Johnny Cash - Unearthed

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Music reviews of Unearthed

Music Review: Not merely a boxed set: a treasure chest for Cash fans
Rating: 5 Stars

WHO'S GONNA CRY. This disc, corresponding with the first American album, features Cash unadorned, with just his acoustic guitar - and that voice. It features several great covers, a few previously-unreleased Cash songs, and some re-recordings of his former hits. It starts the set off with a killer, pardon the pun, version of Long Black Veil that is even better than the classic version on the At Folsom Prison album. Other highlights include Flesh and Blood, If I Give My Soul, a great Banks of the Ohio, Casey's Last Ride, and Dark As A Dungeon. The track Book Review is interesting, as the listener gets to hear Cash in conversation. The disc closes with a fine alternate version of Tom Waits's Down There By The Train. This disc is interesting for its immediacy and its focus on Cash's inimitable voice and for the naked and powerful emotionality that he brings to the songs.

TROUBLE IN MIND. Cash goes electric, with help from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Red Devils, and various members of his extended and very musical family. This disc is nearly flawless, with not a single weak track. It also has a considerably lighter tone than the dark first disc, with Carl Perkins even joining in for two of a series of rollicking rockabilly numbers. An epic, monumental re-invention of Neil Young's political Pocahontas starts off the disc. Other highlights include two distinct version of Dolly Parton's (!) I'm A Drifter; a peerless version of the country blues title track, which ranks among Cash's best performances on the entire set; a heartfelt duet with June Carter on the re-invented As Long As The Grass Shall Grow; the aforementioned rockabilly numbers; a driving version of Steve Earle's Devil's Right Hand; and worthy alternate versions of two great songs from the first American album. Closing out is a wonderful and beautiful take on Leonard Cohen's Bird On A Wire - complete with a full orchestra.

REDEMPTION SONGS. This disc is also virtually flawless, tainted only by the throwaway Salty Dog. Whereas the second disc worked parallel with the Unchained album, this disc corresponds with the last two American albums - primarily acoustic (though with a band) and darker in mood. A Singer of Songs is a great anthem to start off the disc. The absolute highlight, maybe of the entire set, comes with Redemption Song, a beautiful and heartfelt take on the Bob Marley song that brought tears to my eyes. The duets with Fiona Apple and Nick Cave included here are both superior to their counterparts on American IV and should have been on that album instead. Another great highlight of the disc is a tremendous version of Stephen Foster's Hard Time (Come Again No More), one of the very best tracks on the entire set. Great versions of Wichita Lineman, Big Iron, and You Are My Sunshine round out the disc.

MY MOTHER'S HYMN BOOK. This disc features 15 songs of Cash singing gospel songs armed with only an acoustic guitar. This is an album that he wanted to record all his life, and it is the one that he named as his personal favorite. A very personal album it is: Cash is literally singing from his mother's hymn book! Cash states in the liner notes how much these songs mean to him; it comes across clearly on his performances. These stark, moving, unadorned performances are truly something to behold: beautiful and very emotional. Even non-Christian listeners or those who do not like gospel songs, will find much to admire in this set because of its emotional, intense, and clearly heartfelt nature. For those who especially value Cash's gospel performances, this will be the best disc in the set; for those who are not especially interested in it, however, it may come off as somewhat boring.

BEST OF. The inclusion of this disc simply makes no sense: anyone who would buy an expensive boxed set of outtakes would already own the first four American albums. The track selection is good, but this is simply superfluous. This extra disc only serves to drive up the price of the box and should have been used to house even more unreleased takes.

The 100+ page booklet that comes with this set is excellent, tainted only by a few printing errors. It features very informative and moving notes by Sylvie Simmons, as well as the comments of Cash, Rubin, and the various sessionists for every track. The cardboard slips that house the discs, however, are rather poor. The valuable discs could easily be damaged with such shoddy housing. For the price, these certainly should have been of a higher quality; purchasers should keep their discs in separate jewel cases.

Overall, this is simply an essential purchase for anyone interested in the music of Johnny Cash. This is a grand statement from one of American music's towering greats.

Description of Unearthed

Christian & Gospel CDs

• Music > Styles
• Country
• Folk
• Pop
• Rock