5) Johnny Cash – American Recordings IV: The Man Comes Around
Cash has this amazing vocal power, this old school Old Testament prophet of Yahweh thing. He can sell a song, and he has picked out some alternative rock songs of merit, and some perhaps less than obvious standards. Alongside the apocalyptic Biblical drama of the title track, he records a beautiful simple reading of “Danny Boy.” His dry reading of John Lennon’s “In My Life” drains away any easy sentiment or perfunctory prettiness of the Beatles’ classic original recording.

6) Sinead O’Connor – Sean-Nos Nua
I’m not entirely sold on some of the production choices here. Sinead has always been about mixing old misty Irish mystic roots with modern production. You could, however, say that the exact way she’s going about it here is arguably a little ham-handed. She’s singing traditional ballads in strict traditional stylings, but adding obvious flourishes of modern studio vocal production. The effect is certainly novel, but may be more distracting than artistically meaningful.

Nonetheless, Sinead O’Connor is the singingest bitch on the face of this planet. When she wraps her lungs around “Lord Franklin” or “Peggy Gordon,” she exudes a powerful draw in a very quiet and understated way. This album makes some strong listening, give or take minor production effects.

Article Author: Al Barger

Unreformed hawkish Hoosier hillbilly Al Barger runs the still squeezin' down the psychodelic Kentucky moonshine at More Things. What with the paranoid religious visions, the Pentecostal music, visions of God and anarchy running amok and such, somebody …

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