Ten Easy Pieces

The idea of releasing a collection of Jimmy Webb’s best known songs sung by the author himself may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s taken 20+ years for it to happen, apparently mostly because Webb needed to put some distance between himself and most of these numbers, in order to approach them in a fresh manner that makes this disc more than a mere exploitation effort. The result is the best and most accessible of all Webb’s albums, featuring his 1990s’ takes on “Galveston,” “By The Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Didn’t We,” “MacArthur Park,” “The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “All I Know,” amongst others. His voice is more expressive than ever, and the performances are generally grittier, with more raw emotion than the better known hit versions display. The arrangements are generally very simple and straightforward, with Webb’s piano the primary instrument, and several of the songs are performed in a deeply personal manner, more akin to home recording for Webb’s own pleasure than to a commercial release — “Wichita Lineman,” in particular, sounds here like the most personal and private of performances, filled with wrenching loneliness at which the Glen Campbell version only hints. The notes are very personal and revealing as well. – Bruce Eder