Possum Dixon (album)
Possum Dixon | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1993 | |||
Studio |
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Length | 31:41 | |||
Label | Interscope[1] | |||
Producer | Earle Mankey, Possum Dixon | |||
Possum Dixon chronology | ||||
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Possum Dixon is the debut album by the American band Possum Dixon, released in 1993.[2][3] The first single, "Watch the Girl Destroy Me", was a minor hit.[4][5]
The band promoted the album by touring with the Dead Milkmen and Violent Femmes, among others.[6][7] The album had sold more than 31,000 copies by the end of the 1990s.[8]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Earle Mankey and Possum Dixon, with Mankey encouraging the band to use older instruments in the studio.[9][10][11] Some songs from the band's early releases were rerecorded for Possum Dixon.[12]
Robert Levine noted in the Los Angeles Times that the album contained "dark tales of everyday life in the working world with a hard-hitting power-pop sound that makes the edgy frustration catchy."[13] "Nerves" is about low-paying work, while "Executive Slacks" is about bosses.[13][14] All of the songs were written by frontman Rob Zabrecky, on his own or with other members of the band.[15]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Calgary Herald | B+[17] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Indianapolis Star | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Tampa Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In Trouser Press, Robert Levine wrote that, though Zabrecky "sometimes takes his twentysomething angst too seriously, 'Nerves' and other numbers do a fair job of capturing what it's like to be young, poor and alienated in the City of Angels."[10] Steve Hochman of the Los Angeles Times opined, "Throw skinny ties on these guys and it'd be just a tad too close to new-wave redux," but admired "the propulsive energy" of the album.[21] Alex Hecht of the Houston Press deemed the album "catchy party rock music with nerdy vocals telling funny stories about girls and other nervous habits."[22]
Mark Jenkins of The Washington Post determined that "songs such as 'In Buildings' and 'She Drives', in which singer, bassist and songwriter Robert Zabrecky tempers his attitude and record-collector erudition with a solid melody and a steady beat, are as rollicking as the work of much dumber bands."[23] James Muretich of the Calgary Herald praised the "punkish energy [and] irreverence."[17] Scott Bacon of The Indianapolis Star stated that the guitarists shuffle "easily through a diversity of styles—be it ska, surf or just good ol' jangly guitar rock."[19]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Nerves" | Robert Zabrecky | 2:27 |
2. | "In Buildings" | Zabrecky | 2:47 |
3. | "Watch the Girl Destroy Me" | Zabrecky | 3:43 |
4. | "She Drives" | Zabrecky, Robert O'Sullivan | 2:21 |
5. | "We're All Happy" | Possum Dixon | 2:35 |
6. | "Invisible" | Zabrecky | 5:34 |
7. | "Pharmaceutical Itch" | Possum Dixon | 3:22 |
8. | "Executive Slacks" | Zabrecky, O'Sullivan | 2:16 |
9. | "Regina" | Zabrecky, O'Sullivan | 2:29 |
10. | "John Struck Lucy" | Zabrecky, O'Sullivan | 0:53 |
11. | "Elevators" | Zabrecky, Celso Chavez, O'Sullivan | 3:06 |
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from CD liner notes.[24]
Possum Dixon
- Robert Zabrecky – singer, bass guitar
- Robert O'Sullivan – guitar, piano, back-up vocals, harmonica
- Celso Chavez – guitar
- Richard Treuel – drums
Technical
- Earle Mankey – producer, mixing
- Possum Dixon – producer
- Chuck Reed – associate producer, mixing
- Phil Kaffel – engineer, mixing
- Jeff Sheehan – assistant engineer
- Liz Sroka – assistant engineer
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- Kim Holt – art direction, design
- Robert Zabrecky – art direction, design
- Arian Helm – live photos
- Darrin Paskal – back photo
References
[edit]- ^ Goldstein, Patrick (January 16, 1994). "Reassessing the Labels After a Record Year". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 57.
- ^ "Possum Dixon Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Loop, Dwight (January 28, 1994). "Possum Dixon: Band Aims to Make People Dance". Pasatiempo. The Santa Fe New Mexican. p. 10.
- ^ Weatherford, Mike (October 8, 1993). "The Hobnob Lounge". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p. 2E.
- ^ Pelly, Jenn (May 15, 2012). "R.I.P. Celso Chavez of Possum Dixon". Pitchfork.
- ^ Abbott, Jim (December 17, 1993). "Aerosmith, Sting Book Orlando Dates". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 4.
- ^ Sherr, Sara (November 11, 1994). "Violent Femmes/Possum Dixon". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
- ^ Reece, Doug (July 18, 1998). "Interscope's Possum Dixon Gather Acclaim". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 29. p. 17.
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Record Producers. Billboard Books. 1999. pp. 499–500.
- ^ a b Levine, Robert. "Possum Dixon". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
- ^ Copley, Rich (January 20, 1994). "Possum Dixon Makes Raw Stage Performance". Applause. The Augusta Chronicle. p. 6.
- ^ Appleford, Steve (December 24, 1993). "Putting 'Retro' to Rest". Valley Life. Los Angeles Times. p. 7.
- ^ a b Levine, Robert (February 12, 1994). "Possum Dixon Hitting 'Nerves'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
- ^ Schulman, Sandra (November 21, 1993). "Band on the run to success". Sun Sentinel. p. 3F.
- ^ a b Booth, Philip (January 7, 1994). "Critics' closet". Friday Extra!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 19.
- ^ "Possum Dixon Possum Dixon Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Muretich, James (March 27, 1994). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6 (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 608. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ a b Bacon, Scott (April 1, 1994). "Possum Dixon 'Possum Dixon'". The Indianapolis Star. p. C7.
- ^ Graff, Gary; Durcholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 888.
- ^ Hochman, Steve (November 28, 1993). "Cream of the Local Scene". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 58.
- ^ Hecht, Alex (December 4, 1993). "Picks". Night & Day. Houston Press.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (January 7, 1994). "Playing Possum: Use Your Allusion". The Washington Post. p. N10.
- ^ Possum Dixon (CD liner notes). Interscope Records. 1993. 7 92291-2.
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