Johnny Cash - Out Among the Stars
COUNTRY STANDARD TIME
HomeNewsInterviewsCD ReleasesCD ReviewsConcertsArtistsArchive
 

Out Among the Stars (Sony Legacy, 2014)

Johnny Cash

Reviewed by Lee Zimmerman

One would think that with all the archival music, reissues and postmortem tributes released on Johnny Cash's behalf, the vaults would have been scraped pretty clean by now, with only scraps left for dedicated completists to feast upon. So it comes as no small surprise to find that the Cash archivists actually uncovered some entire sessions that haven't been unearthed until now. Recorded in the early '80s, "Out Among The Stars" is such a high quality collection that it could have brought Cash to the top of the charts had it been released when it was originally intended.

First discovered by John Carter Cash in 2012, the songs, originally produced by veteran producer Billy Sherrill, were further refined by a musical team that included the younger Cash, Marty Stuart (who played on the original sessions), Buddy Miller and Carlene Carter. It's unclear what remains from the original sessions and what was added after the fact, but regardless, there's a richness and vitality to these recordings that stands in stark contrast to the dark, fatalistic albums he made with producer Rick Rubin for American Recordings. Indeed, there's abundant humor here, from the unlikely tale of a stage door Johnny and the surprising object of his affection referred to on "If I Told You Who It Was," to the double meaning and vengeful tale of a final rendezvous that steers "I Drove Her Out of My Mind."

Other treasures abound as well - the spirited revamp of Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On" (done as a duet with Waylon Jennings), the sprightly "Baby Ride Easy" and back porch ballad "Don't You Think It's Come Our Time" (both sung with wife June Carter Cash), and the domestic discourse that sweetens "Tennessee." All told, this is one timeless treasure, and one well worth the wait.


CDs by Johnny Cash

Songwriter, 2024 Koncert v Praze (In Prague-Live), 2016 Man In Black: Live in Denmark 1971, 2015 Out Among the Stars, 2014 Bootleg Vol. IV: The Soul of Truth, 2012 From Memphis To Hollywood, 2011 American VI: Ain't No Grave, 2010 Johnny Cash's America CD/DVD, 2008 At Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition, 2008 The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1978 DVD, 2008 The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1979 DVD, 2008 At San Quentin, 2006 American V: A Hundred Highways, 2006 Personal File, 2006 The Johnny Cash Children's Album, 2006 The Legend, 2005


©Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countrystandardtime@gmail.com
AboutCopyrightNewsletterOur sister publication Standard Time
Subscribe to Country Music News Country News   Subscribe to Country Music CD Reviews CD Reviews   Follow us on Twitter  Instagram  Facebook  YouTube