Willie Nelson Across The Borderline CD

Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Danny Timms (guitar, piano, organ, background vocals); Fred Tackett, John Leventhal, Mark Goldenberg, Reggie Young, John Selelowane, Ray Phiri, Grady Martin, Jody Payne (guitar); Robbie Turner (pedal steel, mandolin, bass); Paul Franklin (pedal steel); Eric Bazilian (mandolin); Johnny Gimble (violin); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Bobbie Nelson (piano, Hammond B-3); Benmont Tench (Hammond B-3, Wurlitzer, keyboards); David Campbell (harmonium); James "Hutch" Hutchinson, Mike Leech, Bee Spears (bass); Gene Chrisman, Smitty Smith, Paul English (drums); Billy English (percussion); Mingo Araujo (conga); Paulinho da Costa, Debra Dobkin (percussion); Jimmy Bralower (drum samples).
Additional guest artists: Mark O'Connor (violin, fiddle); Michael Brecker (keyboards); Mark Isham (trumpet); Don Was (bass); Jim Keltner (drums).
Engineers: Rik Pekkonen, Brian Masterson, Richard Travali.
Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Bonnie Raitt (vocals, slide guitar); Kris Kristofferson, Sinéad O'Connor, Bob Dylan (vocals); Reggie Young (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jody Payne, Paul Simon (guitar, acoustic guitar); Daniel Timms (guitar, piano, organ, background vocals); Goldenberg, John Leventhal, Fred Tackett (guitar); Grady Martin, Ray Phiri (electric guitar); Robby Turner (steel guitar, mandolin); Eric Bazilian (mandolin); Johnny Gimble, Mark O'Connor (violin); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Mark Isham (trumpet); Bob "Chicago" Nelson (piano); David Campbell (harmonium); Gene Chrisman, Jim Keltner, Paul English (drums); Paulinho Da Costa, Billy Gene English, Debra Dobkin (percussion); Jimmy Bralower (sampler).
Audio Mixer: Bob Clearmountain.
If ever there were doubts about the breadth and depth of Willie Nelson's ambitions and talents, Across the Borderline should put them to rest. Nelson surveys roughly two decades of popular music, tackling songs by writers as varied as Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Willie Dixon, and Lyle Lovett. That Nelson covers such a variety shouldn't really come as such a surprise: the songs on Across the Borderline simply consolidate the range of material he's covered previously, from the Bing Crosby-inspired pop standards albums Stardust to the folk-rock of "City of New Orleans." Nelson, along with producer Don Was, assembled a stellar cast of musicians for the album. Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt, and Mose Allison all guest, and a rock band is Nelson's backup unit for most of the tracks. Of course, country music is at the center of Nelson's vast repertoire, and the two Lyle Lovett compositions he chose to cover for Across the Borderline are wonderfully done, with the accompaniment of Nelson's regular backing band. There are also Nelson's own songs, both new ("Valentine") and old (the rather gloomy "She's Not for You"), as well as a writing and singing collaboration with Bob Dylan ("Heartland"). For all the strengths of the other 13 tracks, the most stunning song on the album is Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up." The parts originally sung by Kate Bush on Gabriel's So album are sung here by Sinead O'Connor, a brilliant piece of casting. Nelson and O'Connor's rendition is quietly triumphant and every bit as powerful as Gabriel and Bush's original. The result of the apparently scattershot song selection and numerous musicians is an album that possesses a quiet majesty, further establishing Willie Nelson as one of the most important writers and interpreters of the last half of the 20th century. ~ Martin Monkman
At a time when Don Was was still being heralded for the resurrection of Bonnie Raitt's career, he was brought in to helm Willie Nelson's 1993 release ACROSS THE BORDERLINE. The results were spectacular (despite less-than-stellar sales figures) and even included a Raitt/Nelson duet on "Getting Over You." As was the case so many times in the past, Nelson's choice of material wandered all over the map, once again reflecting the Red Headed StRolling Stone (5/13/93, p.110) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...an album that seasons the singer's own brand of austere, hard-chugging country swing with echoes of everything from English art rock to Paul Simon's South African- flavored folk rock..."
Spin (7/93, p.16) - "...In the blessed hands and throat of Nelson, the most pompous, didactic, overwraught hooey can feel as comfy and tender as a well-oiled baseball glove..."
Entertainment Weekly (12/31/93) - Cited by Entertainment Weekly as one of 'The Best Country Albums Of 1993' - "...as clear-eyed a portrait of America as anything from John Dos Passos...."
Q (1/94, p.86) - Included in Q's list of 'The 50 Best Albums Of 1993' - "...The old outlaw is back in the saddle again...."
Q (6/93, p.104) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...this album establishes a new benchmark in country celebrity roundups, so star-studded as to almost defy belief...covers considerable ground...brings full circle the finest traditions of two very different generations of Nashville songsmiths..."
Village Voice (3/1/94, p.5) - Ranked #22 in the Village Voice's 1993 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll.