UPDATE: I didn't do this right at allllll. Turns out I mistakenly listened to their 5 greatest hits and not the Raising Hell album. With that, my review & comments don't apply to this album. //
I've heard of DMC but not Run; didn't know they were a duo.
The Christmas song was unexpected and wholesome! I also liked their collab with Aerosmith.
OMG 'It's Tricky' from White Chicks is by them?!!! Iconic
Wasn't the biggest fan of 'It's Like That'
This is a full concert recorded that Johnny performed at San Quentin PRISON! It doesn't cut any of his interactions with the crowd; you can tell Johnny Cash is incredibly charismatic & likeable.
I really enjoyed the music, his voice is so recognizable and consistent.
The song Starkville City Jail was particularly memorable (& funny)—it's a true story about Johnny going on a peaceful walk, picking flowers, then getting arrested & thrown in jail. The crowd was laughing along to each line.
San Quentin offered some interesting criticisms on prisons & how they "[do] no good." Really bold of Johnny to shit on San Quentin while performing there! It didn't register for me until now that he was performing at a prison.
-> The crowd clearly resonated with this song, asking him to play it again & he immediately did! He also cheekily had the (prison) guards get him a cup of water in between. He got a ton of applause after the reprise.
A Boy Named Sue was another memorable song—really strong storytelling. Apparently written by Shel Silverstein???
I do think I would be able to pick up more details about the music in a studio version, but I think hearing him live really brings me there and helps me get a better sense of the kind of person Johnny was.
Didn't take notes as I was listening this time; I'm taking these after the fact.
I think I liked the first half of this album better than the second, but it was really strong overall! I think some of the latter half will grow on me.
Top Songs: Four Women, What More I Can Say, Lilac Wine, Break Down & Let It All Out
I made multiple playlists just to put Four Women on them!
I can immediately tell Nina Simone influenced MANY current artists. Outstanding!
Highlights: cherub rock, quiet, today, hummer, disarm, soma, geek USA, mayonaise, sweet sweet, luna
General notes:
- Grungey, Chicago-based alt rock band formed in 1988 (SUPER popular/successful during 90s)
- Lead singer (Billy Corgan) looks exactly like Gerard Way & apparently he mentored Gerard a bit
- A lot of these songs sound like they belong in an early 2000s movie
- Silverfuck had a weird intermission I wasn’t expecting (not the biggest fan, but maybe it needs another listen)
- Sweet sweet is short & such a vibe
- Luna reminds me of smth; i really enjoyed it
- Album seems to get softer as it progresses through tracks
Overall: Solid, no misses, most songs I saved yet! They have a clear sound but also demonstrate versatility. I’m interested in hearing more from them, and seeing which tracks end up leaving the most lasting impact.
Apparently his last album (he passed a year later)! Voice is still incredibly strong and distinctive.
Didn't know several iconic songs were on this album: Hurt, Danny Boy, etc.
I noticed Streets of Laredo sounded vaguely familiar -- turns out the ballad of lucy gray (from the hunger games prequel) was set to the same melody!
As my second Cash record (at this point), I really appreciate his penchant for storytelling. This album had a mix of different vibes, but was mostly fairly sad, with some expressions of romance, guilt, regret, etc. It seems like Johnny may have been aware he was reaching the end of his life, based on songs like Give My Love to Rose & We'll Meet Again. This is a really powerful album overall, but I did like the first half a bit more than the second half.
Apparently Steely Dan is an American rock band (founded by a duo that hires other musicians). More of a studio project than a band—Becker & Fagen didn’t seem to set out to be a traditional ‘rock’ band.
Do it again - such a vibe, really cool production
Dirty Work - I’ve heard this before (either in a movie or on TikTok). Reminds me of Lana’s NFR; it’s possible she took inspo. Good song!
Kings, Fire in the Hole, and Turn That Heartbeat Over Again were also memorable!
Scarborough Fair/Canticle is sooo pretty & folky (apparently it’s a folk song that dates back to Middle Ages).
I can tell Sufjan Stevens is inspired by S&G! (vocals in Cloudy especially)
Overall, the sound has such an intimate and film-like quality.
Simple Desultory Philippic is unexpectedly funny (“folk rock” “I lost my harmonica, Albert.”)
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her is really tender & beautiful; A Poem on the Underground Wall is really cool.
7 O’clock News / Silent Night is SUCH. A highlight of this album. It features S&G singing Silent Night softly as a (fake) newscaster reports actual news from that year—politics, murder, protests, etc. As the song goes on, the newscaster becomes louder. This track is really evocative, eerie, and meaningful; it speaks to how society tries to drown out/cope with social issues.
For whatever reason, I've never been able to get into this particular sort of punk-y sound. The instrumentation is pretty repetitive and unmemorable -- all the songs kind of blur into one. Not a huge fan of the vocals. The themes covered feel pretty surface level. (Based on my research it seems this band liked to stay out of politics, which I find disappointing, especially for an IRISH band within the PUNK umbrella, though I suppose people are allowed to make whatever music they want.) Not unpleasant to listen to, just underwhelming overall.
Solid vocals, short & sweet album. Loved the concept. Dancing is mandatory! I will say, the first track (P-Funk) was the highlight for me, and unfortunately set the bar a bit too high for some of the following tracks. I also wasn't a fan of the "barefoot & pregnant" reference, but I guess it was just a popular phrase at the time. Nonetheless, the record was still really good as a whole.
My highlights were:
- P-Funk
- Mothership Connection (Starchild)
- Give Up the Funk
This was my first (intentional) listen to funk music, and it was a great intro! Hopefully this album only grows on me!
