Newly found Johnny Cash recordings to be released March 25th as "Out Among The Stars"

http://1029thehog.com/news/030030-newly-found-johnny-cash-recordings-to-be-released/

Cool! Always good to hear some "new" Johnny.

They're Columbia outtakes from the early 80's. They will be released on March 25th, 2014 as Out Among The Stars.

 

I'm always excited about any new Cash. This may wind up being a dull record, but we'll see.

I'm confused about the provenance of these tracks, though. To describe them both as "outtakes" and a "lost album" muddies what these tracks actually are. I'd like to think it's a cohesive, purposefully constructed album, but from the sound of it, it's a loose collection of tracks recorded over a three year period.

 

Well, I'm the one who used the word "outtakes" so if I'm using the term wrong, that's my fault.

 

Shame on you! Actually, these are not outtakes at all in the usual sense--seems to be an actual 'album' and may be a pretty good one considering the shelving criteria...shame on Columbia....

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/johnny-cash-album-released-spring-21159131

 

Don't worry, the songs aren't outtakes. It's a "lost" album, so to speak: https://www.facebook.com/johnnycash

 

Here's a short video with his son explaining "Out Among The Stars": http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...H5D52VC&linkCode=as2&tag=legacy_recordings-20

 

You are forgiven, my fellow Cash fan!

 

personally i think this period is very weak... I mean I was litening to that christmas album from 1980 and its pretty horid stuff

 

Well the label chose not to release it when it was new and then dropped him from their roster. Now they'll be trumpeting it as some great unheard album that we should own.

 

I agree. This period was the beginning of a low point in Cash's recording career. I'm skeptical that there will be anything really exceptional among recordings that were deemed not good enough to release at the time, given the fact that what they did release was relatively weak. It'll be interesting to hear, but Cash wasn't a Neil Young type who shelved great recordings for arbitrary reasons. I suspect there were good reasons this material was left in the can. I suppose from a marketing standpoint they have to try to sell it as a lost masterpiece, but I doubt that's what it will be.

 

Exactly.... On the other hand, I would love to hear some of the Carlene Carter w Rockpile stuff that was never released...

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/carlene-carter-musical-shapes-the-lost-rockpile-lp.205960/

 

"Could" be an interesting release.

 

Will this be part of the Personal File series?

 

I don't believe so, no.

 

Any idea why? I'm always frustrated when a series could be continued and releases don't have a uniformity when they could -- unless this somehow doesn't fit the Personal File concept?

 

Well, I don't know for sure; but I'd think if they were going to be released under the Personal File series, they would have mentioned it.

 

It doesn't fit that concept. The "Personal File" series are recordings from various sessions over the years. "Out Among The Stars" are from the very same sessions.

 

It is actually called the Bootleg Series and Personal File is "volume 1" of that series. This does not appear to be part of the Bootleg Series.

 

Well that sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing the information!

 

An article in Paste Magazine notes that

 

Re-recording their parts? I wonder why? Multi-track masters missing? Original audio not in good enough quality?

 

Absolutely. I'll hold judgement as they aren't the first label to hold back worthy music. It could be a good thing but then, maybe not.

 

These tracks were recorded with Billy Sherrill, so to get an idea of what they would have sounded like when shelved, take a listen to The Baron or "Chicken In Black" to get a taste of the instrumentation.

Vocally, Cash's tracks were probably decent (or better), but the music would have more than likely overproduced (by Cash standards, not by Sherrills). The musicians recording their parts are probably so that it will be a little more palatable to a newer audience. The music heard on teh teaser with John Carter bears little to no resemblance to the music that he was making during that time (even a couple of years earlier with Stuart on the I Believe album).

I'm holding out hope, at least!

 

I don't know if I like the idea of adding instrumentation, BUT...

The guys that they are brought in include Marty Stuart and Jerry Douglas, so I will guarantee the music will be phenomenal.

I am VERY interested in the duet with Waylon.

 

Exactly. I would imagine the reason the album is being remixed and some of the instrumentation re-recorded is to try to make it sound less produced and less like a typical Billy Sherrill album. They are probably trying to lure in the casual Cash fans who are mainly familiar with his American stuff, and that necessitates a stripped-down sound.