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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It's oddly coincidental that Rosanne Cash's first No. 1 country hit was "Seven Year Ache." As it turns out, it's been seven long years since her previous album, 1996's 10 Song Demo, and though she'd written an album's worth of songs after that, her voice suddenly gave out due to a polyp on her vocal chords. Thanks to voice therapy, Cash was able to resume singing and recording, and the result is the hauntingly beautiful Rules of Travel. Tastefully produced by husband John Leventhal and featuring guest appearances by Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Teddy Thompson, and Johnny Cash, the album is a showcase for Cash's trenchant, soul-baring songs about love and mortality. Nearly every song is infused with a brooding melancholy, even the ones with sweet musical hooks ("Closer Than I Appear," "I'll Change For You"). When you hear the poignant "September When It Comes," a duet with her father and one of the album's highlights, you can't help but be stirred hearing them sing, "When the shadows lengthen and burn away the past/they will fly me like an angel to a place where I can rest." Rules of Travel is an impressive musical return from one of our most gifted singer-songwriters--and her voice, by the way, sounds as good as ever. --David Hill
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 10 Song Demo |  Black Cadillac |  The Very Best of Rosanne Cash |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By R. Vosik
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This long-awaited CD makes the delay almost seem worth it. Every song is a keeper, and some will break your heart.
The opening song, Beautiful Pain, written by Craig Northey, features a beautiful, upbeat tune and backup vocals by Sheryl Crow. 44 Stories evokes the wonder of getting to know someone, with deep lyrics.
I'll Change for You, with help from Steve Earle, is one of the most lyrically creative songs you'll hear all year, all about obsession.
It's on the next three tracks that this album becomes a classic. Rules of Travel, the title cut, might just be the loveliest song Rosanne has ever performed. The music builds to a tremendous hook, supporting some clever lyrics. Unique instumentation supports the catchy music. A masterpiece.
September When It Comes is the emotional center of this album. It's a tune about mortality, and when Rosanne's father, Johnny Cash, sings his verses, you will feel chills. Another classic.
Hope Against Hope, written by Jakob Dylan and Joe Henry, rocks smoothly, bolstered by layered instruments and a catchy chorus.
The next two tunes, Will You Remember Me and Three Steps Down, aim for more introspection and depth. The latter features the vocals of Teddy Thompson, son of Richard and Linda Thompson.
Closer Than I Appear would have fit very comfortably on Rosanne's Rhythm and Romance or King's Record Shop albums. It's very much a throwback to those days when she produced unique country music, and it's great to hear Rosanne in that mode again.
Speaking of throwbacks, Western Wall is almost a carbon copy of the version that appeared on Ten Song Demo. The song deserves to be heard again, and it fits well with this album.
Finally, Last Stop Before Home, written for (but unrecorded by) Linda Ronstadt, ends the album in a mellow groove accompanied by some haunting lyrics.
John Leventhal's production is stunning, as usual, with surprising elements layered with more traditional elements. And Rosanne's lyrical depth, honesty and self-examination are as strong as ever.
One wishes there was some forum where these songs could become the big popular hits they deserve to be, but in the interim, pick up a copy. It's the best album of this year, and ranks with Rosanne's classics.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I had kind of forgotten what a unique voice Rosanne Cash has been over the years until I saw her play a brief live set on our local cable channel in Philadelphia. As soon as I heard her sing the wonderful title song and the poignant "Last Stop Before Home," I knew I had to find this CD. I'm glad I've rediscovered her emotive, husky voice again, especially having heard the backstory about her near seven year fight to regain her voice after polyps were discovered on her vocal cords.
"The Rules Of Travel" is easily Rosanne's best album since the dark "Interiors," the chronicle of her breakup with then husband Rodney Crowell. Eleven ruminations on the pain of love and loss, her voice conveys the deep-hued melancholy that first struck me with its honesty back when "Blue Moon With Heartache" made me a fan. Producer and new husband John Leventhal frames each song with great care, making the guest appearances sound like more than random duets. Steve Earle adds his gritty tone to "I'll Change For You," underscoring that song's ultimate falsity. As much as the change is wished for, there's no way it's ever going to come. Teddy Thompson (son of folk legend Richard Thompson) has picked up the same kind of wanderer's eloquence his father has mastered over the years for "Three Steps Down." (Which, by the way, is one of three songs Rosanne did not have a hand in wirting, but was cowritten by Marc Cohn of "Walking in Memphis" fame. Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers and Joe Henry also contribute good work.)
But the best of the lot has to be "September When It Comes," a duet with Rosanne's father Johnny. It certainly becomes hard to remain separated from the song when the elder Cash sings "They will fly me like an angel to a place I can rest." It's an amazing moment on a great album. Maybe Rosanne won't break back into the spotlight with "The Rules Of Travel," but if you're reading this, you can certainly do your part by getting yourself a copy.
"The Rules Of Travel" is easily Rosanne's best album since the dark "Interiors," the chronicle of her breakup with then husband Rodney Crowell. Eleven ruminations on the pain of love and loss, her voice conveys the deep-hued melancholy that first struck me with its honesty back when "Blue Moon With Heartache" made me a fan. Producer and new husband John Leventhal frames each song with great care, making the guest appearances sound like more than random duets. Steve Earle adds his gritty tone to "I'll Change For You," underscoring that song's ultimate falsity. As much as the change is wished for, there's no way it's ever going to come. Teddy Thompson (son of folk legend Richard Thompson) has picked up the same kind of wanderer's eloquence his father has mastered over the years for "Three Steps Down." (Which, by the way, is one of three songs Rosanne did not have a hand in wirting, but was cowritten by Marc Cohn of "Walking in Memphis" fame. Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers and Joe Henry also contribute good work.)
But the best of the lot has to be "September When It Comes," a duet with Rosanne's father Johnny. It certainly becomes hard to remain separated from the song when the elder Cash sings "They will fly me like an angel to a place I can rest." It's an amazing moment on a great album. Maybe Rosanne won't break back into the spotlight with "The Rules Of Travel," but if you're reading this, you can certainly do your part by getting yourself a copy.
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is Rosanne Cash's first album since 1996's TEN SONG DEMO. She suffered fractured vocals and had to undergo surgery. Here she returns, with RULES OF TRAVEL. Cash wrote 9 of the 11 songs. There are many musical guests such as Sheryl Crow, Teddy Thompson, Johnny Cash and Steve Earle. They all work well with Cash.
The album opens with "Beautiful Pain", with Sheryl Crow. The song is short and sweet. A true standout is the duet with her father Johnny Cash on "September When It Comes". It's simply beautiful and breathtaking, and touching to hear father and daughter sing together. "Western Wall" is a nice stripped back acoustic song that was also on her TEN SONG DEMO album.
The album still features the introspection that fans and admirers have come to expect from Cash's songwriting, which is comparitively just as great as the two tracks she did not write (Beautiful Pain and Hope Against Hope, which was written by Jakob Dylan from The Wallflowers).
The title track boasts a wonderful chorus, an extremely well written song. "I'll Change For You" is another great track, a song featuring Steve Earle. Other highlights include "Hope Against Hope", "44 Stories", "Last Stop Before Home" and "Will You Remember Me".
A nice, mature album. I sure wasn't disapointed. One of the better albums to come out so far this year.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Roseanne as usual
This gets 4 stars only because I like a few other of her albums marginally more. But i will take any of them.
Published 2 months ago by rastaman
2.0 out of 5 stars
Unintelligible
Having bought every one of Ms. Cash's recordings, regret doing so here. Introspective musings meaningless without an external frame of reference as played on a real hi-fi, thought... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Dr. J
5.0 out of 5 stars
So beautiful, I had to buy it twice
Sometimes you buy a CD and through no fault of your own someone else falls in love with it so hard and they're struggling to make ends meet... Read more
Published on August 28, 2010 by Mysterious Microburst
4.0 out of 5 stars
May she live to 2060
Dusky vocals, heartfelt songwriting, great support by an accomplished group of musicians, and a duet with Dad ("September When It Comes") that will eventually stand alongside the... Read more
Published on February 27, 2008 by P. White
5.0 out of 5 stars
wonderful
i haven't heard rosanne cash in far too long. this is a wonderful re-introduction to a very talented singer songwriter. i thuroughly enjoyed it
Published on March 24, 2007 by moe stavnezer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring
This album inspired me to get into more rootsy, more down home music that I usually don't listen to. Read more
Published on May 11, 2006 by lee southerwick
4.0 out of 5 stars
A worthwhile sleeper
I've had this CD for a couple of years, and I have to admit, when I first got it I wasn't terribly impressed. Read more
Published on August 16, 2005 by Elizabeth A Triano
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rosanne is cooler than her cohort
I saw her perform most of these songs on Austin City Limits. I must admit I hadn't paid much attention to her since her debut album, back when I was playing in country bands. Read more
Published on August 1, 2005 by Laurence A. Diehl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Here are the facts, as much as I know
"Rules of Travel" is a piece of pop perfection. Almost too perfect, almost too slick. One might almost think Rosanne and her producer, John Leventhal, have found some... Read more
Published on January 26, 2004 by rballjones
5.0 out of 5 stars
Electrifying... Smooth as Silk... Joy to the Heart & Senses
Roseanne Cash is a gemstone; glittering sunshine, a sparkling brook, a sunrise and sunset... whom this music (and book) lover had the opportunity to meet in Manhattan in 1997 at... Read more
Published on January 13, 2004 by Josephine Kaszuba Locke
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