1001 Albums Summary

Well, having American IV as my first album has been quite a shock. Since I have barely ever listened to country music, maybe my opinion is not the most expert one. However, I will try my best. First of all, when I first came across the album, I have to admit that it didn't really excite me. I went three days without listening to it because I wasn't thrilled. However, while I was studying, I decided to give it a chance, as I wasn't going to quit right at the beginning of this road. Before diving into the album, I read about Johnny Cash and his relevance. This research helped me understand the record, as it feels more like a goodbye letter than a conventional musical album, if you know what I mean. However, if we set all of that aside, the album and its tracks do get more and more repetitive. The story behind it is beautiful, I'm not gonna lie, but the music itself can feel a bit monotonous, as most of the tracks are only Johnny and his guitar. Not everything was bad; in fact, I enjoyed part of it. The first track, "The Man Comes Around", really clicked with me, as did "Hurt", "In My Life", "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and "We'll Meet Again". However, as I got into the second half of the album, I noticed that the sound became rawer and turned into a more traditional country style. I suppose that was just part of Johnny's nature. Overall, it's good, but it's just not my cup of tea.