Railroad

Description

Railroad is the third and final album by the American alternative rock band Dakoda Motor Co., released on Atlantic Records in 1996. The album was recorded and mixed by Denis Degher with Posie Muliadi at The Red Zone in Burbank, California; and was produced by Pedro Rey. Around 1995, lead vocalist Davia Vallesillo left the band and was replaced by Melissa Brewer who is featured on this album.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, or so the saying goes. Such is the case with Dakoda Motor Co.’s third album, ‘Railroad’. Sure, this is still the same basic brand of hyperactive, brash, fast-and-furious “surf-punk modern rock” which fans have come to love and expect from Dakoda Motor Co. And the band is still (half) fronted by the highly visible Peter King, producer of the project, surfer extraordinaire and host of MTV’s “Sandblast.”

But the project finds the band showcasing many changes as well, not the least of which is a new mainstream record label. Also new this time around is lead vocalist Melissa Brewer, who replaces the beloved Davia Vallesillo of albums past.

‘Railroad’ finds Dakoda Motor Co. clearly being touted not as a “Christian band,” but as “Christians who are in a band.” That may seem a nebulous distinction, until one realizes that it is likely to resurrect the “crossover” controversy that continues to perplex the industry and many listeners.

The album will not be up-to-snuff applying the “J-word” litmus test, if the listener embraces such a test. That notion right there is probably enough to turn some folks away from this album, an unfortunate decision since ‘Railroad’ may be one of the more unique releases to hit the Christian market in years.

Brewer’s vocals are without peer in the Christian genre and are a welcome change from those of Vallesillo’s, at least to these ears. Brewer is less nasal, more grit and she still delivers at the trademark Dakoda rate of about 100 words per second. King capably steps in to handle the lead himself on about a third of the cuts.

On ‘Railroad’ Dakoda rips through 10 songs ranging from pure fun to serious observation, then back around to near lyrical nonsense. «Falling Down» kicks things off with references to crime, drug addiction, sexual exploitation, and child abuse before concluding, “So much for the need we were looking to fill/ The world is falling down.” «More» finds Brewer wising up to the treachery of inappropriate demands made by a power-crazed man. «Brother’s Mother» proves to be infectiously hooky and has already received some mainstream radio airplay, though it has not officially been released as a single.

The title cut allows Brewer to bent some frustration at the medium of television, before reminding the listener that “I’m not the one you need/ I’m not the one you want/ Shout to the one you want/ The one you need.” «Tommy» closes the album with a wonderfully silly tale of boy meets girl, featuring the striking unusual lyric “Punk rock or geek babe/ You’ll always be/ Sheik to me/ Ooh my hunk ‘a’ freak.”

‘Railroad’ is fun, musically tight, and at times quite clever, but it is certainly not for everyone. It is probably one of those albums that fans will really love or really hate. [Michael Ciani, CCM, June 1996]

CD tracklist:

01. Falling Down
02. Rattlesnake
03. Railroad
04. Brother Mother
05. More
06. Befuddled
07. Followed Me
08. Sampled
09. Odd Man Out
10. Tommy

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Atlantic Records.

The July 1996 issue of CCM Magazine featured a cover story on Dakoda Motor Co.

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