The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band: 'The Whole Fam Damnily'
When I looked at the cover of this album, my first thought was that the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band were going to sound a bit like Hayseed Dixie or The Boss Hoss. However, these guys (and a lady) are not a cover band. And in fact have been described as “too blues for Nashville and too country for Mississippi.” But don’t let that put you off; they’re pretty damn good.
They play fast and their lyrics are repetitive but catchy. You’ll probably even find yourself singing along to their songs at random intervals after hearing them once, like “Woodja Wontcha Couldja Canya Take me back to Indiana” which is taken from the last track, 'Persimmon Song'. And as an added bonus they have included a recipe for Persimmon Pudding on the back of the album artwork (it’s a family recipe that’s been handed down apparently).
Actually food is a theme that is repeated throughout this LP. There’s a song about Reverend Payton’s love for his mother’s fried potatoes! Oh, and a warning about the fish in the creek on 'The Creeks Are All Bad' with the Reverend claiming “There’s PCB in the catfish and Mercury in the bass.”
Stay away from those fish folks!
Whilst they do seem like an amusing band, they also take influence from social topics such as the health service in America (‘Can’t Pay The Bill’) and the suffering endured by small businesses due to the omnipresent chain stores throughout the States (‘Wal-Mart Killed The Country Store’).
‘Your Cousin’s On Cops’ may sound like a potentially funny song, but it’s far from it. They disguise the rather thoughtful lyrics with their awesome musicianship.
There’s no way you can fault this band or ignore them, and despite the fact that I usually don’t listen to music like this, The Whole Fam Damily is really easy to enjoy. You can only imagine how energetic their live shows will be, but you could find out for yourself when they come over to the UK in April.
Words: Olivia Cellamare
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