In many ways PEYTON is a product of the 21st Century's notion of "celebrity". It's hard to imagine PEYTON existing in the public eye 10 years ago, let alone 20 or 30. His recent biography reads like the kind of "famous for being famous" story that normally passes for an interesting personality these days. Having started his own catering company, 2 Skinny Homos (quite), he was recommended by a friend as the perfect person to cover the food and drink section of 'Queer Eye For The Straight Guy UK'. Thus PEYTON became a 'global phenomenon'.
On that basis alone it would be easy to dismiss PEYTON as just another desperate wannabe bolstered by a stint in, ahem, 'Reality TV' were it not for two other decisive factors. The first is his life story prior to his exposure on TV and the second is his voice. The proverbial son of a preacher man he travelled the world singing in gospel choirs. His initial career path led him to a professorship in literature in Colombia - via a move to England and a Masters degree in English Literature from Leeds University - then a few years in the US plying away at art and music before a move back to England and a PhD in Latin American Literature.
A life immersed in gospel, Latin American , Northern Soul and the UK music scene in general promises much but in truth it is only the voice that reflects such a background on his eponymous debut. 'PEYTON' the album is an amalgamation of Anastasia, George Michael, M People and The Pet Shop Boys, containing the kind of polished soul/dance tracks that one associates with these acts. To be blunt it's a shame that the people behind PEYTON have opted so blatantly for such an obvious 'gay' musical canvas for PEYTON when his life experiences and voice demand a far more diverse and richer template. In another world and with a more interesting musical agenda PEYTON would be lauded in the same breath as Antony and The Johnsons and his sexual preferences would not pigeon-hole him in the stereotypical world of Hand-bag House club-land.
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As it is we have to make do with an accomplished collection of songs that predominantly strive for critical plaudits like "life-affirming", "soulful" and "uplifting" but instead sound derivative and obvious. There's nothing strictly bad on the album but the melodies are so tightly constrained by the claustrophobic trappings of the dance-floor that it's a hiding after nothing to search for the individuality within. Indeed it's testament to the power of PEYTON'S voice that he's managed to prevent himself from being air-brushed out of the production line.
Once again an interesting prospect on paper is condemned to the mainstream oblivion of branded product placement where the formulaic overrides the unique and the development of musical talent becomes the disposable by-product of satisfying short-term market forces.
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