Birmingham Road

Birmingham Road is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Jeff Black, released in 1998.

Birmingham Road
Studio album by Jeff Black
Released	1998
Genre	Americana, bluegrass, folk
Length	60:08
Label	Arista
Producer	Susan Rogers, Ben Grosse
Jeff Black chronology
Birmingham Road (1998) Honey and Salt (2003)

Members of the band Wilco back Black on the album. Iris DeMent is also a guest singer.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

No Depression wrote: "On the one hand, his insistence on writing about big themes, often in metaphor, is the most inviting part of his art; but on the other hand, it’s also the main obstacle to the admirable dreams and emotions of his work."

Writing for AllMusic, critic James Chrispell noted that Black "is a sincere singer/songwriter who puts a lot of feeling and emotion into his work, and the results are some of the best music released in the late 90s... For music lovers of all shapes and sizes, take a walk down Birmingham Road with Jeff Black. It'll feel like you've come home again."

Track listing

All songs by Jeff Black

1. "A Long Way to Go" – 4:01
2. "What Do I Want" – 4:25
3. "Birmingham Road" – 5:21
4. "That's Just About Right" – 5:50
5. "Noah's Ark" – 6:21
6. "King of the World " – 3:57
7. "Uniontown" – 5:17
8. "Ghosts in the Graveyard" – 5:23
9. "Nebo Hill" – 4:53
10. "Sheet" – 4:00
11. "Carnival Song" – 4:56
12. "The Valley" – 5:44

Personnel

• Jeff Black – vocals, guitar, harmonica, background vocals
• Tionno Banks – organ, piano
• Randy Jacobs – guitar, mandoguitar
• Ken Coomer – drums, bongos
• Jay Bennett – organ, guitar, piano, accordion, background vocals, Farfisa organ
• Curt Bisquera – drums
• Tommy Jordan – percussion, organ, steel drums, background vocals, dulcimer
• Suzie Katayama – cello
• Greg Kurstin – Mini Moog
• Lance Morrison – bass
• John Stirratt – bass, drums
• Greg Wells – guitar, organ, bass, percussion, piano, accordion
• Marlon Young – guitar
• Iris DeMent – background vocals

Production notes

• Ben Grosse – producer, engineer, mixing
• Susan Rogers – producer, engineer
• Aaron Lepley – assistant engineer
• Boo Macleod – assistant engineer
• Michael "Elvis" Baskette – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
• Jim Champagne – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Jack Joseph Puig – mixing
• Michael Tuller – programming, engineer
• Maude Gilman – art direction
• Michael Wilson – photography