Johnny Cash's return to the music scene with the album "American III Solitary Man," might at first seem like a dubious comeback attempt. With so many accomplishments under his belt, one might wonder how Cash, in his old age, can possibly live up to his legendary past successes.
An American icon both vilified and praised by the Country Music Association; he was one of the original "outlaw" singers. His influence on American music has been immeasurable. His achievements have ranged from induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame to inspiring artists such as Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Merle Haggard. So, with this long list of accomplishments, my expectations for "Solitary Man" were very high, and I'm happy to say that it met almost all of them.
Cash's rich baritone voice has faded slightly since the days he toured with Elvis or maintained the number one spot on the charts for 44 weeks straight, yet his old age has not detracted from his talent a bit.
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Cash has always had a straightforward approach to his music. He talks through the verses of his songs and then flows into the chorus in tracks like "Nobody" and "I See A Darkness." Unlike many of today's artists who use electronics and other means to enhance their sound, Cash plays it straight with nothing but guitars, fiddles, pianos and organs. Rather than the music driving the vocals, as is the case many times today, this style allows the vocals to drive the music. And with his still distinctive voice, Johnny Cash is one of the few men that has the ability to do this. Listening to him sing, you can almost see him standing there, singing with all the intensity that made him famous in his youth.
Musically this is a solid album, and the additions such as Marty Stuart, Randy Scruggs and Merle Haggard don't hurt any. Laura Cash plays a good fiddle, Benmont Tench demonstrates his skill on the piano and organ, and Sheryl Crow adds a nice touch with the accordion. Other than "I Won't Back Down," "Solitary Man" and "I'm Leavin' Now," there are no outstanding guitar riffs and no overly impressive piano passages or drum solos, but everything fits together, providing the perfect background to Cash's famous voice.
Nowhere is this more evident than on the Irish-sounding "Mary on the Wild Moor." Even the backup vocals from Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow complement Cash's singing perfectly. And on one of the best, and most fun tracks, "I'm Leavin' Now," Cash teams up with old friend Merle Haggard to perform a duet. As always, the duo's voices complement each other well.
Although lyrics are not the strong suit of this album, they're not bad, just very simple and straightforward. The lyrics of "One," "Country Trash" and "Nobody" provide a refreshing change from the mainstream style of many modern country songs. Today country songs have a canned mainstream sound, particularly when they are about love. Cash, on the other hand, does not hesitate to adopt a harsher approach, putting more blame on women than on himself in the almost sarcastic "One," and the sounds of relief bordering on joy heard in "I'm Leavin' Now." Cash also shows a softer side, singing more about personal reflection in "Nobody" and "Wayfaring Stranger."
And even though Cash has mellowed out over the years, he still enjoys testing the boundaries of political correctness as he does with a fairly graphic song about the electric chair. In "The Mercy Seat," he sings about process of dying and what goes on in a man's head as he is about to die. This song, more than any other, hearkens back to Cash's heyday, when country music was about actual events and experiences rather than lighthearted love and redneck fun.
The only real way to describe this album is that it is pure Johnny Cash: old-fashioned rockabilly country. His voice may sound a little older, but don't let that fool you, "The Man In Black" is still going strong.
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