Johnny Cash: American IV: The Man Comes Around (2LP)

The long career of the real Man In Black has produced amazing results. Would you have thought, for example, that Johnny Cash has had as many US pop chart singles (48) as the Stones and the Beach Boys? Or that he won two of his eleven Grammies as an author of liner notes (for his "At Folsom Prison" album and Dylan's "Nashville Skyline"). Or this record: for 38 (!) years in a row, the man from Arkansas was represented in the country charts with at least two singles. But Johnny Cash not only has historical merits that are second to none - he still adds valuable chapters to this history. This is also symbolized by the Grammies, which the now 70-year-old icon has received in a row since his comeback in 1994. For American Recordings as "Best Folk Album"; for Unchained as "Best Country Album" (legendary at the time was the "Billboard" ad in which Cash thanked the "Nashville music establishment" with an outstretched middle finger for their "support"...) as well as in 2000 for his last album Solitary Man - in the category "Best Country Male Vocal Performance". The year before he also received the coveted "Lifetime Achievement" Grammy. The next chapter will follow in early November With "American IV: The Man Comes Around," Johnny Cash continues his collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, which has been successful in every respect. Musicians included Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante, Beck guitarist Smokey Hormel, keyboard legend Billy Preston, drummer Joey Waronker (R.E.M.), Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell from the Tom Petty camp, and bluegrass/country pickers Randy Scruggs and Marty Stuart. They were joined by illustrious vocal guests: Nick Cave joined Cash on Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," Fiona Apple did the honors on Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and songwriter Don Henley didn't miss the opportunity to once again (co-)interpret his Eagles classic "Desperado." Furthermore, Trent Reznor ("Hurt"), Martin Gore of Depeche Mode ("Personal Jesus"), Sting ("I Hung My Head") and the duo Lennon & McCartney ("In My Life") provided attractive templates for Cash. But the latter also wrote four songs himself, including a reprise of his classic "Give My Love to Rose" as well as the gospel title song, about which his old (and new) sideman Marty Stuart said something like this beautiful line: "It's the weirdest, most amazing, most wonderful, most mysterious Christian thing that only God and Johnny Cash could create together." And, as we all know, no one can get past those two.