Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways
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Free Music Notes for American V: A Hundred Highways
Free Music Review: Impending Death, Salvation, Love, Prison And Judgement.
Hit: 5 Stars
Up until now I have almost exclusively enjoyed the 1960s - 1970s recordings, although I think Personal Jesus from 1990s is one of Johnny Cash's greatest intepretations.
Following his death came a number of releases from producer Rick Rubin.
I approached this one with some caution as Johnny has been known to fall into sentimentality. Well in this case, forget that idea!
I played this CD through twice straight off, something I hardly ever do.
While the strenght of his voice is clearly on the wane, there's no questioning his honesty, humility and integrity.
Apart from the lighter moments of If You Could Read My Mind and Rose Of My Heart, it's mostly about human weakness and dying. Coupled with those themes is a searching and reaching out in faith to God for peace and some understanding of why we live and die.
If you want to be entertained, look elsewhere, if you want to hear Johnny bear his soul and more, this could be for you.
Free Music Review: Beautiful music
Hit: 5 Stars
This is great music from an old, weak, near-death artist. The fact that Johnny knew he was near the end makes this album very poignant and, at times, heartbreaking.
He wears his faith in God on his sleeve, but the music never seems preachy. He comes across as a man expressing his views, not trying to convince the listener of his beliefs.
Some songs, like "Four Strong Winds", a Neil Young classic, and "If You Could Read My Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot, are songs we have heard hundreds of times, but they seem new and fresh with new meaning sung by this Cash. And you will be in tears by the end of "On the Evening Train", a Hank Williams song, knowing that this song about a man seeing off his wife's casket was sung soon after Johnny said good-bye to June.
I love all of Johnny Cash's music, beginning with "Hey Porter", but the American series, especially this one, really stick in my heart.
Free Music Review: He called my name and my heart stood still, when He said, "John, go do My will!"
Hit: 5 Stars
This, obviously, is the fifth album in Johnny Cash's American Recordings series. Johnny Cash recorded several dozen songs after his wife June died and up until his death. A couple of years later, enough time had past so that producer Rick Rubin finally felt comfortable listening to the tapes. He chose twelve of the songs to be included on this album. It's a very powerful but sad album. Johnny's voice was very ragged by this point, but that just adds to the poignancy. Some people have conjectured that Cash knew he didn't have long to live, due to the type of songs incuded here. But I think you have to keep in mind the fact that the songs here are the ones that Rick Rubin chose to include, out of the many that Cash recorded. There will be an American VI, which reportedly will feature "lighter" songs from the same same sessions as this album. If American VI is only half as good as American V, it will be well worth getting.Free Music Review: The final recordings of a music legend
Hit: 5 Stars
Johnny Cash will always be one of my favorite singers. His low rich distinctive voice conveyed a range of emotions. I don't have any of the other CD's in the American series, but I loved the variety of themes on these recordings. Help Me, I Came To Believe and God's Gonna Cut You Down are three songs that show that he a deep faith in God. Rose In My Heart and Love's Been Good to Me are beautiful love songs. If You Could Read My Mind is another standout love song on here. I'm Free From The Chain Gang is another highlight. This is an excellent song about appreciating your freedom after getting out of prison. He really sings from the heart on this song. Like the 309 and Further Up On the Road are two beautiful songs about death and approaching the end of life. I loved listening to the final recordings of Johnny Cash. I wouldn't be surprised if producer Rick Rubin received a Grammy for his work on this album.Free Music Review: The Timeless Legacy of a True American Artist
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm just over 40 years old and almost every childhood memory I possess is set to a Johnny Cash soundtrack. My Dad loved him and that love is something we share, even though my Dad has been gone for years.
I'm not a music critic, and I wouldn't presume to comment on the technical elements of the songs on this album, but I will say that there is no music being made today that approaches Johnny's ability to capture the heights and depths of the human experience. Even though his voice is often weaker than that which I remember from my youth as being something approaching the voice of God, there is still a power and grace within it that can not be matched or even approximated. If you know anything about Johnny Cash or have ever enjoyed any of his music, you won't regret buying this CD. It's not happy, dance-around stuff, but it is truly moving and great. All I can say is, "Thank God for Rick Rubin."