Pay the Devil got together in the winter of 2011 and has been playing around the Milwaukee area ever since. Playing original tunes in a variety of styles alongside an assortment of bluegrass and old-time standards, sea shanties, folk, Irish traditional, country, and punk music, this five-piece made up of a guitar, mandolin, banjo, upright bass, and washboard (spoons and assorted other hillbilly percussive instruments) puts on a fun live show filled with foot-stomping, thigh-slapping music, and enough hollering to go around. Some of our favorite descriptions we have heard are “Shantygrass”, “Riotgrass”, and “Horse Sh*t and Gun Music”.The band united over sailing, an influence that still is very much apparent in their music. Sea shanties are just another type of folk music, intended to be participated in and easily accessible. That is a common trend for their music, it is intended to be sung and played along with. It is intended to bring people together.This album was recorded"live to tape", with the goal of capturing the live energy that Pay The Devil brings to their performances. This music is honest, with all the beautiful little nuances and imperfections that exist in so many great traditional recordings, but are so often whitewashed over in today's multi-track heavy music production world.