Payin' for My Sins

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[10]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[11]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette	[12]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that "Champion's strengths in this sometimes funky, always soulful outing, are his strong vocals and songwriting skills, in which he blends his urbane vision into a traditional style."^[12] The Independent opined that the production gives the "material a subtlety and classiness not shared by much of the competition."^[13] The Philadelphia Inquirer concluded that "you can hear echoes of [Robert] Cray in tracks such as 'You Got Some Explaining to Do', with its tension between the pointed lyrics and smooth, horns-and-organ groove... But his engagingly robust and reedy voice gives Champion a commanding presence of his own."^[11] The Clarion-Ledger opined that "Champion's gravely voice and more than capable harmonica make this a very entertaining album."^[14] The Star Tribune deemed Payin' for My Sins "one of 1999's most stirring blues platters."^[15]

AllMusic said that Champion's "voice is rough, more a shouter and screamer than a trained singer, sandpaper over silk, with imprecise phrasings."^[9]