Johnny Cash - a master storyteller

Johnny Cash personally handpicked, compiled and remastered each of the 48 tracks on this three-CD collection - and that`s just one of the reasons why it deserves a place in any rock, folk or country aficionados CD rack.

You can purchase any one of the discs separately, but the theme works so well it`s a shame to listen to a part without hearing the whole. Provocative liner notes penned by Cash, his wife June and such musicians as U2`s Bono serve to enrich the listening experience. Take, for example, June Carter Cash`s notes, included on the "Love" CD.

"I knew from first looking at him that his hurt was as great as mine, and from the depths of my despair, I stepped up to feel the fire and there is no way to extinguish a flame that burns, burns, burns."

Certainly, she captures a bit of Cash`s honesty and grit, though nothing does that better than these songs. Cash, one of the most successful and popular country artists in America, is more than just country musician (he was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 1992). These songs, recording from the 1950s to more recent years - are laden with more authenticity than most folk musicians can hope for. The renegade musician truly is a spokesperson for the everyday person; an American storyteller of epic proportions.

The "Murder" CD showcases Cash at his tale-telling best. There`s the story of Billy Jo, who never should`ve taken his guns to town; or Joe Bean, hung for a murder he didn`t commit (though he did kill many others); the woman in "Cocaine Blues," who waits for her lover for 15 years until her heart broke and she died. These are stories of good people gone bad or trapped in bad situations and, of course, the tragic sagas of criminals and the mothers, sisters, brothers or mates who love them.

The "God" CD is loaded with lesser-known gems that are beautifully, intelligently rendered. For all his grit, Cash is a God-fearing man. "Why Me Lord" and "The Kneeling Drunkard`s Plea" demonstrate this aptly. The "Love" CD rounds out the trio with such well-known songs as "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire."

Since he arrived on the music scene, Cash has elevated country music to something larger; this three-CD collection demonstrates the outlaw musician continuing mastery in these modern times.

"nyc ghosts & flowers"; Sonic Youth; Geffen.

This new album, labeled as music by Sonic Youth, may not be what you`d expect to hear. Their latest album is another chapter in the group`s 20-year history of experimentation, innovation and re-creation of a typical-sounding guitar-driven post-punk quasi-jazz.

The group has achieved icon status among its fans, but this hasn`t hindered their willingness to stretch the limits of what`s known as music. This readiness to try new things, however, leads to an uneven sound. The album is a mix of distorted guitars, pure instrumentals, bath-water vocals, spoken-word poetry and crazed jazz produced by everything from the mundane bass guitar to the high-tech - a Macintosh Powerbook.

The music never gets as raucous as some of their popular albums: "Experimental Jet Set," "Trash" and "No Star" (1994), or the still-popular "Daydream Nation" (1988). But tracks like "Renegade Princess" manage to include both a dreamy soft quality and more traditional punk elements. Kim Gordon`s weird take on vocals in "side2side" ("newspapers, fabric, eyes, ... sway side to side.") is so quietly odd and Dada-esque that it`s best not to label it, though it makes for a fascinating listen.

The title track is the group`s most lyrical experiment, and it contains some beautiful poetry:

"I remember every word you said/ quite a clear picture/ every word you said/ the door was open but the way was not lit/ and there was no way out my head."

The seven-minute song moves from breathy quiet to ear-splitting noise. And these words can help us understand Sonic Youth: Yes the music is very much in their heads, but when it seeps out and becomes accessible, you`ll feel transcended.

(c) Copley News Service

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Author: Emily Friedlander