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Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around Audio CD

A fair review of the Johnny Cash "American IV: The Man Comes Around" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Johnny Cash reviews here, or go back to the Johnny Cash tabs.

Johnny Cash Band: Johnny Cash
Title: American IV: The Man Comes Around
Rating:
Release Date: 2002-11-05
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: The Man Comes Around 2: Hurt 3: Give My Love To Rose 4: Bridge Over Troubled Water 5: I Hung My Head 6: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 7: Personal Jesus 8: In My Life 9: Sam Hall 10: Danny Boy 11: Desperado 12: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry 13: Tear Stained Letter 14: Streets of Laredo 15: We'll Meet Again

Listen as the Legend Gives His Life to This Final Work
As with most prolific artists this will not be the LAST album to be released with his name on the cover. This was the last studio album that was released during Cash's life. But for me this was it. You can almost hear the life escaping this man as he pours his heart and soul into these tracks. As far as I know the only original track on here is the titular "The Man Comes Around" This is a stunningly simultaneously dark and crisp narrative about "the man" an agent of God who is making the final tallies for Judgment Day.

The other tracks are all covers. I love the way he warbled through Bridge Over Troubled Water, it was epic in scope. I was surprised to find "I Hung My Head" to have originally been a David Bowie song, but Cash puts his mark on it. The rest of the tracks are not as strong as the ones above, but add to the overall mood, the feeling of finality to the work.

That is except of course for brave, vulnerable, soulful and heart wrenching cover of the Nine Inch Nails track "Hurt". This is one of those tracks that begs to be heard. Crank it all the way up to 11. This is a powerful ballad, the lyrics which Cash subtly changed to make it seem more personal. Once you have seen the video that was created for this track you can't help but picture June looking over his shoulder as he belts out this mea culpa to her and to his fans. When you realize that June had passed before this video was released it takes on a whole other-worldliness.

This album is not just for country fans, I should know, I am not a country music fan. This is an album for those who enjoy music and all the emotion that it can bring. One warning, my dad described listening to Cash on this album as ". . . it was like he had forgotten how to sing. " I can completely see his point, but for me that is what strengthens it. It is raw. It is decidedly unpolished. And for me it was and is spectacular.

T.


A testament the end we are all approaching
I think that this is the beauty of this album. Many of the reviews both negative and positive have commented on how this Johnny Cash does not sound the same as the Johnny Cash of old. Cash sings every song on this album with emotion and feeling. There are moments in songs like Hurt and Bridge over Troubled Waters that you can almost feel the regret and pain in this man's voice. Those who criticize the lack of range and the missed harmonies miss the point. This is not an album of technically perfect songs. This is an albulm of emotion and feeling that exposes the soul of a man near the end of his life. Each song seems chosen to convey a certain feeling that Cash wished to get out before the end. Take this album for what it is, a record by a great musician who saw his end coming when he still had much to say. It may not have the same technical merit as Cash's earlier albums, but it portrays an artist putting their heart on record for all to see as they near the end.


"American IV: The Man Comes Around" is excellent!
All of the tracks on here are excellent!

Track Listing:
1. "American IV: The Man Comes Around" is excellent! This is one of the best albums that Johnny Cash ever did. The Man Comes Around
2. Hurt
3. Give My Love To Rose
4. Bridge Over Troubled Water
5. I Hung My Head
6. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
7. Personal Jesus
8. In My Life
9. Sam Hall
10. Danny Boy
11. Desperado
12. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
13. Tear Stained Letter
14. Streets Of Laredo
15. We'll Meet Again.


A Great Series of Recordings
I started with the first one "American Recordings". After hearing so many people gush about the Johnny Cash /Rick Rubin American series for several years, I finally got around to giving them a listen. The first listen was a wow moment. A few weeks later I bought the next three "Unchained", "American III: Solitary Man" and American IV: The Man Comes Around". I had a long day of data entry to do so I ended up listening to these three CDs in one sitting on head phones. Amazingly I did not get bored with them and the time just flew by.

They did everything right on this series, from song selection to what seamed like the unerring production on every track. Be it Johnny with one guitar or a full band it seamed like no mistakes were made. Cash's voice was starting fade a bit on American IV but I found it to be an apt conclusion to his story in music. All four CDs are worth having and I will get American V some time soon.


This is a very fitting swansong for Cash.
.


The Man Comes 'Round
" Great album from a great man. With just his guitar and baritone voice, Johnny Cash performs songs that evoke more emotion than the overproduced original versions he covers, like 'Hurt" and "Personal Jesus.


You can see a complete list of all Johnny Cash discography, or go back to the Johnny Cash tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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