[.ca] American Recordings

Amazon.com essential recording:
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. Forty 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

Simple and Beautiful:
For those who think that you've got to be borned with a beautiful voice or play skillful guitar to make it, Cash proves that you don't. All you need is expression and honesty in your performance, and the result will be an album like this.

brings back old memories:
My parents always listened to music by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, David Allan Coe, and Waylon Jennings and when I hear their music it always brings back memories. Johnny's older songs like Boy Named Sue are my favorites because I grew up on them and now my kids know them by heart, but there are good songs on this CD too like Bird On A Wire and Why Me Lord. It isn't going to be the same without Johnny Cash, but we still have his music and now he's with June.

It's Cash's Delia-not mine!:
"Who has Desecrated "MY" Delia?", I thought the first time that I heard this recording. Only recently did I order this and after listening to this both yesterday and today did I come to the realization that it was not "MY" Delia but Cash's. He was always ready to change with the times, (Remember when he had Dylan on his television program in the 1960's?) and in this recording he has proven that change is indeed good. Tracks two (02) and three (03) are both, dare I say brilliant. It is hard to believe that this was recorded in a living room with just Cash and his guitar. The thirteenth (13) track, "The Man Who Wouldn't Cry", was recorded at a place called Vipers before a live audience and Comes highly reccomended. Reminisant of his earlier recordings Like his "Everybody Loves a Nut" Album, you can tell that he had to have enjoyed not only performing this number but had to have had a hell of a fun time composing it as well. Now quit reading everyone else's opinion about this. Buy the damn thing and listen to it yourself. I look forward to reading your comments concerning this masterpiece in the near future.

back in black:
As you can tell by checking the other CDs I reviewed, I love hard edged Country. Cash's edge makes these cuts go deep.

This disc is essential:
The other reviewers on this site have done a good job of delineating the contents of this cd, so I will just add my comments. I will begin by saying that I am not particularly fond of country music, but I greatly admire this disc. It has a cross-genre appeal that is primal in power.Moreover, it is just plain cool. Buy it today.

• Delia's Gone
• Let the Train Blow the Whistle
• Beast in Me
• Drive On
• Why Me Lord?
• Thirteen
• Oh, Bury Me Not (Introduction: A Cowboy's Prayer) - Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash
• Bird on a Wire
• Tennessee Stud \oLive\c
• Down There by the Train
• Redemption
• Like a Soldier
• Man Who Couldn't Cry \oLive\c