Dirty Baby

Reception

The Bells received mainly positive reviews on release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received a score of 74, based on 6 reviews which is categorised as generally favorable. The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars out of 5, stating "Dirty Baby is a singular accomplishment, presented in a fashion that demands more of the listener's attention but buy pays off handsomely. It adds immeasurably to the depth of Cline's contributions as a musician -- and offers another way of seeing and hearing this body of Ruscha's work". Writing for All About Jazz, Mark Corroto stated "Cline and his collaborators perform an encyclopedic array of styles and forms, the pieces clocking in from a half minute to three-and-a-half to explore noise, rock, free jazz and chamber classical, much like the work of John Zorn". The Guardian's John Fordham rated the album 3 stars out of 5, saying, "Nels Cline has been an uncategorisable innovator for two decades, and certainly remains one". Rolling Stone's Will Hermes rated the album 3½ stars out of 5, noting "Overall, it's less about abstract guitar heroics than his usual projects. But hearing Cline get freaky with such a wide palette and such a sharp ensemble (including twin brother Alex on drums) is a new shade of thrill". PopMatters' John Garratt stated "the eclecticism of Dirty Baby makes for such a strong listening experience. You will be more fascinated than bewildered (though I can’t rule the latter word out for some listeners)".

Track listing

All compositions by Nels Cline

Disc One:

1. "Part I" - 4:11
2. "Part II" - 3:38
3. "Part III" - 7:13
4. "1-4 Part IV" - 3:31
5. "Part V" - 10:52
6. "Part VI" - 12:38

Disc Two:

1. "In God We Trust" - 1:40
2. "Hi There, My Old Friend" - 1:31
3. "If I Was You I'd Do Just Like I Tell You To Do" - 1:16
4. "Do As I Say or..." - 1:14
5. "No Mercy" - 1:49
6. "Do As Told or Suffer" - 1:16
7. "Agree To Our Terms or Prepare Yourself For a Blast Furnace" - 0:55
8. "Your a Dead Man" - 3:14
9. "Hey You Want To Sleep With the Fishes?" - 1:22
10. "A Columbian Necklace For You" - 0:43
11. "Note We Have Already Got Rid of Several Like You - One Was Found In River Just Recently" - 1:22
12. "Be Cautious Else We Be Bangin On You" - 3:34
13. "You Won't Know When You Won't Know Where You Won't Know Who and You Won't Know Why" - 1:27
14. "It's Payback Time" - 2:13
15. "I'm Going To Leave More Notes and I'm Going To Kick More Ass" - 0:47
16. "You Cross Me I Wanna See Blood" - 2:02
17. "I Heard You Moved To Pahrump, Nevada You Cannot Escape" - 1:14
18. "Little Snitches Like You Endup in Dumpsters All Across Town" - 0:59
19. "I'll Be Getting Out Soon and I Haven't Forgotten Your Testimony Put Me In Here" - 2:37
20. "You Talk You Get Killed" - 2:05
21. "Do Not Let the Information Be Known To Any Person or You Die" - 1:25
22. "Don't Threaten Me With Your Threats" - 2:31
23. "I Just Might Act Ugly If You Talk" - 0:53
24. "When I'm Released I'm Smoking a Straight Line To You: Got Me?" - 1:18
25. "Want To Get To Know My Boiling Point?" - 0:38
26. "You Dirty Rotten Bitch" - 0:43
27. "You Will Eat Hot Lead" - 1:16
28. "I Can't Take It No More" - 0:28
29. "I Might Just Act Ugly If You Get Up on That Stand and Say Something Unpleasant to My Ears" - 0:41
30. "I Thought I Told You That We Won't Stop" - 2:01
31. "I Will Wipe You Off the Face of This Earth" - 1:01
32. "Give Up the Gold or Give Up Your Life" - 2:21
33. "You and I Are In Disagreement" - 1:35

Personnel