Customer Reviews

The Whole Fam Damnily

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Whole Fam Damnily by The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band explodes off the blocks with Can't Pay the Bill, a stinging screed about the state of health insurance, and chugs along with other rants and revelries that capture the hardships and triumphs of folks living on the margins.

There is a high, lonesome romp in the amazing Worn Out Shoe, a madcap moment of recognition in the very funny Your Cousin's On Cops, barely tramped-down rage in tracks such as The Creek's Are All Bad or Walmart Killed The Country Store. (I have to say, though, that by the end of the album, I'm ready to move on to other tales, other voices, other viewpoints.)

The Reverend Peyton plays a mean guitar and his singing is more likely to raise the hackles on your neck than soothe your soul. His so called Big Damn band is mainly the percussion (drums and washboard) that help keep matters chugging along a pretty full tilt. Also, The Reverend knows how to work a lyric and can infuse a fair amount of emotion into his lines.

If there is an underlying theme here, it might be from the chorus to Worn Out Shoe: "Sometimes I lose, sometimes I get lucky." This recording is one of the best Americana releases of the year and likely the best one that no one is listening to. I was lucky to stumble across this gem.

This disc is miraculous. It demonstrates unquestionably that the blues can be a vibrant, living musical form. The guitar licks and the song forms are each unique, with none of the common tactic of putting new words to essentially old music. The musicianship is good, but straightforward. The lyrics are simple but clever. Also, and most importantly, the lyrics (for the most part) convey a powerful message and the songs are sung with heartfelt emotion. There are a couple of fun romps (Fried Potatos and Persimmon Song), but in the main the songs bemoan the state of the world (sometimes with humor, as in Your Cousins on Cops) and our place in it. It's a rare disc that is moving, fun, and set to a pulse-pounding beat and slide guitar. For my taste, too many modern blues albums unimaginatively redo songs written decades ago. Some of those albums are good, but this disc takes the blues sentiment and thoughtfully and creatively applies it to our post-modern, post common sense life accompanied with music that is great to hear. My favorite songs are Everybody's Getting Paid But Me, John Hughes, Worn Out Shoe, and Your Cousins on Cops. Don't hesitate to buy this disc.

Well, if you mix Dom Flemmons (carolina chocolate drops), Charlie Patton and Jack White (from the white stripes) together and have it start smoking at age 10, you've got the Rev. Peyton...

The rhythm section can be a bit weak at times, but it's still awesome... As good as Mama's Fried Potatoes....

I bought this for my boyfriend for Christmas. We both love it. We first saw Reverend Peyton at FloydFest - what a show! Can't wait the see the Reverend again at 2011 FloydFest.

The Reverand and his crew are different, and they are fun. Certainly nothing to relax by. A few selections on this album are very socially issue conscious.
Like "Can't Pay the Bill",a working man's plea for good health because he has to work to pay the bills, and can't afford medical expenses.
I will say, given the steady heavy rhythms,a little bit of The Reverend and his Big Damn Band go a long way.

Better than "The Wages" because there's less yelling, pounding and banging on this CD. Sometimes I think they actually accidentally played their instruments.