The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is one of those acts that’s great when you’re wasted. Their sound is grating, the words indecipherable, the vocals bizarre and the topics undeniably hick – but give me some booze and a live show and I am totally there.
They’re not that large for a Big Damn Band – there’s only three members – but their unapologetic take on newgrass and aggressive, high-speed pickin’ makes their latest album, The Wages, worth at least a sample.
Setting the tone of the album, “Born Bred Corn Fed” explodes with twang-laden guitar and washboard scratching amidst tongue-in-cheek lyrics that celebrate the rural lifestyle. “Two Bottles of Wine” gets feet stomping with a classic call-and-response chorus and “Clap Your Hands” whips out the Derek Trucks-style guitar.
They’ve got the speed and energy of Reverend Horton Heat with the absurdity and the distinctive singing of O’Death. It’s classic, deep South, bluesy bluegrass with a weird-ass slant. Straight up, some people are going to hate on it, but dabble a bit and you may just find yourself hankerin’ for a longer listen.
