Paydirt (album)

Paydirt
Studio album by
Dash Rip Rock
Released1998
GenreCowpunk[1]
LabelPC Music[2]
ProducerFred LeBlanc
Dash Rip Rock chronology
Dash Rip Rock's Gold Record
(1996) 		Paydirt
(1998) 		Sonic Boom
(2002)

Paydirt is an album by the American band Dash Rip Rock, released in 1998.[3][4] It was the band's first album to be distributed by a major label.[5] Dash Rip Rock supported the album with a North American tour.[6]

Production

The album was produced by former member Fred LeBlanc, who also cowrote the songs.[7] Kyle Melancon took over on drums, replacing Chris Luckette.[3] It was the band's intention to make a more radio-friendly record; they had decided to pull back from national touring if Paydirt was not a success.[8] Some of the album's songs were already band live staples.[9]

The song "King Death" was written in tribute to Country Dick Montana.[10] Tab Benoit contributed guitar to "String You Up"; "Singin' the Blues" is a cover of the Marty Robbins song.[11][12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Austin Chronicle[13]
Los Angeles Times[14]
The Tampa Tribune[15]
The Times-Picayune[16]

The Washington Post called the album "a Dixie-fried, swamp-soaked version of NRBQ."[7] OffBeat wrote that the band "has largely abandoned the hard rock, punkabilly and song parodies of recent years in favor of a triumphant return to their countrified pop roots."[17]

The Los Angeles Times wrote: "With Paydirt, this notoriously rowdy and raucous trio counterbalances its own typical tendencies by tempering the raunch with brisk smart-pop offerings and even some serious, wistful and lovely jangle-rock numbers far more redolent of R.E.M.'s sober Athens, Ga., classicism than the whiskey-drenched roadhouse mayhem Dash has been bootlegging out of New Orleans for nearly 15 years."[14] The Times-Picayune deemed the album "a collection of mostly mid-tempo, crisp guitar pop."[16]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."King Death"2:12
2."She's Got a Lot Of"2:00
3."String You Up"3:22
4."Drivin' Feelin'"3:17
5."Singin' the Blues"2:38
6."Best Reason"2:44
7."Clown Down"3:08
8."Markers Down"3:14
9."False Prophet"2:47
10."Think of Me"2:57
11."Call Me"3:00
12."Anchor Me"2:50
13."Fly to the Gulf"4:44
14."Bonus"5:30

Personnel

  • Bill Davis - guitar, vocals
  • Hoaky Hickel - bass
  • Kyle Melancon - drums

References

  1. ^ a b Ankeny, Jason. "Paydirt". AllMusic. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  2. ^ "From pot to paydirt". Orlando Weekly.
  3. ^ a b "Dash Rip Rock Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Ray, Yolonda (3 Dec 1998). "Lack of unity hampers Dash Rip Rock's latest". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 16F.
  5. ^ Wirt, John (July 24, 1998). "Dash Rip Rock about to strike pay dirt". Fun. The Advocate. p. 8.
  6. ^ "In the Clubs". Leisure. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 31 Jan 1998. p. 30.
  7. ^ a b "Dash Rip Rock: 'Paydirt'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  8. ^ Guarino, Mark (28 Aug 1998). "For southern bands, the road goes on forever". Time Out. Daily Herald. p. 4.
  9. ^ Moon, Troy (18 Jun 1998). "Dash Rip to perform in free concert". Pensacola News Journal. p. B1.
  10. ^ Masley, Ed (11 Dec 1998). "Dash of Punk: Rip Rockers Learn to Play It Fast". Arts & Entertainment. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 28.
  11. ^ "Local club is place to dash for Rip Rock". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. October 30, 1998. p. W2.
  12. ^ DeMarco, Jerry (September 11, 1998). "Don't Worry, Be Wacky – and Endorsed by Jerry Lee". Lifestyle. The Record. p. 31.
  13. ^ "Record Reviews". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  14. ^ a b Boehm, Mike (12 Oct 1998). "CD Review: Temperance Amid the Usual Raunch". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  15. ^ Walker, Kevin (August 14, 1998). "Dash Rip Rock, Pay Dirt". Friday Extra!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 17.
  16. ^ a b Spera, Keith (July 17, 1998). "Summer's Spin List". The Times-Picayune. p. L20.
  17. ^ Miester, Mark. "Dash Rip Rock, Pay Dirt". OffBeat.