''Payola'' is the second studio album by the American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Desaparecidos An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a State (polity), state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or po ...

, released on June 23, 2015, through Epitaph Records.

Background and recording

While ''

Read Music/Speak Spanish ''Read Music/Speak Spanish'' is the first studio album by American punk band Desaparecidos. Released in February 2002, the record is the forty-second release of Saddle Creek Records. Reviews were mostly positive upon release. About ''Read Mus ...

'', the band's first album, focused on themes relating to socioeconomics, marriage, and the American workforce, ''Payola'' consciously tackles a wider range of political issues. ''Payola'' is a cohesive body of raw, loud, and angry songs about endemic injustice, racial profiling, the mistreatment of immigrants, corporate greed, and domestic spying. The band reunited in 2010 to play a Concert For Equality in its hometown of Omaha—an event organized by lead singer

Conor Oberst Conor Mullen Oberst (born February 15, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, the Faint (previously named Norman Bailer), Commander V ...

to promote the repeal of then-recently enacted measures to prohibit businesses and landlords from hiring or renting to undocumented immigrants in

Fremont, Nebraska Fremont is a city and county seat of Dodge County in the eastern portion of the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. The population was 27,141 at the 2020 census. Fremont is the home of Midland University. History From the 1830 ...

. In 2012, the band worked with

Mike Mogis Michael Riley Mogis (born May 16, 1974) is an American producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios (previously known as Dead Space Recording and, earlier, Whoopass Recor ...

to record some singles, and in the subsequent years recorded all the material for ''Payola''.

Reception

Payola reached the number 160 position of the Billboard 200 on July 11 of 2015.

Track listing

Personnel

: vocals, guitar *

Denver Dalley Denver Collin Dalley is an American singer-songwriter based in Omaha, Nebraska. He is best known for his collaboration with Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst in Desaparecidos, and has been involved in various other musical projects, including ...

: guitar * Ian McElroy: keyboards * Landon Hedges: bass, vocals *Matt Baum: drums Cameos on the album include

Tim Kasher Timothy J. Kasher (born August 19, 1974) is an American musician from Omaha, Nebraska, and is the frontman of indie rock groups Cursive and the Good Life, both of which are on the Omaha-based record label Saddle Creek Records. Music Slowdo ...

of Cursive (on "City on the Hill"), Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! (on "Golden Parachutes"), and the So So Glos (on "Slacktivist"). Tracks including "MariKKKopa", "Backsell", "Anonymous", "The Left Is Right", "Te Amo Camila Vallejo", and "The Underground Man" were previously released as singles.

References

{{Authority control 2015 albums Desaparecidos (band) albums Epitaph Records albums