American II: Unchained (studio album)
by Johnny Cash

My favourite of the American albums. Rusty cage and southern accents are both epic but the rest of the album has some other wonderful moment. One of the greatest voices in popular music. He could sing the phone book and make people weep. One of the greatest artists of all time, no matter what the genre,

Opinions differ. I think it's the best of the American albums. They are all good though and Rick Rubin deserves a medal for what he did for Johnny. I really think these albums took Johnny to a different level in the cultural consciousness and that he is remembered differently, immortalized really, because of them.

Probably the weakest of the four, but that voice is still there, and the delivery is something else. Rick Rubin's production just strips it back and let's in the aching vulnerability.

My gateway to country and americana.

From buzzdainer 09/04/2016 17:06

Of all the late-career Johnny Cash recordings with Rick Rubin behind the soundboard, those on Unchained are far and away my favorites. That's partly because I spent many a Friday night drinking beer in my buddy Mark's living room listening to this album. But it's also because this is the album with the most breadth, the one with the most surprising and interesting choices of covers, the one that's most celebratory and most fun. It's unfortunate that Choice Hotels turned Cash's version of Geoff Mack's "I've Been Everywhere" into a goddamned commercial, because it's so great on its own merits: funny, whimsical, and strangely wise. Everything a country star in the twilight of his life ought to be.

The man shines on this album.

From Decurso 08/05/2014 13:40

An incredible effort from Cash at this late stage of his career. His rendition of Rusty Cage is possibly the single best example of how he could play anything and make it his own.

From junodog4 07/14/2012 19:24

The 2nd best American recording for Johnny Cash. Notable for 'Rusty Cage'.