Cash in Ireland

Another month, another Johnny Cash DVD. Or maybe it only seems that way, since the great man's death in 2003 has been followed by a flood of releases (of variable quality) from throughout his career. While not great, Cash in Ireland is a serviceable example of Cash's early ‘90s performances: i.e., a family affair, heavy on the hits, with a persistent cornball element redeemed by Cash's essential class and artistry. With 16 tunes packed into less than an hour, there's no time wasted, as wife June Carter (with sister Helen and daughter Rosie—not Roseanne) and son John Carter Cash share the stage before the Man in Black takes over to perform some of his best known songs, including "Folsom Prison Blues," "Get Rhythm," "Jackson" (with June), "A Boy Named Sue," and, of course, "I Walk the Line." Kris Kristofferson also shows up for "Long Black Veil" and "Big River," and young Rosie comes on like a countrified Etta James during "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," but by and large this is no more than an average gig, sometimes hampered by a thin audio mix (notwithstanding that it is in Dolby Digital 5.1). Of course, median-level Johnny Cash is still a whole lot better than plenty of other artists at their best, so consider this a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (S. Graham)