American IV: The Man Comes Around is the fourth album in the American series by Johnny Cash, and sadly the last album he released before he died in 2003. In listening to this album after his death, I feel these songs become even more poignant to the listener, particularly the title track, "The Man comes Around". Although the majority of the songs on this album are covers, this is one that Cash wrote himself and is about God and death; the lyrics: "There's a man going around taking names And he decides who to free and who to blame Everybody won't be treated all the same There'll be a golden ladder reaching down When the Man ...  Read the complete review

This is almost an introspective by Johnny Cash, an album released very late in his career, close to his death, its almost as though he has chosen songs he feels appropriate and they really are. I have read other reviews on this site and I do accept that songs such as Bridge over troubled water, and we'll meet again don't need improving upon, but these are simply cover versions in the sense that Cash is reinterpreting them and I think he does an amazing job because when he sings he brings everty word to the fore and gives real meaning to them, i've never found We'll meet again so moving, this is an incredibly good album and Rick Rubin keeps production to a minimum ...  Read the complete review

I'm a huge fan of Johnny Cash, so my negative review of this album which currently seems to be highly acclaimed by dooyooers is not out of spite or dislike for the artist. The Man Comes Around: American IV is an album produced by Rick Rubin, who in my opinion Johnny Cash needed to get shot of. The America series had more and more covers until they released this which was the most cover happy lot of them. The first two tracks are crackers and set the style of the album - which is filled with largely depressing ballads as if Cash himself knows his death is imminent. None of these songs are as suited to Cash's singing as much as his own work and ...  Read the complete review

If you purchase only one Johnny Cash CD... let it be this one. I grew up on Johnny Cash, my mum's favourite singer, unfortunately, like all teens, I turned my back on my mum's style of music and embraced bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Sting, etc... And then, a few years ago, I heard the song HURT on the radio. I was touched, my heart ached from all the sadness and desperation that poured from that song, and that sensation was one I hadn't felt in many, many years. I'll admit, I purchased the CD for that song alone... shame on me once again for underestimating Mr. Cash's enormous talent. I had ...  Read the complete review

I know that many people revere Johnny Cash but this album is largely pretty poor. Released mere months before his death in 2002 the album largely made up of cover versions with a smattering of his own songs. I should qualify my opening judgment by stating that this is the only Johnny Cash album that I own and that I am largely unaware of all but his most famous work such as 'Ring of Fire'. Because of this the album might not get quite the benefit of doubt that an album by a band that I own a number of records by might receive. On the other hand it allows me to judge the album purely on the music. The albums starts with 'The Man comes around' and is the ...  Read the complete review