22. February 2025
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Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For The Hard Times

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band - Dance Songs For The Hard Times

Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band - Dance Songs For The Hard Times
4.5

Rating

 4.5/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Nice mixture of country, rock and blues elements
  • Lovely sound with historic-style instruments
  • Fun to listen and a lot of power

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band is in fact neither too big (it is a trio) nor too damn. The band is doing country blues since the early 2000’s and has already released eleven albums and EPs. On 9th April 2021, they will complete the dozen with Dance Songs For The Hard Times. Let’s see if I dance with them.

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – About This Artists

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band are from Brown County, Indiana, a rather small county South of Indianapolis. The current trio contains of lead vocalist Reverend J. Peyton, “Washboard” Breezy Peyton and drummer Max Senteney. Their debut album, The Pork’n’Beans Collection has been released in 2004. Nowadays, the band is quite successful in the charts. Their last album, for example, Poor Until Payday (2018) lead the iTunes Blues charts and made it into the Top 100 of the overall Billboard album charts in the US. The song below, Raise A Little Hell, had over five million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

 

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For The Hard Times – Track by Track

The eleven song album lasts 35 minutes.

1. Ways and Means

First of all, I love to see somebody still playing the washboard. The song is a nice blues rock – I got all the ways, but ain’t got the means is a bit of a dark message. Cool to see the band using these old style guitars leading to a very characteristic sound. Great starter.

2. Rattle Can

Rattle Can is a fast and rhythmic song. Three minutes of pure Rock’n’Roll. I promise, you want to move to this one.

3. Dirty Hustlin’

That’s it with the Dance Songs For The Hard Times already? Drty Hustlin’ almost comes with a lethargic sound. The good thing about this trio: even if the song is kind of slower, you will smile about the lyrics. Cool one.

4. I’ll Pick You Up

I’ll Pick You Up is a nice blues rocker. The ping-pong singing between the lead and backing vocals will definitely be a fun part of any future show. Nice groove – the bass and the drums are driving this track, for sure.

5. Too Cool to Dance

The second single of the album is again mixing blues and rock’n’roll elements.

We might not get another chance
Please don’t tell me you’re too cool to dance.

A powerful song with hilarious lyrics. Must listen!

6. No Tellin’ When

No Tellin’ When comes with a really cool sound: the drums are replaced rhythmic guitar licks, on with the band just put another guitar layer and Reverend J. Peyton’s impressive voice. The variety this band is doing on the guitar is absolutely impressive.

7. Sad Songs

May Senteney is back in the game – the drums are definitely needed for this bluesy rocker. There is a touch of melancholy on these tunes, but overall, the sound of Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band is too uplifting.

Don’t leave me here with these sad songs
Don’t leave me here, baby, all alone.  

8. Crime to Be Poor

Crime To Be Poor is a lovely blend of blues, rock and country elements. The harmonica sound and the steel guitars lead to a lovely Southern rock groove. These guys just make you smile.

9. Til We Die

The ninth track is a slow country rock song. Again, there is that magical touch of the blues. The creaking sound of the washboard is the hidden gem in this song to me.

10. Nothing’s Easy but You and Me

The album has been recorded “with the best technology available in the 1950’s”, as the press kit states. Songs like Nothing’s Easy but You and Me so nicely give the spirit of era. Nonetheless, the sound of the album is so enjoyable, even a couple of decades later.

11. Come Down Angels

In order to cheer us up at the end, the band is playing with gospel-alike song with full speed. You just cannot be too cool to dance here any more.

 

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For The Hard Times – Spotify

Spotify allows Dance Songs For The Hard Times:

 

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Dance Songs For The Hard Times – My View

Honestly, when I received the album from the promotion company I initially thought these WTF words. Excuse me, guys, for being ignorant! These Dance Songs For The Hard Times are indeed a lot of fun. Maybe not the deepest lyrics here and there, but a lot of musical (especially instrumental) quality and pure dance and enjoy. Thanks, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band for this one – a true Top Pick!

 

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