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Johnny Cash - Unchained (1996)

Track listing:
  1. Rowboat 3:17
  2. Sea of Heartbreak 2:39
  3. Rusty Cage 2:47
  4. The One Rose 2:24
  5. Country Boy 2:28
  6. Memories Are Made of This 2:16
  7. Spiritual 5:04
  8. Kneeling Drunkard's Plea 2:29
  9. Southern Accents 4:39
  10. Mean Eyed Cat 2:31
  11. Meet Me in Heaven 3:42
  12. I Never Picked Cotton 2:37
  13. Unchained 2:41
  14. I've Been Everywhere 3:14

Notes

For all of its critical praise, the all-acoustic Rick Rubin-produced American Recordings was slightly listless. For the follow-up, Cash and Rubin wisely decided to ditch the minimalist approach of American Recordings and set the Man in Black in front of a full band — namely, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. The pairing is surprisingly inspired, as the Heartbreakers prove to be a loose and muscular supporting band, giving Cash the opportunity to invest himself completely in the songs. Cash is more than up to the task, bringing life not only to classic country songs from Jimmie Rodgers and the Louvin Brothers, but also classic pop by Dean Martin ("Memories Are Made of This"), alternative rockers (Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage," Beck's "Rowboat"), and several made-to-order songs from the likes of Petty himself. Occasionally, the pairings are a little forced, but more often than not Unchained consists of remarkably vibrant and inspired music that lives up to Cash's status as a legend.