Mortal City is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Dar Williams, released January 23, 1996 by Razor & Tie. Produced by Steven Miller and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, the album was recorded at Sorcerer Sound, Spa Studios, and Live Wire Studios in New York City. Unlike Williams' entirely acoustic debut, The Honesty Room, Mortal City introduces electric backing on several tracks, most notably The Ocean and The Blessings, alongside harmonica and mandolin contributions from William Galison. The album includes the singles As Cool as I Am and The Christians and the Pagans, which became one of her most enduring live favorites, along with Iowa (Traveling III) and Family, a cover of a Pierce Pettis song. Joan Baez later recorded a version of February for her own 2020 album Gone from Danger. Tracklist Track Title Length 1 As Cool As I Am 3:35 2 February 3:51 3 Iowa (Traveling III) 4:46 4 The Christians And The Pagans 3:03 5 This Was Pompeii 3:53 6 The Ocean 5:16 7 Family 3:22 8 The Pointless, Yet Poignant, Crisis Of A Co-Ed 3:12 9 The Blessings 3:50 10 Southern California Wants To Be Western New York 4:08 11 Mortal City 7:15
