The Whole Fam Damnily [PA] (CD - 2008)

While the band is only three people, the Reverend himself is undeniably a big man with a big voice, and THE WHOLE FAM DAMNILY is as big as the Indiana prairies the band is from originally. With the Reverend playing impressively quick-fingered guitar, his wife Breezy on the washboard, and his brother Jayme on drums, it's truly a family affair. Plain-spoken, unfussy country blues about what the Reverend sees outside of his window today ("Your Cousin's On COPS," "Walmart Killed the Country Store") show a real sense of humor while keeping that rural melancholy firmly in place.

You wouldn't expect this related three-piece to originate north of the Mason-Dixon line, specifically the wilds of Indiana. The trio specializes in stripped down acoustic folk-blues with bits of bluegrass, swamp rock, and twisted folk, all propelled by guitarist Peyton's unhinged vocals and madly strummed guitar. Imagine a combination of the Violent Femmes' ferocity and Southern Culture on the Skids' frantic dirt track mojo, remove electricity and rock from the equation and you're close to this family act's untamed approach. Any threesome with more percussion than guitar (Peyton's wife plays washboard, his brother beats on what seems like pots and pans, but is credited with drums) and no bass, is going to push rhythm to the forefront, but Peyton's bashing guitar style and slide technique steal the spotlight. As you might imagine, the band's lyrics reflect the primitive attack with tunes such as "Your Cousin's on COPS," "Mama's Fried Potatoes," and "Wal-Mart Killed the Country Store" (so much for the album being sold by the country's largest retailer) typical of the low rent aesthetic. Regardless, some selections deal with serious, topical issues such as "The Creeks Are All Bad" (water pollution), "Them Days Are Gone" (poverty), and "Can't Pay the Bill" (the high cost of medical expenses). Rev. Peyton sings and plays like his trousers are on fire and his backing twosome responds in kind. The songs start sounding melodically similar as the program continues, but at a relatively modest 40 minutes, nothing is overdone or needlessly extended. Jon Langford's (Mekons, the Three Johns) distinctive folk cover art perfectly reflects the raw, raucous, frisky backwoods sensibility at work here. ~ Hal Horowitz minimize