American Recordings

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1994 Cash stunned the music world with this commanding collection of 13 solo acoustic performances that roll from gospel to cowboy to sarcastic folk. Minimalism had long been Cash's meal ticket, but this time around, producer Rick Rubin stripped it all away, recording the bulk of the record in Cash's cabin or his own living room (two cuts were captured live at the Viper Room in front of an emphatic audience). Cash offers five typically direct and vivid originals, but he also seizes control of songs by Kris Kristofferson, Nick Lowe, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Loudon Wainwright. 40 years after "Hey Porter", Cash delivers a pure, naked, and incredibly moving record that, dare we say, rivals the impact of his greatest achievements. --Marc Greilsamer

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2006-10-16 rating:
Perfection
This is the first of the so-called American recordings, and arguably the best. The songs have been carefully selected by Cash, and I believe there is certainly something here for everyone. If you love music you will soon fall in love with this album. Most artists today don't have one percent of the emotional intensity that Cash had. I highly recommend this album without reservation.

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review by: date: 2006-08-16 rating:
American Recordings - A series of 5 albums, 5 stars each.
Johnny Cash is one of those artists that almost everybody has heard of, but is all too often filed under the "past sell by date" category that long-lived musicians often fall into. I myself once believed that; but following the Man in Black's departure from this world I was amazed to see the incredible respect that this aged hero was commanding from beyond the grave. The release of "Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" greatest hits albums were my first insights into what has now turned out to be a lifetime of epic proportions.

Whilst listening to said album, I came across songs that I knew already, and at first was shocked to think that JC had written one of U2's biggest hits and even a 9 inch nails song. On further investigation, I discovered the truth, which led me to the "American Recordings" series.

These albums are, quite frankly, some of the greatest, most honest and heart rending collections of music that have ever been compiled. The first album is as stripped down as music can get, meaning you really listen to the words of the song and get completely immersed in the imagery and stories being described. JC's voice is so distinctive and inescapable you will almost feel guilty if you ever have to stop the album midway, like cutting off a grandfather in the midst of a war story. No one else seems to convey the amount of pain, longing and pity that he does, and you often become so immersed in a song you feel like he's right next to you in the room.

And the pace doesn't slow down at any point in the series. JC has an incredible talent of immersing himself into every song he performs, like a great actor giving the performance of his life. The only difference is that you know Johnny is singing from experience rather than putting on a show, and is making this music from the bottom of his soul for our enjoyment, not to fill his pockets. Even songs like "Danny boy" and "bridge over troubled water" are imbued with that indescribable Cash-ness, to the point that you forget that they're not even his songs. Combine that with the religious aspects that give many of his songs a prayer like quality, and you'd have to have a heart of stone to not be moved at some point during listening.

Each album is another step in a journey, and is impossible to fault, therefore represent some of the only examples were 5 stars are completely justified. If you buy them one at a time you'll be desperate for the next by the time you've listened through the previous, and it keeps on going even when you reach the end of the series when that terrible, hollow feeling creeps into your stomach. It's only then that you realise the world has been deprived of one of the most unique, emotive, distinctive and talented artists to have ever lived.

The Man in Black, A Solitary Man, A whirlwind in a thorn tree, whatever you want to call him one thing is for sure; Johnny Cash will live on in the hearts and minds of countless people for many, many years to come.

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review by: date: 2006-07-04 rating:
An honest record...
The stripped down style of this record showed how much of that J.R was still left in his soul. An honest and deep voice accompanied by an acoustic guitar that makes you think in those lonesome times of your life... a record to think, enjoy, laugh and be lonely.
A kind of truth that can only be heard from Johnny's voice ... Just listen...

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review by: date: 2006-06-14 rating:
Cash let out of artistic prison
This album finally showed what Cash could do when allowed out of the cage which the 'Cash sound' had become for him. Much of Cash's very best work over the years has been singing without the support of a band, acoustic guitar only - but this is the first album he did with that theme. There are so many superb songs on this album. My particular favorites are 'Beast In Me', 'Delia's Gone', and 'Man Who Couldn't Cry', but three others come very close and the overall level of quality is astoundingly high.

Buy it, but don't stop with this one. It gets better with the later albums 'Unchained' and 'Solitary Man'. Believe it or not!


review by: date: 2006-05-08 rating:
Rebirth and Revelation.
Perhaps the best analogy i can use to describe the impact these American Recordings had on Johnny Cash admirers, is to try and imagine how the disciples must have felt upon dicovering the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty.Sure we all knew what Johnny Cash stood for, what he sounded like and what he sung about, but even so these songs were and still are, a revelation.An artistic rebirth virtually without comparison.
Stripped down to only his guitar and that wonderful deep voice, Cash commands a presence so powerful and stirring these songs are carved in granite for witnesses to marvel at many, many years from now.
And the songs themselves, whether from his own pen, or from those of others, all now become Johnny Cash songs.It almost doesn't matter the talents behind such classics as "Why Me Lord" or "Bird On The Wire", the composers give way to the singer, because it's the way Johnny Cash gives a voice to the infatuated murderer in "Delia's Gone", or to the Vietnam veteran in "Drive On", or to his own deepest fears in "The Beast In Me", or to his own highest beliefs in "Redemption" or "Down There By The Train", or to his own long, troubled life in "Like A Soldier" or "Let The Train Blow The Whistle", that make this album a deeply honest journey into the artists own sucesses and failings.But one that connects to all those willing to listen for in doing so he speaks for all the little parts in whole of us that make up the whole, neither fully good or completely bad.Cash had the unique gift of being able to take you to the very gates of hell with one song, but always offer up the chance of redemption with the next.
So if you have any interest in Johnny Cash, in music, or just in what makes us who we are, then buy this album, buy the other American Recordings in the series, buy the "Unearthed" boxset, just so you can say you saw and heard the legendary Man in Black walk and talk it like only he could, for the very final time.

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