Just Across the River is the twelfth album by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb, released in June 2010 by Koch Records. The album features thirteen classic Jimmy Webb tunes performed by Webb with guest appearances by friends, collaborators, admirers, and fellow recording artists Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Glen Campbell, Michael McDonald, Mark Knopfler, JD Souther, Vince Gill and Lucinda Williams.
Critical reception
In his review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek praised the efforts of producer Fred Mollin to assemble some of Nashville's finest musicians to produce a "gorgeous sound" that was mostly recorded live over two days in a Nashville studio. According to Jurek, some of the highlights include "Oklahoma Nights" with Vince Gill's "beautiful tenor balancing the harmonies"; "Highwayman" with Mark Knopfler's vocals underscoring Webb's vocals, "creating a dark, melancholy authenticity"; "Wichita Lineman" with Billy Joel's remarkable "empathic feel for the duet"; and "P.F. Sloan" with Jackson Browne's vocals making the song "a real tragedy for an era, as well as for a man."
In his review in Rolling Stone magazine, James Hunter awarded the album three and a half out of five stars, noting that "few singers blend grit and grandeur like Jimmy Webb" and that his voice "is like an old Mustang heading through a treacherous yet often gorgeous landscape."
Track listing
Personnel
Music Jimmy Webb – vocals, piano, composer, lyricist, liner notes Fred Mollin – synthesizer, harmonica, percussion, electric guitar, background vocals, guest appearance Mark Knopfler – electric guitar, guest appearance Johnny A. – electric guitar, guest appearance Pat Buchanan – electric guitar Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin John Willis – acoustic guitar, banjo, electric guitar John Hobbs – organ, piano, wurlitzer Jim Hoke – accordion, steel guitar, penny whistle, jaw harp Jeff Taylor – accordion Jerry Douglas – dobro, guest appearance Paul Franklin – dobro, steel Guitar Stuart Duncan – fiddle, mandolin Larry Paxton – bass Eddie Bayers – drums Greg Morrow – drums Glen Campbell - guest appearance Jackson Browne – guest appearance Vince Gill – guest appearance Billy Joel – guest appearance Matthew McCauley – guest appearance Willie Nelson – guest appearance Linda Ronstadt – guest appearance JD Souther – guest appearance Russell Terrell – background vocals, guest appearance Tania Hancheroff – background vocals, guest appearance Jaime Babbitt – background vocals, guest appearance Troy Johnson – background vocals, guest appearance
Production Fred Mollin – producer Matthew McCauley – string arrangements, string conductor Kyle Lehning – engineer Mark Linett – engineer Kerry Cunningham – engineer Casey Wood – engineer Stephen Armstrong – engineer Jared Nugent – engineer Jake Burns – engineer David Stewart – engineer Jay Frigolleto – guitar engineer "Teenage" Dave Salley – overdub engineer Greg Calbi – mastering
References