Christmas Collection

No matter what genre or style he chose to tackle, everything Johnny Cash recorded in his long career came out sounding like, well, Johnny Cash. That's a good thing. With Cash, you knew what you were getting. This 20-song anthology collects some of the holiday tracks he did for Columbia Records over the years, and not surprisingly, it sounds like Johnny Cash singing Christmas songs and reciting holiday-themed poems. Again, that's a good thing. Highlights include a nice version of "Blue Christmas" and a wonderfully balanced and soothing take on "Silent Night," although everything here has that Johnny Cash essence. That's a good thing. ~ Steve Leggett