The collaboration between hard-core rap/rock producer Rick Rubin and country legend Johnny Cash has produced four albums and 56 recordings over an eight-year period, but precious few new tracks from The Man in Black.
The album is also the catalyst for Cash's first music video in nearly a decade. Cash spent three days recording the video for his cover of the Nine Inch Nails' song "Hurt" at the Johnny Cash Museum in Hendersonville, TN with NIN video director Mark Romanek.
The song is by far the best of the 10 covers on the 15-song album
Cash's dissonant version of the Trent Reznor tune is one of those rare times when the cover is better than the original, as in the case of the Cowboy Junkies' cover of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane."
Cash is at his best redefining the edge to Trent Reznor's powerful song about heroin addiction. Amidst Benmont Tench's pounding keyboards, Cash's gravelly delivery of the lyrics - And you could have it all/My empire of dirt/I will let you down/I will make you hurt - adds new weight to the song.
In the press release for "The Man Comes Around," Cash describes "Hurt" as the "best anti-drug song I ever heard" and a song he could "relate to from the very beginning."
Although he tries, Cash's cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" - the first single on the album - is less inspired. Perhaps it's because he tried to turn the religious satire into a gospel song.
Cash's inclusion of the bizarre Sting song "Hung My Head" was a poor choice and he's out of his range on "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (accompanied by Fiona Apple), but the others won't make you cringe.
In addition to Apple, Cash is joined by Nick Cave on "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Don Henley on "Desperado" and all three in the chorus for "We'll Meet Again."
Track Listing
1. The Man Comes Around
2. Hurt
3. Give My Love To Rose
4. Bridge Over Troubled Water
5. I Hung My Head
6. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
7. Personal Jesus
8. In My Life
9. Sam Hall
10. Danny Boy
11. Desperado
12. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
13. Tear Stained Letter
14. Streets of Laredo
15. We'll Meet Again
..from somewhere on the net, i forgot to note it
<img src="http://rfcop.50megs.com/images/karmazin_sig.gif">INFINITY BLOWS