunes here.
Good album of some nuggets and newer covers. Not his best but if you are a fan, enjoy! Poignant that his last track, "We'll Meet Again" is the last song he ever recorded.
Some decent covers
American IV: The Man Comes Around is a studio album by Johnny Cash, originally released in 2002. I just had Blackstar by David Bowie yesterday, so this list is really feeding me late-career works by legendary musicians. This record is pretty intimate. Cash's voice is pretty worn but it just works with the style of folk he plays. Even though this album is full of covers, I feel like Cash does a good job at reinventing the songs as his own. Particularly his famous cover of "Hurt" by NiN - he completely changes the vibe of that song. One of the drawbacks to this album is the production. At some points it's just like a loudness war/wall of sound mush. One of the most egregious examples of this is towards the end of "Hurt". I think that song would hit so much harder if it was just Cash and his guitar.
1. When The Man Comes Around: His voice is so soothing, it feels like my grampa I close my eyes and can almost see the guitar being strung Don’t particularly relate to the song, good but not something I’m likely to remember 6/10 2. Hurt: CLASSIC Emotional Unfortunately feel it in my soul Would and have listened on repeat What he did to this cover is truly godly “You are someone else, I am still right here” 8.5/10 3. Give My Love To Rose: Great story teller Paints a beautiful and clear picture 7/10 4. Bridge Over Troubled Water: Another classic Ooooh the lady joining was unexpected but I think I liked it? Not my personal favourite cover of this song, but I can definitely appreciate it 7.3/10 5. I Hung My Head Again his story telling feels so natural “I felt the power of death over life, I orphaned his children, I widowed his wife” Really like this one 8/10 6. First Ever I Saw Your Face CLASSIC I love it Really love it His voice holds so much emotion 8/10 7. Personal Jesus Bit of a different flow on this one from what we’ve heard Breaks up the album nicely Not my favourite 5/10 8. In My Life Love the message Feels very reflective Don’t think I’m at the age or stage to find this relatable yet 6.8 9. Sam Hall Feels very Johnny Cash I can tell what’s his and what’s a cover anymore But great 7/10 10. Danny Boy This song moved me I think it’s an organ(?) playing, feels like a funeral 7.3/10 11. Desperado One of my all time favourite songs I actually love this cover This version feels more like an elder giving me advice It feels like wisdom Ughhhh I love it Adding it to a playlist 9/10 12. Im So Lonesome I Could Cry LOVE LOVE LOVE 8.3/10 13. Tear Stained Letter I don’t think I love this Ehhhhh Struggled to make it through 4/10 14. Street of Laredo This style of song is him at his strongest Two songs on one album of someone dying and giving their life story to a stranger is a choice but im not mad I like it 7.3/10 15. We’ll Meet Again Like this cover It’s so sad but slightly hopeful A bitter sweetness to it
I like the more upbeat songs and the boom-chicka boom-chicka rhythm. Cash's voice is really distinct and unique. Didn't care for some of the slower songs on this album.
"Hurt" was just about the perfect song for Cash at this late stage in his career, and his version here is wonderful. But with only a couple other exceptions, it is clearly an album recorded by someone being indulged because he is (obviously) an all-time great. I'm glad we have it, but it's not even close to most of his earlier work.
Niet mijn ding maar kan het apprecieren
As one might expect, there are gems on here that really hit their mark — "Hurt" for sure, and "Personal Jesus" among them. But there are others that really don't work, "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "In My Life," "Desperado." On paper, I really like the "big star plays covers" idea, but they are now too prevalent and I've yet to hear one that is good from beginning to end. Well, the Rush EP "Feedback" is pretty awesome (smart to only go for eight tunes), and I guess that also speaks to the fact that you really need to be a fan of the performing artist to go all-in. So, awesome to snatch a couple of standouts — and I know not every track here is a cover — but as a whole, this hit-or-miss affair gets the middle-note rating.
Started out pumped about this but as it went on I was less enthralled.
Some powerful and emotional covers interpreted differently, as well as some originals mixed in. Gets you in the feels. However, some of them don’t really add anything new. Country definitely isn’t one of my preferred genres, but music that makes you feel something can’t be ignored. Highlights: Hurt I Hung My Head
Met de gebroken stem van een oude man zingt Johnny voornamelijk andermans werk. Voor de vierde keer alweer, de man maakte al eerder drie van deze albums. Op een bepaalde manier aandoenlijk, en het is ook best sympathiek dat de grote bard van het zuiden ook eens nummers van een ander in het zonnetje zet. Willie Nelson deed het een paar albums geleden met muziek uit de jaren twintig en dertig, en ik moest ook denken aan Some nice things I've missed van Frank Sinatra. Het werkt het beste wanneer Johnny modernere nummers als Hurt, Personal Jesus en (op deel III) One van U2 onder handen neemt. Daar heeft hij nog wat aan toe te voegen. Maar wat moeten we met covers van een draak als Bridge over troubled water, of een Beatles-nummer, of die WOII-klassieker van Vera Lynn? Die hadden ze van mij wel weg mogen laten. Uiteindelijk is de plaat te kaal en de selectie van uitgevoerde stukken niet interessant genoeg. Jammer. (Extra jammer omdat dit mijn 500e plaat is. We zijn op de helft!)
Ik vroeg mij vooraf wel af waarom dit coveralbum van Johnny. De man heeft zoveel waardig authentiek werk geleverd. Nu ik het album nog eens hoor ben ik het toch wel eens met de keuze. Elk nummer wordt toch heel anders weergegeven dan het origineel. Na de vorige albums is het fijn dat er eindelijk echte kwaliteit voorbij komt. Het is wellicht niet mijn smaak, die saaie langzame praatzang. Maar je voelt dat alles de aandacht heeft gehad. Hij had zijn zangstijl soms eenvoudig over de originele muziek kunnen leggen. Maar hij lijkt nogmaals over elke klank nagedacht te hebben. Dus dan komen we weer bij de regelmatig terugkerende vraag. Geef je een cijfer aan kwaliteit, of aan je eigen luistergenot? Ik kies toch voor dit laatste. Zelf zet ik het album echt niet een tweede keer op. Maar een verrijking van de lijst is het zeker.
Johnny Cash had the ability to build this unique, reduced, atmospheric sound of dark voice and guitar, so even all these cover-versions sound like Johnny Cash. And just because of the different origins of the songs this album sounds more diversified than other Johnny Cash albums. Nontheless a whole album of these sad songs is too much for me. favourite: "Hurt", "Personal Jesus" 3,5
Variable. Some ofthese are incredible but some less so. Worth it for the gold in here though - Hurt and I Hung My Head are the stand outs
Molto sentimentale senz’altro, ci sono pezzi molto belli e commoventi e sono certo che per i fan sia un album leggendario. Detto ciò alcune cover come Danny Boy, Hurt e Bridge over blablabla non mi sono piaciute tanto, sebbene l’emozione ci fosse tutta. Un album di alti e bassi insomma, ho preferito quelli in prigione
The idea behind the American series is very cool, but gets stale very quickly. Thankfully, this list chose the correct one for this list, for once! This said, American IV is a lot more spotty than I remember it being. There’s some true standouts here – obviously “Hurt” and “Personal Jesus,” but “The Man Comes Around, “We’ll Meet Again,” and most of all, “Tear Stained Letter.” When Cash locks into a vibe, it’s immaculate. And he’s on one for a lot of this album, especially on the songs that feel like curveball choices. The “safer” songs rarely hold the same power, though. The re-recorded “Give My Love to Rose” is fine, as is a song like “Sam Hall.” But often, the more traditional the pick, the less interesting the concept, and thus the execution. Cash duets beautifully with Apple, but I doubt I’d rarely pick this version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” over the original. Meanwhile, a song like “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “In My Life” avoid challenging the listener’s assumptions and are played too straight. There’s also a couple solid stinkers, including “Streets of Laredo” and the god-awful Nick Cave duet of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” At its best, American IV is a revelatory display of how age can adjust a song’s perspective. At its worst, it sounds like a late-career cash grab. The truth is that these ideas are two sides of the same coin, and the end result splits me down the middle as a listener. It’s good, but never fully great, but its great moments are definitely worth its duller moments.
Bien, un poco triste, siento que todo era sobre la muerte :(
Johnny Cash’s goodbye album and a sombre affair, but a little bit hit and miss. For every hit like ‘Hurt’ and ‘Personal Jesus’, which Cash nails and makes his own, there’s misses like ‘Danny Boy’, and ‘We’ll Meet Again’, which while sad songs in and of themselves don’t quite fit the funereal atmosphere created by a lot of the rest of the album. Having said all that, I did still really enjoy much of this, but have to take a couple of points off for some of the song choices that didn’t quite land for me.
Overall solid album. 3.5
Cash is a legend and this is an interesting album to come at the end of his life. Mortality is a theme that keeps popping up. This is his Lou Reed’s LULU, albeit much more critically acclaimed? The tracks that work the least for me are the stripped down covers of popular modern rock tunes like “Hurt” and “Personal Jesus.” His vocal feels kind of phoned in on those. The album cuts on which Cash puts his heart, soul, vim & vigor into the vocal performance are where it’s at. Nothing is better than a 70 year country singer repeatedly scream “damn your eyes” like a maniac.
Some nice covers here, but not enough for 4 stars. Super cover of Hurt.
Such a fantastically bleak rendition of Hurt (original by NiN). Sparse and totally sold by the age in Cash's voice. Give My Love To Rose: sparse blues -- classic song structure and theme (dying man, send my love). Wonder if Cash ever got tired of these sorts of songs? Most amazing thing is how his voice at 70 has so much depth, power, and cleanliness. Bridge Over Troubled Water is the first "dud" in here -- just not a big fan of the arrangement that feels like a weirdly depressed gospel. Surprised to heard Personal Jesus on here as well. Pretty cool to hear Cash approaching "modern" compositions with his unique, stripped-down style. This is a song whose original is nearly impossible to top (IMO). This one does nothing to challenge that opinion; however, it is an interesting take with the bar-style keys skittering away. This one had the makings of a 4, but really dropped off and dragged for a lot of the back quarter. Really enjoyed his covers and a few renewed renditions of classics (Sam Hall and Give My Love To Rose). Crazy considering this is coming from a 70 y.o.... For me its a 3 / 5.
Holy hell this is Johnny Cash's 67th album. Lotta covers though. There is something about the mixing of his vocals that is irking me. It almost sounds like one of those commentary albums where the voice is just so far on top of the track. Personal Jesus was a pretty meh cover. Hard to hate the voice or the strums of the guitar, but there isn't one I would come back to. Still enjoy the Cash though.
This wasn't bad but it isn't really my style. I liked some of the lyrics but the melodies were a bit bare.
Peaceful, a nice vibe while driving in the evening in the rain
The famous Hurt album. I think the cover is extremely overrated but it's still decent. Some of the others, not so much. Danny Boy and I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry work for his voice/range. Desperado and Bridge Over Troubled Water, not so much. But at least he kept putting himself out there and trying things.
'Hurt' is incredible, obviously, in fact the first three tracks are all great. I always loved 'Give My Love to Rose'. If it was all this good it would be 5 🌟 from me but it's not. Only a few of the other covers really work for me, and some are awful! They are great songs but this left me just wanting to hear Roberta Flack, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles and Depeche Mode! A couple of exceptions, 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' and 'I hung My Head' which I really like. A bit disappointing, I thought I would love it all.
Ya lo escuché bastante, no estoy para oírlo ahora (agosto 2024)
Some obvious highlights, real real highligts, but I can't shake the feeling Cash is put forward like a circus animal and just being told to "sing this". Also it's a bit long.
I'm not a big fan of country. These are some heartfelt and powerful songs, but I don't think the musicianship is anything to be desired. If you're going through a tough time, this album would help you through it.
The man, Johnny Cash. So sullen, so chill, so iconic. This is a nice record with him covering some classics from others, but boy does he really highlight the melancholic feel of each track. Part of me wanted to switch to different music because I was really hungover this morning listening to it, but I dug my heels into the sadness. Will have to check out the other records of his in this series. Glad I stuck with it.
The man Comes around
Hurt is so complicated in it's simplicity. Iconic. His originals are better than his other covers on this particular album though, save Hurt of course. Personal Jesus was good actually. I like the piano in it. Actually the rest of the album was pretty mid. Nothing stood out. A pleasant listen, but that's pretty much all honestly.
He can sing but it was not my type of music.
Not great as he was getting old by now...but still enjoyable
Good stuff
good country covers
Enjoyed listening to this album 3/5
Best Song: Hurt. A heavy hitter with an emotional impact. I still have nostalgia for when I first watched the music video. Worst Song: Personal Jesus. It sounds like Cash is struggling to keep up with the tempo here. I think they could have slowed it slightly to allow him to make the song more introspective while also not giving the feeling that the singer might stumble off the tracks at any moment. Overall: A sweet, melancholy album that sometimes slips too far into "sleepy". It's refreshing to see Cash stripped here of his usual bravado, forced by age to show a more vulnerable and interesting side of himself.
A few really good covers, but this felt more for Cash fans than anyone else.
So many good performances, but so many odd choices in song selection. Cash singing a song by Paul Simon just really seems off.
Biblical writing on Hurt.
An album of covers by the great Johnny Cash, some fantastic, some a little corny.
Never listened to the album before. Note: Desperado n/a on YouTube Music so I had to go to Spotify for that song. You select some of the great songs written in country and rock, add one of the great distinctive voices in music, and an all-star cast of performers...so why do less than half of these versions work? I think it's a combination of Johnny's failing health and Rick Rubin losing his golden touch by the 4th album in this series. But there are a lot of songs that work, and this version of Hurt is an all-time classic. "And I looked and behold, a pale horse. And it's name that sat on him, was Death. And Hell followed with him."
'Hurt' aside (and even that is debatable), one's response to this album hangs on (1) the level of attachment one has to the songs covered here, and (2) the degree of affection one has for Americana. I respect everyone who has added this to their heavy rotation pile, but I won't be in these parts again anytime soon. Sorry.
Good album
Hurt is amazing, so is the rendition of We'll Meet Again, but most tracks seem sometimes too bland, or a lack of real rhythmic as it is lost in plain talking.
Previously rated: At San Quinton (4/5) ************************** I knew Hurt was a cover, and if I looked beyond that at the track list beforehand, I would have known these were all covers. I liked the first few tracks pretty well, though the somberness started to wear on me. Didn't really care for the Beatles or Eagles covers. Some of it even comes off as cheesy to me. Somehow I recognized Nick Cave's voice on I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. I didn't even know who he was before I started this list! Though he was the only one I noticed, not even Don Henley.
This album is quite good. I like how the sparse arrangements highlight Cash’s voice, giving more emotion to the songs. This also makes the rare occurences of backing vocals and extra instruments more efficient. However, the album is far too long for such a stripped down album. 35-40 minutes would be optimal. Best songs: The first two tracks
3.5/5
I wish I was born a man
He has a spoken word kind of singing voice like Lou Reed that is endearing at times. Some of the covers were intriguing. Overall, fine but never need to hear again.
Listened to Hurt a bunch of times. Listened to the rest of the album just the once, thank you.
This was fine. I prefer Cash originals. Easy listening for Sunday chores. 3.5.
So s'good!
3.5 in that area. I'll go 3 because I dont see myself listening again
I've always liked Johnny Cash's voice and it really creates a warm, melancholic atmosphere to this record. The covers are certainly an interesting take - Hurt is amazing and I liked Personal Jesus. The rest is not quite my bag but certainly I have respect for the craft.
A few great tracks but also some stinkers
How many times do we have to teach you this lesson old man.
Great album. Solid listen
Solid, need to listen to more cash
This album probably doesn’t make the list if it wasn’t Johnny cash. Covers were the best part. Feels like an album to read in the background with a good fire.
i think if your a big country enjoyer you'd like this im not a big country enjoyer not this country anyway 2.9/5
You can tell Johnny Cash really put his all into this album. Hurt is the standout, but The Man Comes Around is pretty good. The rest is sadly hit or miss for me, but the heart and soul Johnny puts into the entire album makes it a win.
Not my favorite from
Always loved a lot of Johnny cash songs but never listened to much from this later era, which seems almost more critically acclaimed. He does have a great distinctive voice and is an icon of country however I’m not sure I enjoyed this album as much as I wanted. I’m not entirely sure if their is a special point to this album but there was a lot of covers which just didn’t sit with me. Overall I enjoyed it his voice is great but it didn’t feel special, except the first 2 songs they were great. Hopefully I get some of his earlier stuff and can rate that instead. Just a 3/5 though. Stand Out Songs: The Man Comes Around Hurt I Hung My Head
Do I have to? Always respected the man, but I never cared much for Cash's music. This is an album of his music being other artists' music that he sings. He is about to die, with his old voice. Sentiment. Is a word. I appreciate all of this. But it's covers. And the sensation of Cash doing those songs in his style just doesn't carry me through 52 minutes.
Taken in small bites this is a beautiful collection of fragile, poignant and powerful songs. But it’s a heavy, heavy salad in one sitting.
I love Johnny Cash's voice and ability to tell a story; I understand why he is as legendary as he is. In all honesty, the instrumental portions of this album are all very monotonous and dry. I feel if the backing track did a better job of supporting the vocals, this album could easily be a 5/5.
Really enjoyed it but quite sad, don't think I'll go back often
1. the man comez around - 1.5 2. hurt - 1.5 3. my love to roze - 1.5 4.troubled uuater - 1 5. my head - 1 6. your face - 1.5 7. jezuz - 0 8. in my life - 1 9. zam hall - 1 10. danny boy - 1 11. dezperado - 1 12. i could cry - 1 13. letter - 1 14 laredo - 1 15. meet again - 1
Des reprises originales, mais beaucoup sonnent un peut trop akward à mon goût (Ex : Personal Jesus). Sinon ça sonne comme un album de Johnny Cash. 6/10
I didn't hate this as much as I thought I would and knew a lot of the tracks already. Solid.
He chose a lot of great songs. He didn't necessarily improve them, but it's a nice listen.
This was like listening to a deity. Huge respect and admiration but not as entertaining as I hoped. Cash's version of the Hurt is amazing though!
There’s a lot of pain in his voice. He’s also old as shit when he made this.
Aso er cha halt ned wük singe aber ich find i hung my head mega schön i guess und s git no paar anderi bangers aber au mega depressing iwie
Not my favourite
Magistrale Cash, vlak voor z'n overlijden. De beste twee nummers (Hurt en Bride Over Troubled Water) zijn wel covers maar dat mag de pret niet drukken.
Some very good covers and the theme of death feels very poignant given it is Cash’s last album.
Solid
Dark and haunting...
I am not a fan of country music but Johnny is an exception, such a great voice
Overrated.... However, enjoyed the man comes around and song about accidentally shooting someone on a horse.
Really liking “hurt” Didn’t know Fiona would be on this what a coincidence Just finished pretty solid I don’t listen to much country and wouldn’t have listened ordinarily I’m excited for this project
I like Johnny cash’s hits but it felt like kind of a drag getting through the album.
Es innegable el talento de este señor, pero no hace falta versionar canciones que son perfectas tal y como son
It's all a bit morose, particularly considering that the entire record was recorded before June passed away. The arrangements are nice enough, and Cash's voice aged with uncommon grace, but this album is only notable because it was his last, and because of "Hurt"
In her 70s, Loretta Lynn embraced contemporary rock sounds from younger collaborators to make arguably the best album of her career. Johnny Cash did 80% of that.
I'm kinda over Hurt. Overall, it's a solid album from a great voice of classic country music; the arrangements and instrumentation are sparse, but that works for his almost spoken word singing. The duets with Fiona Apple and Nick Cave are good. Frusciante wrote the acoustic arrangement for Personal Jesus, and the barroom piano is great, but the vocal delivery here is almost like pulling teeth. It's an album I think is really good, but I don't really like late era Cash because it feels almost tiresome and plodding.
is this good or just notable? bro's got delivery for sure but this is just a covers record
Well...
So mad respect for Johnny Cash - and lot of great covers here - but again - is this an all-time album that simply must be heard??? No, it isn't.
Some of it is better than I remember and some of it is worse. Overall it is, in my considered opinion, good.
I never realized his last (or very much later) album was the best. It was enjoyable, but nothing I ever feel the need to revisit. It's nice to hear something that isn't just "Hurt", as good as it is.
Wohl (auch) Coverversionen 3*
5 stars for Hurt, but the rest of the songs don't come close. The album as a whole kinda just feels like an exhibition for funsies. Much love for Johnny tho.
Not quite sure what I was expecting with that one.
When this album came out the only song I payed attention to was ‘hurt’, a cover of a NineInchNail’s song I bumped pretty hard in 9th grade. I enjoyed listening to the whole album. Very minimalistic and not suuuper musical so not quite my personal taste but a stand out for me was Personal Jesus.
Obviously the cover of hurt is amazing, but I hadn’t heard his cover of bridge over troubled water and it’s incredible. The whole album is hauntingly beautiful.
It had its moments for me.
Final album of an illustrious career but it’s so on the nose it hurts, no pun intended. Some good covers and of course his voice is good but I just can’t make it into the cathartic can-you-believe-how-deeply-emotional-I-am-OMG-I’m-crying.
Love Johnny Cash. Loved the covers. It’s wild to hear the age in his voice compared to his earlier recordings and I love what it does to songs like Hurt and In My Life.
Dude's a legend, but I felt myself wishing this album was over sooner than I cared to admit.
So these aren't the best versions of these songs. Like we're def not talking "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston or "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley levels of good, but there is something there. And I think that something is giving the rooster from the Robin Hood cartoon. 3?
This is the kind of country I like. A lot of covers that were done tastefully in my opinion 3.7*
very good, a lot of covers but some very lovely songs
Bridge over troubled waters caught me!! Everything else was meh.
Some great takes, some misses.
Pretty insane that Johnny cash still puts on great performance at his age. His cover of Hurt is one of if not his best song. His vocals are definitely at center stage for the entire album. It is somber listen but all things considered a solid album. 3.05
Some good cover, some worse than the originals
Not my music really, I can appreciate the take on some famous songs. Lots of covers
Good songs but I got kind of bored listening to the whole thing, a lot sounded the same. Dang he's got a deep voice
Bad ass. 3/5
Some covers on here are enjoyable, others are not so much but I appreciate Johnny doing what he wants
As far as legends making albums in their dying years, this one is okay. Hurt is an all time great cover. I enjoyed personal Jesus too. But his version of Bridge over Troubled Water is a crime against humanity.
3.5 really
Same exceptional tracks on here (Hurt is overplayed but sure, it's the best version - LOVE the Sting cover I Hung My Head), but there's filler and the "We'll Meet Again" singalong at the end is cringe
A good introduction to Cash's voice via a cover album with some familiar songs. I have heard some of the more popular Johnny Cash songs before but have never listened to an album. The renditions of Hurt and We'll meet again are real tearjerkers and you can hear the pain in his voice knowing that he didn't have long left.
I’m not really a fan of country, it’s actually one of my most disliked genre so I would put have put a 2. But this album is mostly reprises in a decently done country style. I didn’t particularly hate listening to it, but it’s still a low 3 for me. I’m sure in this genre Johnny Cash is very talented but it’s really not my style.
3.5- hurt and gi e my love to rose are my favourite.
The covers range from good to exceptional, but it's a cover album
Add Hurt to the list of songs where the cover is better than the original.
A solid album from the late great Jonny Cash, his magnum opus. Somber and strong. Hurt will always be a classic
I struggle with how to rate this album. I don’t love it but it’s probably worth including something from this phase of his career and I guess this would be the one? I can’t help but to suspect that people’s obsession with his cover of “Hurt” has propelled this album further than it otherwise deserves.
Enjoyed the first song, The Man Comes Around, I Hung My Head, and this cover of the Beatles’ In My Life. Was also pleasantly surprising to hear a cover of Personal Jesus, a nice change from the original that for some reason plays on the radio all the time.
A good set of covers, but I wasn’t moved by any of them
I really like the songs where Johnny Cash is telling a story. Totally drew me in. His voice is very different on those songs. Some of the covers felt like his energy wasn't behind the words.
Cash covert (z.B. "Hurt") und interpretiert eigene Songs neu. Tolle Auswahl und das letzte Album vor seinem Tod. 3,5
I thought I would like this more than I did. Also wasn't expecting so many covers.
Super depressing album but also cool to hear the covers he chose to perform.
Se siente carretera - Norte/Sur USA - fogata y así.
Johnny Cash is a legendary American country singer-songwriter. This album is a treasure featuring “Hurt” which is regarded as a great cover to an already powerful song. Surprisingly, this album also has covers of “Personal Jesus” (mid) and “We’ll Meet Again.” While some of the other song/stories are somewhat underwhelming, Cash’s strong imagery, vocal prowess, and work ethic, especially in his advanced age at the time, are to be admired.
A fine collection of well done covers, but not sure why it's on this list
3.5/5 solid album however, being mainly covers it loses some points for me.
I found this quite sad
Quite somber but otherwise acceptable.
Very sad, not something I’d frequent.
good but got a serious case of the deathbed production. The modern production sounds so bad. I hate it..
Some great songs mixed with some mid songs.
Hurt is still one of the best covers of all time, but there's not much else going for this album. Personal Jesus was also interesting and We'll Meet Again was poignant. The more traditional country covers sounded tired. Not in an intentional stylistic way but like an old man pushing himself for one more go. In My Life and Bridge Over Troubled Water were both actively bad tracks. Cash is a legend. This is his last album but it doesn't hold up to his legacy. Let's remember Hurt and forget the rest.
Probably a hot take, but I thought it was pretty one dimensional and lazy
Loved the lyrics and the music, but I didn’t really enjoy his voice ill definitely like his stuff when he was younger though
Absolutely loved “When the Man Comes Around”. Listened to it probably 5-6 times before I could even move on to the next song (Hurt), which I also loved.
This album is kind of hit and miss. Hurt is amazing, Bridge Over Troubled Water was good. Some of the choices he made were kind of strange. Did we need a Johnny Cash version of Personal Jesus? No, no we didn't. The production was kind of all over too, some of it was fantastic and some of it was basically like if your grandpa recorded covers on a 4 track in his living room. Which this probably was. Was it just me or does anyone else hear him softly whistling as he breathes through his nose on a couple tracks? Don't get me wrong, Johnny Cash was a national treasure but I feel like this doesn't really deserve the accolades it received when it came out, Hurt excepted.
Some good ones
Instantly add gravitas to any song by getting Johnny Cash to cover it. I almost look forward to the AI generated pained versions of Whigfield's Saturday Night et al.
Not a new one to me. I listened to this one 20 years ago when it first came out. I'm surprised how many tracks I forgot existed over the intervening time. But also not surprised. The first two tracks are exceptionally powerful and then the rest of it just tapers off. Love that the Desperado track was copyright struck for being Eagles content so I can continue not hearing their music anywhere ever.
very american, good songwriting (idk which songs are actually his tho cos he covered personal jesus, we'll meet again, AND streets of loredo so idk if i can actually accurately judge his songwriting bahaha), hurt is a great song, i just don't like his voice that much LOL, which makes this hard to listen to when its basically just guitar and vocals, maybe its just that the compression on his voice is just a bit much tho.
3.2 per track. Some absolutely fantastic songs and some not so great, nothing too awful.
First song is a classic
Every song weighty, but probably wouldn't seek it out as an album.
Not my favorite cash but a few classics
i guess i can see why it would appeal but it doesn't to me
Depressing music, I did like Hurt and Danny Boy. Interesting covers for sure, never heard Personnel Jesus sang quite like this before. Odd but interesting.
Not a big fan of U2 anyways.
Pretty good
hauntingly beautiful, a few songs may be a little too slow personally but the guitar and singing are awesome together, his voice is going a little bit but few voices are as iconic as his
Cover album, hurt is good tho
this was a good album but i'm never listening to the cover of hurt again because it personally attacks me
it was touching listening to a lot of this album other than the songs about killing people and getting lynched
the universe is not fucking funny for this one.
Soulful and sad. A couple standouts, but not something usually appealing to listen to when going about your day. Feels more like a funeral march. Fav tracks: Hurt, The Man Comes Around, We'll Meet Again
Waffled on which way to round this one, went up because of the last song. Cash sounds great here. Really clean production, breaking down voice. Really don’t like a lot of the song selection. Feels like Rubin picked about five cover songs that are specifically designed to become sleeper minor hits on the strength of the general sadness of the record. And hey, he got one!
I love Johnny Cash, but damn this record struggles to work. So many of the covers are painful, both failing to serve Cash and the original. Bridge Over Troubled Waters and Personal Jesus being two major offenders. Hurt is a saving grace, as well as the originals.
- is he just talking over the music? - sounds almost like a beer commercial - instrumental of the first two songs are actually good (guitar strumming mostly) - this is like straight up countryside music lol - i liked the cover of bridge over troubled water - not really a fan of the casual storytelling - not my vibe but I can respect it - interesting that he covers these folk songs
Good not great for me
A solid album of great covers, but I prefer Cash's original stuff
Liked it! Slow at some points
Seems odd to pick an album from an artist way past his prime, and singing songs that aren't really like anything they would have normally done themselves.
Some good songs and covers but not really a country fan
Я не особо фанатею по Джони Кэшу и кантри в целом, но как то не было, приятный такой кантри альбом.
not my type
Unlike the Fairport Convention album, which was the 4th studio album... this one is the sixty-seventh. the interpretations of other songs are great, but ultimately, we need to consider why you'd need to listen to this album.
I think you know what you're getting with Johnny Cash. The Man Comes Around and Hurt are stellar. It is interesting to see his takes on other track (e.g. Bridge, Desperado).... though not all are successful. Personal Jesus definitely seems like a mistake. Overall, enjoyable to listen to.
Hurt is Hurt. Some of the interpretations are great. Some are great. It's fine. Good even.
The hits are good ("Hurt" in particular). Pleasant listening. The covers of super well known songs (Desperado, In My Life, Bridge Over Troubled Waters) seem unnecessary. A little boring overall.
Cash's rendition of Hurt will always remain a classic as it showed his more vulnerable side towards the end of his life. Hung My Head is also another excellent cover on the album. Apart from that, I wasn't blown away by much else on an album full of covers
First Cash album I've listened to. Some solid songs in here, but not exactly my cup of tea. Makes me appreciate Cash more though
Effectively a cover album with only 2 original songs on the whole thing, but some of them are fantastic covers, the biggest one being Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt" with a surprisingly uplifting instrumental arrangement and some very closed in vocals. The rest of the album is very much produced in the same vein, acoustic guitar, piano and occasional organ (like in Danny Boy) and vocals mostly mixed without any space to them making the album as a whole feel like you're in a small room with Cash. Not an album you HAVE to hear before you die, but a pleasant one all the same
Emotional and robust
Not my usual kind of music but I liked the country / moody vibes 😁 Probably mainstream but liked 'The Man Comes Around'
There's some nice covers in here, alongside a few original songs. It's very soulful. Plenty of songs that are stripped way back, but mostly hit well. I really like the first track, that's great. Hurt is brilliant. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is a standout, which has a real depth of feeling.
Folk
Personal Jesus og we Will meet again vil jeg gerne lytte til igen.
This album is perfect for falling asleep and never waking up ever again.
Grand
Sono cover, ma "Hurt" ad esempio, è molto meglio così. Purtroppo peggiora.
It's good, but very samey. Favorite song: I hung my head
3.5
This is impressive. Some great renditions of a lot of these tunes.
Meh
Vähän alitti odotukset. Hyviä covereita, mutta pidemmän päälle käteisen laulutyyli oli koko ajan samanlaista tasapaksua ja siihen alkoi hieman puutumaan. Mutta Hurt on tällä levyllä
3 Not much else to be said other than this is a solid album; which you expect from Johnny Cash
Some great songs, some ok songs. Overall, not as good as some of his other albums.
Really into a couple of the tracks on here, ofc 'Hurt' is an outstanding cover
Not in my edition of the book! 2002. 3 stars Very much a mixed bag of covers and a handful of originals. The trick with covers is to add something to the original and ideally make yours the definitive version, and that doesn't happen for a lot of the songs here. However - when it does, such as on Hurt - then the results are fantastic. Worth the entry fee just for a Cash original, "The Man Comes Around".
So many covers done so well. Gotta appreciate the greats.
Some excellent covers, but doesn’t quite elevate above the source material to make this a classic.
Not my usual taste, pretty good overall! Hurt is a classic even though it's a cover.
This is a very nice album to listen to
Me encantó, full nostalgico. 3.5.
Old man Johnny
First two songs slap (YK this). rest of the album just kinda goes on with some interesting covers
Johnny Kontants sista och, håll i er, sextiosjunde album. Förutom två så är alla låtar covers. Inte bara gamla standards, utan stora världshits, vilket är kul! De gamla standardlåtarna blir aldrig riktigt spännande här. Kontants egenskrivna är dock toppen, speciellt albumets öppningslåt, 'The Man Comes Around'. Mycket blir bättre av att filtreras genom den åldrade mannens erfarna basstämma, men vissa låtar, som 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' är svåra att göra bättre än originalen. Samtidigt blir exempelvis 'Personal Jesus', med John Frusciante på gitarr, en helt egen, fantastiskt avskalad men ändå bluesigt hård, version. Han gör även 'In My Life' rättvisa, även om den inte kommer i närheten av Beatles originalversion! 'Hurt', Nine Inch Nails-covern, behöver väl ingen närmare presentation, men Rick Rubins produktion blir bitvis lite högljudd, och sången känns konstigt mixad? Återkommande i vissa andra låtar, blir jobbigt att lyssna på. Bästa låt: 'The Man Comes Around' är nog bäst overall. 'Personal Jesus' bästa covern. Men det kan vara för att jag hört 'Hurt' (haha hört hurt hurt hört) för mycket.
This is the second Johnny Cash album I've gotten on this list, the first of which was At Folsom Prison. This album was a shift in tone from Folsom, but I still enjoyed it. I'm usually not into cover albums (I know this one isn't all covers, but it mostly is), but Johnny Cash really does a great job of adding something new to each of the songs on here. The changes to the instrumentation on these songs really complement Cash as a singer as well, and I love that so many great musicians contributed to this album (Henley, Frusciante, Mike Campbell, etc.). Knowing that Cash would live for less than a year after the release of this album gives more depth to a few of the songs here, most notably "Hurt." Overall, I thought this was a good album, and I enjoyed hearing Cash's version of some songs that I'm already familiar with. Favorite track: Bridge Over Troubled Water with Fiona Apple
I mean.... I really love classic Johnny Cash. Feels like the people falling over these projects are the ones who wouldn't cue up Big River or Get Rhythm or stuff. I like the more country oriented stuff more... some of the pop song covers are pretty dumb. I also just don't really believe Johnny on Hurt the way I believe Reznor... I still think the original cuts deeper. Especially because changing "crown of shit" to "crown of thorns" really, really, really undermines the impact. They just ain't the same thing, sorry you don't wanna swear no more Johnny. Also the production top to bottom is Pro Toolsy bullshit. With all those complaints, still a 3 star. The man is great, this just ain't the real real Cash.
I liked the stripped down aesthetic. I liked The Man Comes Around and Hurt a lot as well as some others. I like Johnny Cash. His career accomplishments are insane: over 1,000 songs written and 50+ albums. I didn’t like the covers of Bridge Over Troubled Water nor Desperado. Also his voice was a too deteriorated at this point for me. If this album were sung with Johnny’s voice from 30 years before, it would be a really good album for me.
Ending with that Ink Spots cover, a "chin up" after all this fear of leaving behind the good and learning to embrace our bad, feels like saying: it all boils down pretty simply after all that. Hell of a lens to be looking at life through after all the other fears and hopes and darknesses he looks at here. Like, this is on the same album as Hurt.
Geweldige man en stem!
Aantal fantastische covers staan er op dit album. Maar toch ook wel een aantal nummers waarin het wiebelt en zijn stem zo onvast is dat het bijna ongemakkelijk wordt om er naar te luisteren. De keuze voor sommige in mijn ogen best saaie nummers snap ik ook niet helemaal.
Not a big Johnny Cash fan, but what more needs to be said about his magnifcant version of "Hurt"? It's such a powerful song anyway, but with his voice, the tempo, and the backing track - it achieves new heights; this song always sends shivers down my spine. An album mainly of covers, his singing on some tracks is not good, but a fitting obituary to the man in black.
Stunning voice. I would appreciate this album the most after a breakup or while drunk. Unfortunately, I don't fully value an album which mainly consists of covers. After all: mixed feelings...
It's difficult to rate this, because it's essentially an album of covers by a man who has a very idiosyncratic voice. I'm not sure I am the biggest fan of his voice. But there is no denying the power of the songs he sings and his being close to death, some send a chill down my spine, while some (Danny Boy) are on the edge of being slightly cringe worthy. Sorry. Needs another listen really, but it is intriguing and in places, powerful. A solid 3.
Prefer his older stuff
A miserable covers album that put me in a really really bad place but it’s not technically bad and the covers are okay (hurt is overrated). 3/5
Not going to listen to this yet because I haven't listened to much Cash and I don't think this is worth listening to yet. Just giving it three start because that's the middle
Kaipaisin enemmän revittelyä versioinneissa, vähän vaihtelua tulkintaan. Mutta kyllähän tätä on kamalan miellyttävä kuunnella.
Nice set of covers from the man.
Late career work. Interesting interpretations of songs.
It went on a little long, in my opinion, but I liked the tone. I'm not sure how I feel about the sudden backing vocals on a few of the tracks. I do think it fits with the last track rather well, though. I like how stripped down it is and the subject matter of a lot of the songs. Hurt is really good. I guess my issues would be the length and some of the songs just didn't hit for me. At some points his voice begun to bother me a little as well, but I respect the album. My favourite songs were Hurt, I Hung My Head, and We'll Meet Again.
Some great and iconic tracks. Some not so great.
Honestly, the best parts of this album are the Cash originals. Overall it's a pretty haunting record, especially in retrospect. The best covers are the Depeche Mode, Sting, Tex Ritter, and Hank Williams songs.
I mean it's good, but also feels like taking advantage of the guy.
Ok
3.5
3,5
got this one on cd! bro is so gruff
It has its moments but the album is very slow and it's mostly covers. Hurt saves the day.
I like this album but it pales in comparison to American Recordings (vol. 1). Still it has some compelling renditions of modern pop songs like Personal Jesus . 3 stars
Gorgeous
For country music it’s not the worst.
no soy muy fan del country porque me hace sentir un gringo dueño de por lo menos 5 smith and wesson pero m gusta bastante johnny cash el cover de personal jesus es lo mejor del disco lejos
Hurt is good but full album is hard to get through
Containing some of my favorite Cash songs ("The Man Comes Around", "I Hung My Head", and "Hurt"), this album is a classic. Released the year I graduated high school, the themes of loss and growing old seemed to pair well with my 18 year old world. 2 decades later, many of the feelings don't hold up and where this album drags, it drags hard. Still one of my favorites, but it didn't age as well as I've would have wanted. But man, when this album hits, it hits hard and deep.
Already had this album :/ my original review: I've only ever Hurt from this and it remains my favourite song from this album. Hmm, so potentially unpopular opinion, but why is spoken word considered music? But only done by certain artists. Oh well. Either way album with quite a lot of covers, some are misses for me tbh. Saved tracks: Hurt, First Time I Saw Your Face, Sam Hall, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Tear Stained Letter
This was good to hear. I don't think Johnny is at his best, but he pulls off a great performance. Nothing super special here, most interesting to me is the curation of songs. Hurt is particularly poignant. Cash sounds good on Danny Boy. Desperado shines on this collection. This is not the album I'd grab if I wanted to listen to Johnny Cash, but it is an awesome milestone and is worthy of recognition.
Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice album for someone with a very long and successful career, but the whole thing is almost all covers which is disappointing. Album also has his cover of Trent Reznor's "Hurt" which I think may be the most overrated cover ever. I'm not strictly opposed to maybe including a cover in an album but I don't understand how people can grade this any higher than 4 starts considering it's almost all a rehashing of other people's music. 5/10.
Sounds good but old
ok, too country but overall good
Jedan klasični po meni cover album.
We've had the Leonard Cohen offering, we've had the David Bowie offering just days ago, and now the tour of death-bed, making peace with the life I've lived albums concludes with the one the former two were clearly inspired by. It can not be understated how exceptional Rick Rubin's production is here. Johnny Cash's performance is dignified, solemn, and honest. The songs are all covers. Some hit the mark (Hurt, First Time Ever..), some miss it (Personal Jesus, Give My Love to Rose). A worthwhile listen, but not one for the regular rotation. Three grim reapers out of five
Great voice, good production, sure, but the selection of cover songs is a little lackluster.
Country covers af ellers gode sange, meget hyggeligt, men heller ikke mere
An okay album with a couple great songs. The interesting thing about this album and all the other American albums are that they were produced by Rick Rubin. I feel like the acoustic covers works good and bad depending on the song. Hurt is done excellently. Some of the other songs fall a bit flat like the depeche mode cover. Overall it’s not bad but fans of certain songs may like others. 6.3/10
Deep.
In his late career, Johnny Cash took on a much darker image in the face of his imminent death. Everyone knows the hit "Hurt", which many consider superior to Trent Reznor (not me). At the very least, these songs are intense in emotion with the cinematic strings and dramatic piano, fitting well with his rusty voice and simple guitar reminiscent of his younger days. This album is full of covers. You could hear over half the songs here (in their most popular forms) on an oldies radio station. And honestly, he does a decent job at it. I was especially surprised by the wild west interpretation of "Personal Jesus." To be honest, none of them are anywhere close to the originals, but they do fit his style well. It's coherent, and fortunately, despite being a double album, it only lasts 50 minutes, which is long enough for me to appreciate without getting tired. Favorites: Hurt, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Personal Jesus, Tear Stained Letter, We'll Meet Again
Nice album of course that I had not listened to for quite a while. You get the feeling that Cash could have made numerous albums in this style and in fact he did. As such, it is not clear to me why this particular one is on the list.
A couple of excellent covers (e.g., Hurt and We'll meet again) combined with several that do not add much to the original.
I want to come back to this one, it's good but a bit depressing for 4 stars
I've only ever Hurt from this and it remains my favourite song from this album. Hmm, so potentially unpopular opinion, but why is spoken word considered music? But only done by certain artists. Oh well. Either way album with quite a lot of covers, some are misses for me tbh. Saved tracks: Hurt, First Time I Saw Your Face, Sam Hall, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Tear Stained Letter
I liked it. Nice to hear Fiona Apple’s voice for a few seconds. Not much to say about this, strangely. I already like “Personal Jesus” so that was probably my favorite.
I consider myself a fan of Johnny Cash, but I didn't really care for this album. Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I don't love his voice in his later years. I also don't care for covers but I didn't mind Personal Jesus. Meh?
This album really reminds me of William Shatner's Has Been. Both are [mostly] cover albums, and both feature "singing" that's more like narration. Sure, Cash has the better voice, but Shatner knows how to not take himself too seriously - and thus his is the better album.
3.6 - "Hurt" is the obvious standout. I appreciate the simplicity of the arrangements that accentuate Cash's exceptional gravitas as a performer. As an album it's a good listen with some nice covers and notable collaborators (Nick Cave, Fiona Apple, Rick Rubin...) but I don't foresee revisiting it.
Hurt & Personal Jesus are brilliant, rest only so so
good enough
Even at the end of his life, Johnny Cash's voice is like no other and he commands a gravitas and drama that's all his own. Some of the covers are great. His version of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" is excellent. And I really like his quiet, pensive take on "In My Life." It's one of my favorite Beatles songs and he more than does it justice. Other covers I wasn't as sold on. His version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" didn’t land for me. “Tear Stained Letter” stood out as a particularly good track. Overall, a nice set of songs on a pretty low-key album.
The songs are generally really pretty and enjoyable to listen to, but there’s just something about his voice or something that just irks me the wrong way. I got annoyed on a number of songs without any real reason. I still can’t pinpoint it, but it likely has something to do with the lyrics or vocals. Other than that, the guitar (and other instruments) is soothing to listen to, and while my unfounded gripe with the vocals stands, they aren’t bad in any way. Favorite track: Danny Boy
Lots of sad song, quite good but don’t think I would listen to it again
Mostly a covers album but Cash’s vocals really give these songs a really different feel to them. Love his cover of Hurt and Personal Jesus and the original song The Man Comes Around
I really want to like this but I really disliked some of the covers.
Eh. It's a collection of generic-sounding covers that rarely offer anything versus the original (the standout is "Hurt", but that is aided by a phenomenal original and a memorable music video on release).
It’s got all the classic Cash flair even if it’s a somewhat melancholic listen overall. I do think the covers detract from the impact of the LP (even though I enjoy Cash’s interpretations), but for a final farewell it’s still a solid product.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes I loved it, a long listing but doesn’t feel at all ling and blends together very nicely, a nice euphoric drive out in solitude would do this one justice Favourite song: a lot to choose from but, Track 14 - Streets Of Laredo
Really not my kind of music but the album has a good flow if you listen to it in one go, songs offer some variety but it still all sounds somewhat same-ish. Hurt is a classic but nothing in here I would add to my playlist.
I've heard this one quite a few times because my parents played the shit out of it. Hurt is obviously legendary but my other favorite is 'I Hung My Head' 3/5
Notre ami est à deux doigts de rendre l'âme entre chaque piste de l'album, ce qui rend son écoute assez délicate et anxiogène. De plus, on peine à reconnaître notre joyeux luron et son emblématique cheveux sur la langue dans cet environnement non-carcéral. Était-ce vraiment Johnny Cash ?
Le cadavre de Johnny Cash se fout ici bien de notre gueule. Il ne se donne plus la peine de nous offrir ses transitions stand-ups, se contentant simplement de mauvaises reprises de Depeche Mode et autres artistes. Cet album n'est même pas enregistré en live ! Impossible par conséquent d'écrire le script du concert, à mon plus grand regret.
some good covers
As cover albums go really great love teh nick cave Collab there voices are beautiful together Bit I don't think I can give a disjointed cover album anything more than a 3 Or 4 arrrg DK
The handful of originals are great as is the Tex Ritter cover. The Reznor tune and the Sting tune I was not familiar with but Johnny does a great job on both of them. It's a surprising song for Sting, like he had Johnny in mind when he wrote it. I've never been a fan of mega-artists covering songs that were mega-hits for other artists, so Like a Bridge/ The First Time and a 1/2 dozen others are a disappointment - the exception would be In My Life, which is powerful from the perspective of a dying man who has lost his wife. I'm going deduct a point for the aforementioned mega-hits (1/2 the album), though what remains is probably my favourite Johnny album that we've received from 1001.
I’m not into Country but Hurt is by far the best cover song I’ve ever heard, this is a case of a cover song that surpasses the original. In my Life isn’t quite up there with Hurt, but it’s also very good. Given that this was his last album, this very sparse and stripped down album gives his voice centre stage and it captures years of pain and emotion with great poignancy. The other covers aren’t as effective unfortunately, Personal Jesus in particular just doesn’t work.
Always had a soft spot for cash's cover of Hurt, and I also like I Hung My Head, the rest of the album is okay
i like this album, but idk if i'd put it in the must pile
Me gustan mucho las canciones narrativas. Su voz en este álbum ya no es lo que era, pero sigue siendo muy especial. Es muy emocionante oírle, a veces me entran ganas de llorar. La versión de Personal Jesus no ha sido un acierto.
Johnny Cash sounds old and that makes me feel sad.
I’m convinced Johnny Cash killed someone and is ridden with guilt.
Lots of emotion, very different voice and vibe from his earlier years
I enjoy a bit of Johnny Cash, but this was a stretch - the first two songs were legitimately good (probably the two I've heard the most as well), but after that it really dropped a notch. Personal Jesus is a great song but this version didn't work too well imo. Cash has his place on this list for sure, but it's more the Folsom Prison stuff etc. 3/5.
The cover of Hurt gets a 5, rest of the album not so much.
Cool but fit with me :-|
Really nice collection of covers, cool stuff
I understand this was his last release before dying and generally didn't really enjoy the covers. I appreciate it for what it was though! There was a very funny one about being on death row Luke and I loved
Some amazing tracks, some stinkers. Overall a pretty good album, especially for a country album!
Good album but dropped a star due to lack of new material. Mainly songs from previous albums or covers.
Pleasant listening, though the songs he covered were mostly so-so. Sam Hall was my favorite.
The first two songs were classics. Album dragged a little for me towards the end
Way better than I thought it would be
Good classic stuff but not my thing personally
lite bland
Pretty good. "The Man Comes Around" is a total rip-off of "The Claw" by Ten Benson though.
Hurt and a few others are amazing, but in some places it just sounds like an old guy talking.
Hurt is great, and he is an icon but not much musically
Hurt is absolutely amazing There's no happy note in there The rest is super melancholic but not bad. It's definitely a very sad album, which is so weird - A popular guy with a successful music career writing a negative toned album? Love it. Interesting that the best songs on this are covers. They're mostly also acoustic versions of those songs which are just wonderfully produced.
Johnny Cash went out on a high note with this record, after a long run on middling records. That's my understanding of the importance of this record. I think its a great record. His voice is obviously shredded by years of abused vocal chords and the fact that he was in and out of hte hospital during the making of the record. I remember hearing the NIN cover and thinking it was cool. But I definitely wasn't paying attention to country music at this time (never really have). I revisited this record when Cash was en-vogue again due to the "Walk the Line" movie. Another subversive musician. Love him. And this is an objectively great record.
I'm not real familiar with Johnny's catalog, but I went in to this thinking, "Oh, it's from 2002 - probably a crappy last-ditch grab at relevance" - but I was pleasantly surprised. For the most part, he stayed true to his roots, not straying from the formula. Most of the songs are about killing someone or finding someone about to die. It's odd, but I appreciate that storytelling is a big part of this genre. Also I didn't know that "In My Life" was from this album. It's probably my favorite Man-in-Black song and I assumed it was real old. That speaks to the timelessness of his work I suppose. Still, I'm wavering between a 2-3 only because I suspect some of his earlier (better) work to be on the list as well. Oh, to hell with it.
Noice! Love the Beatles cover
Hit and miss. have had two Johnny Cash country albums and hated them. This had some memorable songs reinterpreted and properly produced. Hurt a standout.