Album Review: Johnny Cash, 'American VI: Ain't No Grave'

Ain’t No Grave, it seems, that's gonna stop Johnny Cash from releasing music; and whilst for some the faint sound of a barrel being scraped might never be entirely muted here, this second posthumous release certainly does its job.
A fitting and emotional closure to the 'American Recordings', like most of the series this is essentially a covers album- but 'Ain't No Grave' is the soundtrack of a man of unshakable faith. The title track might recall 'God's Gonna Cut You Down' with its stomp-clap downbeat, but where the latter dealt with accepting death, 'Ain't No Grave' is the sound of someone who knows he's heaven-bound. Whist Cash's voice might have attenuated to that of a frail and dying man, these songs remain defiant and hopeful- 'hope springs eternal' on 'I Corninthians 15:55', time has 'opened the door' to freedom on 'I Don't Hurt Anymore', whilst on 'Satisfied Mind' Cash states that he'll 'leave this old world' content. The album's most poignant moment is a beautiful adaptation of ‘Aloha Oe’- almost tear inducing in its sincerity- and one would be hard pushed to think of a more fitting line to close the recording career of a man clearly of such staunch religious faith than 'until we meet again'. 8/10