Johnny Cash – Out Among The Stars (Album)
Johnny Cash. He’s been dead for nearly 11 years and he’s still releasing music that’s better than most of what I hear in the charts today.
It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of the Man in Black. I, without a doubt, believe he’s the greatest singles artist of all time; one of the reasons being that he is the greatest lyricist in music history. There is no better storyteller than Johnny Cash.
Out Among the Stars marks Cash’s 55th studio album, and his 3rd to be released posthumously.
The 13 tracks were discovered by Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, in 2012, and are lost recordings from sessions JR had in the 1980s, during his time at Columbia Records.
This is immediately recognisable by opening title track, ‘Out Among the Stars’, and continues throughout the album. The choral backing vocals, upbeat tempo, increased instrumentals and more integrated production, are very recognisable when compared to Cash’s 1981 album, The Baron. So it comes as no surprise a lot of these tracks were recorded with the producer, and architect of the countrypolitan sound, Billy Sherrill.
Track 2, ‘Baby Ride Easy’, was an unexpected duet from Cash and the missus, and a refreshing reminder of why Johnny and June made such a charismatic and dynamic musical couple. The couple do what they do best and sing about a working-class romance, transporting you to an American truck-stop diner; you can see the jukebox, the tiles and gorgeous waitress in the coffee stained apron. June makes a return on track 11, ‘Don’t You Think It’s Come Our Time’, for a much more emotional duet.
(Interestingly, ‘Baby Ride Easy’ was actually a hit for June Carter’s daughter, Carlene, w/ Dave Edmunds. It’s up to you to decide whether or not mum’s come along and trumped her. …She did.)
‘If I Told You Who It Was’ is the stand-out track from the album for me. Great lyrics. Just vintage Cash, telling his story. I need nothing more.
Cash also returns to his religious/gospel sound with, ‘I Came to Believe’. I know this sort of stuff isn’t favourable to everybody, but being able to sing about his faith was one of the reasons Cash originally left Sun records. And when you can hear his passion and the work put into these songs, you really shouldn’t have to be religious to enjoy them.
Fans of Johnny Cash will welcome this album dearly, simply because it’s incredible to hear fresh music from someone we loved and lost over a decade ago. And you can hear why Cash was one of the greatest music stars and trailblazers, not just of Country, but of the entire industry. Cash had the ability to put feeling and emotion in his vocals. It’s true, he may not have been the most technically gifted singer in music, but he is instantly recognisable, and you believe in every word he sings.
Much of the album is upbeat and cheerful, but there are a few slower tunes in the mix, like the strongly-spirited country ballad, ‘After All’ – but that’s what listening to a Johnny Cash studio album is all about.
This album, just like a lot of Cash’s music, has the ability to transport you to the dusty, rural tracks of Tennessee, and make you reflect on your life; from your friends to your loved ones, both past and present. And when the album has finished, you feel like you’ve come away with a fresh, more optimistic view on life.
If this album doesn’t make it into at least the UK Top 5, I might have to spit in somebody’s eye.
