Still Within the Sound of My Voice (Jimmy Webb album)

Critical reception

In his review for Rolling Stone magazine, Anthony DeCurtis gave the album four out of five stars, calling it an "equally appealing follow-up to Webb's 2010 release Just Across the River." DeCurtis goes on to write:

It's a tribute to Webb's craftsmanship and the depth of his catalog that after 27 songs, the quality of the selections on these two albums has not dipped a notch. And it's a testament to the power of Webb's own highly personal, granular style of singing that none of those high-profile guests ever quite overshadows Webb himself.

DeCurtis notes that producer Fred Mollin's "atmospheric, country-tinged settings" provide the album with a consistency that unifies the diverse sounds of the featured artists and the selection of songs that span several decades. The highlight of the album for DeCurtis is MacArthur Park, here given new life by Brian Wilson's "Beach Boys-style backing vocals, Molin's Americana touches and Webb's own craggy recitation"—all serving to capture the "timelessness" of this classic song.

PopMatters music journalist Neil Kelly wrote, "The most praise goes to Webb himself, showing incredible vocal range for his age. His abilities to mesmerize are none diminished, and this benefits a few of the songs as some of his collaborators clearly are having a hard time keeping up."

Track listing

All tracks written by Jimmy Webb.