Book Review
May. 17th, 2013 10:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariAmerican Recordings
by Tony Tost
This is another in the 33 1/3 series, this time covering Johnny Cash's American Recordings, the album that sparked his resurgence at the end of his career and life. A mix of new original material and covers of songs both traditional and written by others, American Recordings is an amazing album, and Tost does a great job of delving into its mysteries.
Tost centers his book on the myth of Johnny Cash, which Cash himself created, and looks at how each song on the album (as well as some that appear on the albums that followed) fits into or against that myth. Tost's writing about "Delia" and Cash's criminal and outlaw personas is particularly illuminating. Another highlight is the examination of Cash's take faith and redemption as seen in songs like "Down By the Train", "Redemption", and "Bird on a Wire". I especially liked the parts that compared Cash and Tom Waits as explorers of Americana and as mythmakers.
Tost has very strong opinions about Cash and his oeuvre, and that is both the biggest advantage of this book, and a small disadvantage. Tost has no qualms about making it really clear when he thinks that a song choice or rendition of a song did not work, and I didn't always agree with him (i.e., his assessment of "Bird on a Wire"). But Tost does explain his reasoning and make his case very well, for both the things he praises and the things he pans. I really liked his level of investment and thought about his subject matter.
by Tony Tost
This is another in the 33 1/3 series, this time covering Johnny Cash's American Recordings, the album that sparked his resurgence at the end of his career and life. A mix of new original material and covers of songs both traditional and written by others, American Recordings is an amazing album, and Tost does a great job of delving into its mysteries.
Tost centers his book on the myth of Johnny Cash, which Cash himself created, and looks at how each song on the album (as well as some that appear on the albums that followed) fits into or against that myth. Tost's writing about "Delia" and Cash's criminal and outlaw personas is particularly illuminating. Another highlight is the examination of Cash's take faith and redemption as seen in songs like "Down By the Train", "Redemption", and "Bird on a Wire". I especially liked the parts that compared Cash and Tom Waits as explorers of Americana and as mythmakers.
Tost has very strong opinions about Cash and his oeuvre, and that is both the biggest advantage of this book, and a small disadvantage. Tost has no qualms about making it really clear when he thinks that a song choice or rendition of a song did not work, and I didn't always agree with him (i.e., his assessment of "Bird on a Wire"). But Tost does explain his reasoning and make his case very well, for both the things he praises and the things he pans. I really liked his level of investment and thought about his subject matter.
