“How’mi’mentuh” is the fourth in a series of Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters singles focusing exclusively on original material. Reassembling the same team responsible for the band’s eponymous 2018 debut album, “How’mi’mentuh” was recorded and mixed by Graeme Young at Chamber Studio, Edinburgh, mastered by Reuben Taylor; with artwork by Craig MacFadyen aka Lentil.
Jed tells the story behind the song:
It’s a fictional story of the age-old clash of love and scheduling, set in New Orleans. I love New Orleans and have spent a bit of time there over the last few years. I came up with the musical bones of this song when I was trying to figure out if it was possible to approximate Professor Longhair-style piano boogie on the guitar. By the way, that same curiosity led to the little guitar motif at the end of our earlier single, “Swashbucklin’.” There’s a lot of daft word play, which is a sort-of trademark part of the Hillmans vibe, I think. The ‘swingin’’ lyric near the end was originally put in as a temporary live cue to Jonny and Charlie to change feel, but we liked it and so it stuck.
What hits the listener immediately are Jed’s vocal delivery and aspects of guitar strumming which have an authentic retro vibe rooted in the American blues of the 1950s, including the slight distortions. Few UK blues musicians are able to capture this down home sound especially the current breed of young guns, the difference being that this trio is completely immersed in pure blues. They are also experimental with Potts setting out to replicate what could be boogie piano on his magic axe.
As a consummate storyteller, “How’mi’mentuh” is the perfect platform for Jed’s fictional narrative set in New Orleans and he does manage to emulate that memorable Professor Longhair style. Americans will soon learn that “How’mi’mentuh” needs translating from Jed’s native tongue into How am I meant to which is a key phrase in this song especially given the woman troubles.
Baby our love is wrong
You run around like this house ain’t your home
When I’m looking for you baby you’re never around
You’re closing it down on the west side of town
How am I meant to love you when you’re going to stay out all night long.
This first section is Jed with his guitar, the vocal and instrumental phrasing superb in what is quite complex to play as a solo piece. As always, Charlie Wild’s flowing bass and Jonny Christie’s swinging percussive rhythms soon add further dynamics and texture whilst maintaining both the pace and those effortless changes in tempo. With his trademark tasteful intermezzo, Potts once again proves his credentials as a force to be reckoned with who sings and plays with the confidence and maturity of a young man reaching the top of his game. Those trips to the States and the endless late nights jamming and gigging across Edinburgh’s bars and clubs are paying dividends.
The song will be available to stream on all major platforms, and also available for download from Bandcamp.
Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters can be found in all of the usual online places, and to receive updates on new releases etc follow them on Bandcamp.
Stay tuned for an accompanying live performance video premiere of the song on ABS!
