Each Measure Review: Omer Netzer
FEATURE
If an album is simply a collection of songs, then Omer Netzer’s self-titled EP, Omer, is not an album.
It’s much more than that. It’s a sonic experience conveyed through the images and textures of classic Americana, a comprehensive history of the country western genres. In only six songs – spanning a total nineteen minutes – he takes us on a honky-tonk tour of Southern American music.
With his earthy, soulful voice full of Southern grit and gall, you could be forgiven for assuming Omer Netzer was from the heart of Tennessee. In fact, he was born and raised in Nahariya, a small coastal town in Northern Israel. Though his upbringing was in some ways marred by the ongoing conflict in his region, it was equally defined by his proximity to music. Netzer’s family owned a music shop, which resounded with hits from classic American artists like BB King, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and the Allman Brothers Band. Netzer himself was like a sponge, soaking up everything he heard and assimilating it into his ever-growing musical vocabulary. It was this early exposure to American music that led him to his current residence in Nashville, where he began to develop his blues-infused take on the country western genre for audiences around the world.
Netzer isn’t exactly a newcomer to the music industry. His resume already includes performances alongside globally renowned artists including Kendrick Lamar and Mumford & Sons, as well as a stint opening for Bon Jovi in 2019. However, the Omer EP represents his debut in the Nashville scene, and since he signed with White Knuckle Productions, the influence of Music City has clearly made its mark on his sound. To enrich his sonic landscape, he enlisted the help of producer David “Messy” Mescon, known for his work with artists like Dasha, Megan Moroney, and Tigirlily Gold. The end-result is a quintessential country album by an artist with a clear passion for the genre.
Throughout Omer, Netzer runs the gambit of archetypal country music subject matter: heartbreak, homesickness, fatherly love, etc. A staple of the country genre is its ability to convey sentimentality and humor almost in the same breath. Although in many ways the lyrics are secondary to music in Netzer’s work, he demonstrates an impressive capacity for tapering difficult emotions with a sense of humor. He tackles themes of loss, loneliness, and regret with sincerity while also maintaining an enjoyably light-hearted atmosphere throughout the album.
Beyond simply compiling his songs, Netzer also takes pains to set a clear tone and create a universe for them to live in. Case in point is the opening track, “Mr. Know It Al.” I can’t think of a better way to introduce a country album than with a drawling radio host using quaint Americanisms like, “Well, butter my biscuit and slap my knee!” And as the song begins, Netzer establishes his deft balance of poignance and wit. “Mr. Know It All” is a song about heartbreak and those who are all too familiar with it, but it’s also so chockfull of country-western staples – like prominent steel guitars and melodic folk harmonies – that it is almost parodic. As a piece of country music boiled down to its bare essentials, it’s a commentary on the genre as a whole, but brought to life by a catchy beat and Netzer’s signature raw vocals, it’s a genuinely solid piece of music in its own right.
The next song on the EP, “Midnight Blue,” is yet another heartbreak ballad. However, this one takes on a decidedly more somber and brooding tone than “Mr. Know It All.” “Midnight Blue” is not actually a new song – Netzer previously released it as a single – but positioning it as the second track on the Omer EP creates an intriguing juxtaposition with the more light-hearted “Mr. Know It All.” Paired with an emotive blues-rock soundscape, the central image – “Can’t you see losing you’s making me midnight blue” – gives the impression of a desert road at night: lonely, mysterious, and concealing a dark authority.
Bittersweet odes to lost homes and times past are a surefire way to make me tear up, so in my personal opinion, “Know This Place No More” is the emotional highlight of the album. In contrast to the previous two tracks, “Know This Place No More” allows Netzer to take on a more melancholy, introspective persona, and he drops the rock ‘n’ roll-infused honky-tonk trappings he’s become known for in favor of acoustic-driven balladry. With a gentle melody worthy of a campfire sing-along, Netzer delivers a narrative about returning to a once beloved home that no longer feels familiar. The lyrics abound with picturesque and distinctly American imagery – including “the corner store where Martha couldn’t keep the lights on,” “the old bar,” and “heartbreak in these hardwood floors.” I don’t know if this little town really exists, or if Omer Netzer ever really lived there, but I feel like I miss it, too.
Continuing with themes of longing and regret, the fourth track, “A Father’s Love,” is Omer Netzer at his most emotionally resonant. In this tear-jerker of a country ballad, the singer addresses his child, expressing regret for not being a part of their life and finally concluding that no matter what their relationship looks like, they will always have his love. What strikes me most about this track is the profound sense of empathy it conveys. Though Netzer sings from the point of view of the rather, it’s less a litany of self-pity as it is a sign of compassion for the child who will have to grow up without a father. Lines like, “You won’t have the memories / You’ll have someone to blame,” are chilling delivered in Netzer’s forceful baritone. This is Netzer taking responsibility, and that’s why when he sings that he loves his child, I believe it.
Following the somber reflections of “Know This Place No More” and “A Father’s Love,” Netzer gets our feet tapping again with “Promise Land,” a rollicking anthem with a classic country feel. Netzer seemingly gets autobiographical, describing his own soul-defining pilgrimage to the United States and the dreams it represented for him. Seen through Netzer’s eyes, America is a paradise of “rhythm, rock, and roll.” Enlivened by energetic electric guitar riffs, this song makes it hard not to envision Omer Netzer as a sort of hero of country music – transcending the boundaries of culture and geography and risking everything to pursue his passion. As he puts it, “Living is better than dying with regrets.”
Finally, Netzer closes out the album with a fun bar song straight out of a Nashville honky-tonk. “Low High” is an opposites attract love song. Netzer uses a series of quintessentially country images to describe a perfect relationship in which both parties balance each other out by being completely different. It’s possibly the catchiest song on the EP, and for me, it’s also the most emblematic of Netzer’s timeless songwriting. The clever lyrics have a universal appeal, and the lively bluegrass-infused instrumentation would be just as at home in Johnny Cash’s catalogue as it would be on a Morgan Wallen album. Personally, though, I’m glad it’s Netzer singing. Full of gritty richness, his forceful vocals add textures that would be hard for any other performer to duplicate.
All told, Netzer’s Omer EP seems to have come from an alternate universe – one where the golden age of country music never ended and stretches out eternally in every direction. Nostalgia forms a recurring threat throughout the album – not just lyrically, but music as well. He seems to weave together all the greatest moments of country music into one genre-defining album. Beyond his superior songwriting and powerful voice, Omer Netzer has one gift that makes him a truly great performer: he loves the music he creates, and he believes in what he is doing.
The final verdict: Omer is a must-listen for any country fan.
KEEP UP WITH OMER NETZER BELOW: