Paydirt is an album by the American cowpunk band Dash Rip Rock, released in 1998.[3][2] It was the band's first album to be distributed by a major label.[4]
| Paydirt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Dash Rip Rock | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Genre | Cowpunk[1] | |||
| Label | PC Music[2] | |||
| Producer | Fred LeBlanc | |||
| Dash Rip Rock chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album was produced by former member Fred LeBlanc, who also cowrote the songs.[5] 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.[6]
The song "King Death" was written in tribute to Country Dick Montana.[7] Tab Benoit contributed guitar to "String You Up"; "Singin' the Blues" is a cover of the Marty Robbins song.[8][9]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Austin Chronicle | |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| The Tampa Tribune | |
| The Times-Picayune | |
The Washington Post called the album "a Dixie-fried, swamp-soaked version of NRBQ."[5] 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."[14]
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."[11] The Times-Picayune deemed the album "a collection of mostly mid-tempo, crisp guitar pop."[13]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |