Unchained - Johnny Cash
The first four songs on Unchained come from the songbooks of Beck, Don Gibson, ... more
Soundgarden, and Jimmie Rodgers. What might look like absurdly unsupportable eclecticism in other artists, of course, is pretty much standard stuff for Cash. Unchained is ha...
Unchained - Johnny Cash
The first four songs onUnchainedcome from the songbooks of Beck, Don Gibson, Soundgarden, ... more
and Jimmie Rodgers. What might look like absurdly unsupportable eclecticism in other artists, of course, is pretty much standard stuff for Cash.Unchainedis hardly...
Label / Distributor: American/Columbia / Sony Music/Arvato Services
Engineer: Greg Fidelman; John Ewing; Sylvia M
Producer: Rick Rubin
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 886971770827
Catalogue Number: 88697177082
Additional notes
Album Notes: Johnny Cash follows up his solo-acoustic comeback, AMERICAN RECORDINGS, with another astounding slice of Americana. This time around he rocks out a bit, with the able assistance of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, while maintaining the raw, stripped-to-the-bone production (by American Records label head Rick Rubin) that made the last one so vibrant. The Heartbreakers provide the perfect accompaniment, with a rootsy sound that's sprightly but never overwhelming, leaving plenty of room for Cash's cavernous baritone to jump off the album and into your soul. Cash has always displayed a sharp ear for material, but he's rarely been as daring and unconventional in that sense as he is here. In addition to writing three strong originals for UNCHAINED, Cash takes on songs by postmodern folk-rocker Beck (the startling album opener "Rowboat") and the grunge-rock band Soundgarden (whose "Rusty Cage" sounds scarily made to order for Cash). He also does a Dean Martin hit, "Memories Are Made of This", and Petty's "Southern Accents", along with old country standards from the catalogs of Jimmie Rodgers, the Louvin Brothers and others. It's quite a selection, and Cash lays his claim on every song so completely that you may never be able to hear the originals the same way again. Johnny Cash is a rare breed. The purity and power of his voice cut through to the essential, primal truth of any song he sings.
Album Reviews: Rolling Stone (1/23/97, p.44) - Ranked #5 on Rolling Stone's list of the "Ten Best Albums" of 1996. Rolling Stone (12/26/96, p.198) - "...a more conventional country-blues record than AMERICAN RECORDINGS. It is also less of an art project. Cash brings equal helpings of spirituality and savoir-faire to his singing..." Entertainment Weekly (11/08/96, p.69) - "...a travelogue of Cash's sticky psyche--the repentant sinner wrestling with dark desires. Backed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Cash still sounds like the Voice of the Ages, with his bass baritone wobbling on pitch as it hasn't in years." - Rating: B+ Alternative Press (4/97, p.66) - 3 (out of 5) - "...Cash slips on [these] tunes as comfortably as a black mourning coat." Musician (2/97, p.123) - "...the sound is pure Cash--all chesty rumble and straight-strummed guitars with nothing funkier than a rockabilly beat from the rhythm section....UNCHAINED seems such classic Cash it almost doesn't matter who's playing with him..." Village Voice (2/25/97) - Ranked #21 in the Village Voice's 1996 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll.
Advantages: He is Johnny Cash Disadvantages: I am not Johnny Cash
...a beautiful piece of country gospel, and that listening to it with an open ear just might make you understand something about love. ?I Never picked Cotton? is more of a statement of intent than a song, rebellion, betrayal and redemption are classic elements of country music and here it is for you in its full glory. The last two songs ?Unchained? is a superb piece of gospel, if the music was this good in our churches then more people would go, and ?I?ve Been Everywhere? finish off this album but I have grown weary of writing as the codeine is wearing off so I will leave you in one paragraphs time.
This Album won the Grammy for best country album in 1997, and started off a relationship between JohnnyCash and Rick Rubin. During the rest of his life Johnny world produce several more albums with Rick Rubin which arguably were among the best of his...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Totaly Definitive Album Disadvantages: None Whasoever Buy It and Make your life Better
...For definitive albums you don't get much more definitive than this one. JohnnyCash backed by the Tennassee three and others, playing to 2000 inmates and armed guards at Folsam Prison.
The album kicks off in fine style with "Folsam Prison Blues" with the tennassee three Boom-chicka-Booming in fine style and goes down a storm with the crowd. There is also a good selection of songs paying "tribute" to Johnny's toubled past, such as "Cocaine Blues" and the gallows humor of "25 Minutes to Go". Cash's bas baritone is also in fine form throughout the recording which is especially good on the very soulful rendition of "The Green Green Grass Of Home"
The album covers pretty much the whole of Johnnys repotire filled to the brim with songs about Murder, Crime, Drinking, Drugs, Love, Spirituality and Twisted Humor. This album is pretty much...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Classic , fresh , raw , entertaining , a little piece of history . Disadvantages: May be too dated for some .
...Background
JohnnyCash had been recording and playing for quite a while before I came across him properly as an artiste. In the early seventies my brother bought "JohnnyCash live at St Quentin" and it was a real eye opener, or should I say ear opener to me. Previously to this I had sort of heard him in passing but not taken that much notice. As a flighty teenager he had seemed far too old and straight to appeal to me. It took my advancing years to truly get a feel for the man and his music. However "San Quentin" was one of the first rungs on the ladder.
My boyfriend at the time, and Husband to this day, bought the L.P before I knew him and so, among our differing tastes in music, this was one firm favourite. He has bought Cash?s music over the years right up to his final offerings and for me the music matured well along...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
very helpful 11.06.2007
(22.03.2009)
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