American IV: The Man Comes Around Bonus

This is a great album that truly shows what an artist Johnny Cash was. If you like Johnny, you'll like this.

Got what I paid for.

This was a Chrostmas present for my daughter and she was very happy with it!!!

One of the best albums in the American Recordings series, if not the best, composed of great covers in the best style of The Man in Black himself. Covers like Nine Inch Nails with "Hurt" (I had no idea that song was theirs), The Beatles with "In My Life," Depeche Mode with Personal Jesus, among others. I understand the album in the Johnny Cash room assisted by Rick Rubin and crew, a must-see and mandatory posthumous album... In memoriam to the man in black!

This is a masterful album despite some occasional weaknesses. First, let's address the problems with this disc:The vast majority of songs are cover versions of songs which are not only prominently associated with the original artist, to try and re-sing them invites criticism. It's virtually impossible to improve upon anything the Beatles recorded or put your own stamp on it. Cash does a credible job with "In My Life" and certainly doesn't embarrass himself, but you still know that it can't hold a candle to Lennon's original vocal. Ditto with "Bridge Over Troubled Water," which is so completely tied to Simon and Garfunkel that one winces if anyone else attempts to sing it. Again, Johnny does a good job on the vocal, but this is essentially filler. Why would anyone want to listen to Cash's version over the original 1970 recording?The inclusion of "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" and the Eagles "Desperado" are the duel nadirs of this disc. Though Johnny sings them both with a touching world-weariness, neither song should have been included. "Personal Jesus" is another clunker.Now let's examine the strengths of this record and its peculiar resonance and power:The opening track is an original Cash composition and one of the outstanding songs Johnny has ever recorded, "When The Man Comes Around." Beautifully sung and arranged, this is a creative tour de force and a song you can listen to repeatedly and still wring something from it. The little nuances Cash puts into the phrasing are memorable. A great song!The next song, "Hurt" is the track which has garnered the most attention, and for good reason. Johnny's vocal is the epitome of pain, poignancy and pathos. It's reminiscent of Sinatra in the 90's, when his pipes were shot, but he still *sang* better than anyone else. This is another stellar high point in Cash's career."Give My Love to Rosie" and Sting's "I Hang My Head" are two other excellent songs, sung perfectly by Cash to convey emotion, depression and despair.Amazingly, Cash's vocals on the Irish ballad, "Danny Boy" are mind-blowing. A song usually associated with singers like Bing Crosby is rendered with exquisite dignity here, in an understated and riveting arrangement.Yes, this is a sobering, serious record, a thoughtful examination of death, God, life and loss. None of these songs has anything to do with "country music," this is more a Dylanesque approach to songwriting and presenting a point of view. Another small, but imporant point, is that the cover photography and liner notes are first rate. Nothing cheesey here.Johnny Cash is an American treasure, and demonstrates on this record the depth of his talent and his soul. Truly a must-have record for those interested in real music, which is so seldom recorded today.

Arrived on time and undamaged

Johnny Cash is a legend. I don't think there will be many arguments about that. What's amazing about him and, perhaps, what solidifies his legend, is the fact that his last four albums were probably his greatest work ever. He left this world on top, which is something few recording artists can say."The Man Comes Around" is as haunting as it is beautiful. It is an album full of love, hate, depression, and perserverance. It can be scary or it can be uplifting. It's a masterpiece.I know I'm gloating over this album, but few recordings, even Christian ones, have moved me like this album. What's even more amazing is that Cash covers songs by unique artists such as Trent Reznor, Don Henley and Glenn Frey, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and Sting. You wouldn't think a simple "Country" singer would have the guts to tackle songs by such varied artists, but Cash did, and he made each song his own. As a matter of fact, he has elevated his status well above those covered on this album.The album starts off with Johnny Cash quoting the book of Revelations. I don't care if you are a Christian, Athiest, Buddhist, etc., if you have read any part of Revelations, you know that it is one of the scariest things you can read. It sets the eerie, prophetic tone of the entire album. The reading blurs into the title track and poses the question, "Will you be ready when the man comes around?" From that, we go into the darkest recesses of depression with songs like "Hurt," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "I Hung My Head." Scattered between are bits like "Personal Jesus" and "Danny Boy," songs that shouldn't be on the same album but work here due to Cash's mastery of his art.Johnny Cash isn't the greatest vocalist around, but his voice speaks volumes and is ten times as good as any cookie-cutter country artist these days. He's real, and that's as honest as you can get.Buy this album. Don't ask questions, just buy it.

Peace

Gran calidad

Auch wenn die Genialität der Aufnahmen auf den minimalistischen Einsatz von Instrumenten und das musikalische Gespür von Produzent Rick Rubin zurückzuführen ist: die raue Intensität von Cashs Stimme haut mich jedesmal um (sogar nüchtern) :-)

Cómo ya he dicho en otras reseñas, los seis discos de las grabaciones americanas son de gran calidad. Y fue una demostración de Fran profesionalidad grabarlos estando ya enfermo de la enfermedad neurodegenerativa que se lo llevaría en 2003.

Cosa dire....capolavoro assoluto, il lascito di un gigante, un'eredità da avere nella propria collezione, il suo ultimo lavoro dove spiccano bellissime ballate, cover magnifiche come Personal Jesus e fra tutte Hurt dei Nine Inch Nails, trasformata in un modo sublime e commovente a tal punto da considerarla sua, come detto dallo stesso cantante dei Nails, se a questo si aggiunge il video che non è altro che una miscellanea di ricordi di un Cash oramai alla fine, sommerso da immagine del passato e di una cena non consumata non può non scendere una lacrima, sapendo anche che la moglie se ne andò tre mesi dopo il video e Cash sette. Ripeto capolavoro assoluto.

Emballage, blister, cd, excellent packaging tout est arrivé en parfait état. Je ne parle pas de Johnny Cash un monument dans la musique country. Merci beaucoup au vendeur pour cet envoi parfait.