The Peffercorns are a local Fort Wayne-based indie rock band consisting of brothers Ben Painter (guitar) and Alex Painter (drums) as well as their brother-in-law and lead singer Bryce Werskey. 

The brothers have been playing on the local music scene since they were in high school in the early 2000s, having the most traction with the band Giving Up September. 

With The Peffercorns, it seems they’ve found the right ingredients: melodies, heart-on-sleeve emotion, and family bonds.

The Peffercorns recently released the Night Drive EP, both digitally and on vinyl. It’s a short-but-sweet preview of what this Midwest family band are about and possibly a preview of what we could expect with a debut LP.

“Night Drive” is one of those songs you’d see in a movie where the main character is coming to some big answers in their life. Driving down some dusty highway with the windows down and the wind whipping their perfectly shaggy hair, our main character is coming to the realization of what they’ve been searching for the entire movie: the person they should be with, the dream job not explored. The road not taken suddenly makes itself known as the big emotional track comes arriving bruisingly loud from the DTS surround sound system in the theater.

Musically, the song is driven by distorted guitars, big drums, and a slow but steady tempo. Werskey’s vocals are a cross between The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum, delivering emotional depth but not laying it on too thick.

Side B is a cover of The Drifters’ “This Magic Moment,” which fits well into The Peffercorns’ sonic world and hard-won emotional conclusions that “Night Drive” had in spades.

Night Drive is a short-but-sweet introduction to this Fort Wayne family band’s musical world.