Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Honeysuckle
This collection is fueled by 12 full gallons of high-octane Americana that ignite the country blues/gospel sparkplugs of legendary masters like John Lee Hooker, RL Burnside & Big Bill Broonzy. It provides Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Honeysuckle (Drops Feb 21/Family-Owned Records/35:00) with the necessary sound to perk young ears up to a vintage genre.
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What Indiana’s Rev. Peyton does is essentially bake an old-fashioned apple pie. But instead of margarine, he goes back to butter, maybe even lard. What made the venerable genre so rich, textured, raw & challenging.
Rev. Peyton has released more than 10 LPs in his career & this new set was recorded & produced in Nashville. Rev. Peyton sings lead & plays a 1930 steel-bodied National guitar, a wood-bodied National trojan Resonator guitar & a reproduction of a 1929 Gibson acoustic. He’s known to play a 3-string cigar box guitar & plays fingerstyle. All contributing to his unique sound.
Essentially what this music displays is a darker early Taj Mahal-Keb’ Mo deviant Delta skeleton-tree sound. Out there in the slow thin mist, things watch from rootsy nests under mud & bark. A singer named Mutzie explored these depths (1970) with an obscure LP called “The Light of Your Smile.” Rev. Peyton seems to have filed down the rougher edges of that genre & polished its hide.
Several are vintage blues from an earlier century. Peyton adds quite a bit of the haunting vocal sound of gospel-tinged drama through the superb McCrary Sisters on “Looking For a Manger.” Vocals possessed throughout. But there’s no other way to perform such a song. If it isn’t a possession it’s being in the zone. A soulful essence maneuvers the tonality.
Bottom line — the showcase, spare as it is, is definitively performed with definition in its notes & spooky desperate phrasing. The Reverend sounds on “I Can’t Sleep” like Captain Beefheart (re: “Bluejeans & Moonbeams”) while on “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed & Burning” he’s all deep guttural solo John Kay (Steppenwolf) in tradition.
Then with “Let Go,” a Fairfield Four foot-stomping that’s invigorating. The late guitarist John Fahey would’ve sounded like this if he sang. This music is liver & onions for selective palates. Not your Taylor Swift Vichyssoise fanatic, or steak tartare Michael Bolton crooner. The Peyton flavor is formidable. Skip the hip-hop or twangy country swoon tonight & try the bourbon-soaked Americana of Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band. This has the roots & stems still in it.
Highlights – “Honeysuckle,” “If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day,” “Looking For a Manger,” “One Dime Blues,” “Nell,” “Freeborn Man” “I Can’t Sleep,” “Let Go” & “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed & Burning.”
Musicians – Jacob Powell (harmony/drums/hand percussion/bgv), “Washboard” Breezy Peyton (vocals/bgv/washboard/percussion) with Michael Cleveland (fiddle), the McCrary Sisters (vocals), Billy Branch (harmonica), Colton Crawford (banjo) & Aaron Ransdell (upright bass).
Cover photo by Bill Steber. Trio color image by Clauderainsrm & at Rev. Peyton’s Wikipedia page. CD @ Amazon + https://store.bigdamnband.com/products/honeysuckle-cd
Enjoy our interview here: Key to the Highway: Reverend Peyton
