The big question before delving into the August release from former HT Blip artist The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Whole Fam Damnily, is if the big sound from the little band would translate in the studio, because Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is built for festivals. The family’s sound of Rev’s big hillbilly bayou gospel singing, wife Breezy’s choo-choo washboard, and brother Jayme’s thumping kick drum are perfectly suited to reel in loopy concertgoers as they meander from stage to stage on a sunny afternoon.
As bands like Flogging Molly and the Gogol Bordello have proven in different genres (both also recorded on Side One Dummy like this record), as long as the shtick is backed with some good chops; it works. Fortunately, Reverend Peyton’s fingerstyle guitar and dobro, often with a slide, packs a punch-per-capita rivaled maybe only by Jack White. Washboard Breezy and Jayme add a Mack Truck rhythm section, but this is really the Reverend’s show. The man is a true one-of-a-kind weirdo and his music will get inside your soul.
The true highlight of the album is not a specific tune, but rather the Reverend’s vocal stylings in general. The man has a deep rooted love for the letter “H,” which provides endless amusement in emulation (i.e., belting it out and annoying your loved ones) as you sing along with lines like, “Them hold dhays hare ghone, hand they hain’t hcoming bhack.” The album demonstrates some crafty jokesmithing as well as evidenced by the hilarious true redneck story, Your Cousin’s On Cops, and the confusion over the source of the ass shaking on, DTs or the Devil. Finally, a couple tracks are musically beautiful, namely Worn Old Shoe and Them Old Days Are Gone. With their goofy names, a high energy sound and comical tunes, it’d be easy for the Big Damn Band to be taken lightly from a critical perspective; but let’s make one thing abundantly clear; the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band ain’t no novelty act. This is a wonderful album.
- Previously on HT: Pullin’ Tubes – Rev Payton and HT Blips – Three Under The Radar Bands
