Design By Humans
Published On: Mon, Oct 26th, 2015

Nemo James: The Minstrel

nemoNemo James
The Minstrel
(Derek Newark)

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British singer/songwriter/guitarist Nemo James opens The Minstrel with the simple, flicking snare drum beat and acoustic, easy-listening picking of ā€œDreamer On the Run,ā€ that gets all Pablo Cruise on the singable chorus. It’s a sweet opening from Nemo singing and playing everything other than drums here, which are left to Chuck Sabo.Ā The title track here again has that picked acoustic with the spot-on patting drumming from Sabo (these two make a very good team). It’s a tune about how James is putting his art out there. We then certainly get a Jimmy Buffett feel on the character story song, ā€œForbidden Fruit.ā€ The backing vocals here are especially fine.Ā The blues funk of ā€œLove In You Heartā€ is a sweet tune about keeping love where the title of the track suggests. It moves along at a lilting, fun pace and again the backing female vocals are well-placed in the chorus. This is one of James’ best vocals on The Minstrel. Again, we get some good movement on ā€œI Hated What I Found,ā€ another great story song with an easy beat and that sweet acoustic playing from James. Wondering where an ex might be is the subject of ā€œMarie (Where Are You Now).ā€Ā ā€œLittle Tin Box,ā€ with its train beat snare and poppy piano running behind, doubling female vocals turns the tide in a song about James bemoaning having no more money. I loved this one, wry and quick as it is, the lyrics unlike lots of what went before it.Ā Though the ballad ā€œRosemary and Timeā€ (another story song about the past) ends the album, I feel ā€œThe Wheels Go ā€˜Round,ā€ the second to last tune, is much stronger with its sweet melody and another great vocal from James.

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Nemo James: The Minstrel