The Man Comes Around is possibly the best opening track of any album. Johhny's now raspy voice delivers a chilling verse from the bible and then we're into a richer sounding music than the last album. Rick Rubin surrounds Johnny with perfect accompaniment without losing that close-to-the-mic quality that this incredible series of records has.
I think this album (IV) was made when Johnny was really ill, close to the end with cancer; as such, but I could be projecting here, you can't help but feel there's a desperate desire to record one last set of classics. The feeling turns what could be a mournful set of records into something beautiful while at the same time, and as you'd expect from Johnny, it has an edge. An edge that feels like Johnny is sticking two fingers up to death. Who else could turn a lame middle class self-hating narcissistic pile of tosh like Hurt into a joyous lament?
A perfect record from start to finish.
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