Tuesday, July 11, 2017

John Nemeth Feelin' Freaky

John Nemeth
Feelin' Freaky
Memphis Grease Records

The veteran blue-eyed blues and rhythm singer and harmonica player has a new release featuring his band, The Blue Dreamers, along with some crack Memphis musicians on eleven Nemeth originals. The Blue Dreamers are Danny Banks on drums, Matthew Wilson on bass and guitar, and Johnny Rhodes on guitar and they are joined by the organ of the legendary Charles Hodges, horns and strings for a recording that often evokes the classic Hi Records sound behind Nemeth who sings soulfully as those already familiar with him would expect.

The high-points often are those selections that are in the Hi Records style including the opening "Under the Gun," with its lyric directed against gun violence and the pressure living where there is gun violence; "Rainy Day," as Nemeth sings about the rainy day and he has nothing saved including not having saved his love; and the closing "Long Black Cadillac" about a young love and how he lost his love and the long black Cadillac took his baby away with some pithy harmonica adding to the performance. There are a couple of solid tracks not in mould such as "S.T.O.N.E.D." The title track is a dance number with Nemeth playing upper register harmonica along with his high pitched vocal. It is an entertaining performance perhaps, if not a memorable one, as is the similar "Get Offa Dat Butt," which evokes people to get up and boogie.

As indicated there are some exceptional performances here, along with solid ones and a a few that are entertaining, if less compelling. As a result, John Nemeth's latest recording one that should appeal to soul as well as blues enthusiasts.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here he performs "Long Black Cadillac."

 

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