The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band

Album: ‘Poor Until Payday‘
Year: 2018

When the package with this album hit my mailbox a week ago, I thought I had made a mistake. I could have sworn the release date was in October. I looked it up and I was right–this album doesn’t drop until this coming Friday. I guess I’m such a big deal with this music blog that has a single-digit readership that they decided to give me an advanced copy for review. Or it was a shipping mistake. Either way.

I listened to the album in one sitting because that is the best way to take in one of the Reverend’s works. This album was much like the last one in that he does a good job treading the line between twangy, bluesy country and heartland rock that makes him so damn impressive. The big difference is he’s allowing his country side to come out more as it is the most consistent part. The gospel country parts in songs like “Get the Family Together” work in great juxtaposition with the more backwoods twang of “Dirty Swerve” and “I Suffer, I Get Tougher” while leaving enough rock in “Poor Until Payday” for folks like me who only like to dip their toes in the swamp every now and again. In all, this is a good album that doesn’t stray far from the band’s temperaments but that seems to work for them for now.

Track of Distinction: “You Can’t Steal My Shine” has a great gospel country feel that has the requisite positive message but is also rough around the edges to allow it some dimension.