Albums of the week: Cash or Soprano?

Soprano in all his states

Rap Good news: Soprano has tempered his desire to honor the worst variety of the 1980s as a model of culture, which made his latest discographic concept particularly rough on the neurons – he still cajoles the “Goldorak” generation in the song of the same title, the least inspired of his new album.

For the rest, the Marseillais rediscovers the formula that made his strength, a rap tempered by all the tools of family pop. Not too many autotunes, a lot of chorus choruses, a few sunny rhythmic hits (“Easy to dance”), a handful of tender refrains, a few square rapped pieces, in short, enough to appeal to a very wide audience. Hip-hop classics won’t welcome “Freedom” into their pantheon, but the record should do the job of brightening up summer playlists and filling theaters. (FBA)

Johnny Cash’s Deep Shadow

Country Beautiful ironwork applied to the coffin of Johnny Cashthe recordings supervised by producer Rick Rubin, the “American Recordings” (six albums, two of which were posthumous) opened the country star’s work to a new audience, magnetized by the twilight darkness of this “juke-nox.”

This new publication, 21 years after the death of the “Man in Black”, serves as a reminder that we cannot reduce it to this last period. “Songwriter” captures the musician around 1993, just before his collaboration with Rubin. Without a record contract, plagued by addiction problems, Cash records demos here reworked – to what extent? – but which keep the essential: the deep and sincere voice of a master. Several successes in this renovated framework but consistent with the course of his art. (BSE)

Echos de Tomasz Stanko

Jazz The power of Miles Davis’ influence has often left trumpeters with little choice. You had to either move away from it, keep a good distance from such a characteristic style, or let yourself be carried away by the current and take the risk of being seen as an epigone… Tomasz Stanko (1942-2018) was one of the rare to be able to take paths crossing the territory of their elder without losing their own signature.

The Polish trumpeter has always enjoyed immense respect from the musical community, but he has sometimes struggled to broaden his audience, to break through the ceiling. This recording, a 2004 concert with his young quartet (the excellent Marcin Wasilewski is on piano), allows us to recall the height of vision, the gentleness, the trembling and the intelligence of an exceptional musician. (BSE)

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