John Nemeth: Stronger Than Strong
John Nemeth
Stronger Than Strong
(NOLA BLUE )
Many an artist dreams of making a pilgrimage to the source of their inspiration and to commune with the muse. Idaho born John Nameth made that trek moving to Memphis Tennessee from the West Coast in 2013, entrenching himself in the cities rich and historic musical scene. The multiple Blues Music Award nominee soon fell in with producer Scott Bomar who leads the Memphis Soul band the Bar Kays and is the owner and operator of the acclaimed Electrophonic Recording studios to create the album of Soul classics Memphis Grease in 2014. Nemeth returned to Electrophonic in December of 2019 with his seasoned road band of young gun players The Blues Dreamers, featuring 19 year old guitar phenom from Dallas Jon Hay, drummer Danny Banks and Matt Wilson on Bass for a rough and rowdy southern swamp roots session resulting in his 10th album, Stronger Than Strong, that is set for an October 2020 release. The dozen new tracks feature that soaring Soul Blues Tenor and hot Blues harp playing that has garnered Nemeth a loyal fan base and international attention for over 25 years.
Bomar capitalized on the chemistry of Nemeth’s small combo, who had been touring almost nonstop for the past year, capturing the intimate live off the floor definitively retro sound. Some very fuzzy tones from Hay’s lead guitar fill the air on the Hill Country two beat opener “Come Take It,” that works the dynamic spectrum with precision. The Fat Possum influence can be felt hard on the rambling “Fountain Of A Man,” with Danny Banks getting a chance to roll out all his formidable chops. Nemeth is serious student of history who is well known for mining the depths of early Rhythm and Blues. He once again rejuvenates a lost gem by setting the 1958 Little Junior Parker B side “Sometimes,” to a slower swamp pop tempo and tremolo saturated guitar riff from Hay to help with milking the emotion out of the lyric. The boys in the band do their best hippy hippy shag boogie while Nemeth pleads for mercy on the rockin’ “Throw Me In the Water.” The straight ahead shuffle “Chain Breaker,” is tasty serving of driving Chicago Blues, with Nemeth and Hay playing the roles of Wolf and Sumlin to perfection. Wilson’s sublime Bass line brings us into the Soul Blues commentary “Bars,” on which Nemeth uses hit razor sharp wit to examine the troubles we are enduring in the world today with just enough humor to keep us from crying. He continues his mission to spread goodwill on the Gospel fueled “Love Light,” and the dancehall number “Depriving A Love.” He then gets down to business on the slinky “Work For Love,” plying his vocal charms and formidable skills on the Blues Harp. John pays tribute to another unsung R&B hero with a faithful reading of the ballad “Guess Who,” the biggest hit for African American singer songwriter Jesse Belvin whose life was cut short at 27 years old in 1959. Matthew Wilson also pull double duty on the track playing guitar and Bass. Nemeth further shows off his love for classic R&B on the swinging do wop inspired “She’s My Punisher,” before closing the set with the feel good boogaloo “Sweep The Shack,” that playfully utilizes familiar Blues music euphemisms from Nemeth and more strong lead guitar from Hay. Stronger Than Strong from John Nemeth is another fine benchmark in the tireless working blues man’s career.