DISClaimer: Indie Acts Bring Holiday Offerings

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Lucas Hoge

As we bid adieu to 2017, the indie country acts are bringing up the rear with their various holiday offerings.

Lucas Hoge wins the Disc of the Day with his strong vocal performance. The female prize goes to Heidi Raye, another confident belter. The group award goes to Bubba T & Natalie Rose, who sound like they’d be fun to have around at your Christmas party.

Happy holidays, one and all.

JEFF CROSBY/Christmas in the Palms
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed. Publishers: none listed; Rock By the Sea (CDX)
-It’s about getting out of sunny California to celebrate the holidays in snowy Idaho. He has a friendly, folkie delivery, and the production is appropriately spare.

LUCAS HOGE/Ho Ho Home for the Holidays
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Rebel (CDX)
– This swings gently with a lightly jazzy vibe. His vocal is confident, solid and right on the money. Highly recommended.

ANALISA & JOHN/Make Christmas Last This Year
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Analisa Rotella & John Gallo (track)
– Beyond amateurish. The recording quality is stunningly sub par. She can barely sing, and is buried in the mix way beneath his electric-guitar noodling in any case.

BRETT ELDREDGE/Glow
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Atlantic (CDX)
– This is the title tune to the big-band, pop holiday album that Brett issued last year. Despite his unquestioned country credentials, don’t look here if you’re looking for a country Christmas record. But if you feel like scratching a Sinatra itch, step right up.

 

CB30/The Christmas Song
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Buena Vista/Universal (CDX)
– Stacked vocal harmonies, finger snaps and a soaring string section. Thanks, I’ll take Nat King Cole instead.

BUBBA T & NATALIE ROSE/Frosty the Snowman
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; AmeriMonte (CDX)
-The quasi-rockabilly arrangement works surprisingly well. Natalie out-sings Bubba, but he has his own warm, low-key charm.

JOSEPH JAMES/Christmas in My Hometown
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; JJC (CDX)
– You probably know 20 people who can sing this well or better. 12/21/2017

HEIDI RAYE/I’m Gonna Wish You a Merry Christmas
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; HH (CDX)
– She’s a blue-collar babe who is defiantly not politically correct while shopping down at the Wal-Mart. Bopping and full of personality.

RE MATTEI/Santa’s Gone Country
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Trendy Girl (CDX)
– This double-time two-step is sure to liven up your holiday party. Everybody hit that honky-tonk dance floor!

JENNY TOLMAN/Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; JT
– This former DisCovery Award winner has a remake of the 1958 Brenda Lee rockabilly classic as her yuletide offering. This arrangement slows things down to a relaxed bop, embellished by honking harmonica, snazzy electric guitar and tinkling piano. Sweetly enjoyable.

DISClaimer: TobyMac, Hannah Kerr Release Top Christmas Offerings

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Nashville has always taken the lead when it comes to holiday music.

The city’s artists have given us such standards as “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Mary Did You Know,” “Blue Christmas,” “Reindeer Boogie,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Tennessee Christmas,” “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy,” “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Pretty Paper,” “Kentucky Homemade Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Watching You” and “Christmas Time’s A-Comin.’”

Today’s stack of platters includes Yule offerings from some of Nashville’s biggest country stars. But it is the city’s CCM community that comes away with top honors.

TobyMac wins the Disc of the Day. Hannah Kerr earns the DisCovery Award.

JENNIFER HANSON/Under The Tree
Writers: J. Hanson; Producers: Jennifer Hanson/Nick Brophy; Publishers: none listed; JH (track)
– The track sounds like crystalline falling snow. Her winsome vocal exudes warmth and sincerity. The super melodic song is a jewel. This lady’s holiday four-song EP is essential.

TWIN KENNEDY/Cold Weather
Writers: Carli Kennedy/Julie Kennedy; Producers: Dustin Olyan/Twin Kennedy; Publishers: Twin Kennedy; Factor (Canada)
– These sisters from British Columbia accompany themselves on fiddle and guitar, which forms the basis of their gentle acoustic sound. They also harmonize beautifully on this ultra-romantic song. Very pretty. The album is called A Twin Kennedy Christmas.

TOBYMAC/Bring On The Holidays
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Capitol/Forefront
– Naturally, Nashville’s CCM world embraces this season enthusiastically. This veteran of the genre kicks off his Light of Christmas CD with this jaunty pop rocker. The pulsing production is as irresistible as his tenor vocal. Highly recommended.

 

NORA COLLINS/Christmas Kiss
Writers: Collins/Arthur; Producer: Tony Harrell; Publishers: none listed; MV2 (track)
– This pert soprano’s six-song holiday offering is titled It Must Be Christmas. Its single is a slow, sweetly romantic ballad about waking up to a special smooch on Christmas morning. Languid and lulling.

REBA McENTIRE, KELLY CLARKSON & TRISHA YEARWOOD/Silent Night
Writers: Franz Xaber Gruber/Joseph Mohr/John Freeman Young; Producer: Greg Kurstin, Publisher: PD; Rockin R/Nash Icon
– Leave it to these three stellar vocalists to turn this most familiar of Christmas standards into an enchanting new audio experience. Kelly leads off, followed by Trisha with Reba taking the third verse. Throughout, the three voices echo softly in harmony in the background. Hang on for the trio-harmonized a cappella finale. It will stop you in your tracks. You’ll find it on Reba’s CD My Kind of Christmas, which also contains collaborations with Darius Rucker, Lauren Daigle and Vince & Amy.

BALSAM RANGE/Christmas Lullaby
Writers: Doc Watson; Producer: Balsam Range; Publishers: Hillgreen/Budde, BMI; Mountain Home
-The bluegrass genre’s holiday entry, It’s Christmas Time, comes from this 10-time IBMA awarded band. The group’s trademark, flawless, hearty harmonies and deft picking are paired with The Nashville Recording Orchestra. The mixture of banjo and fiddle with lush, soaring strings is an unexpected delight. Well worth your spins.

BLAKE SHELTON/Christmas Eve
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros.
-His heartbroken lead vocal on this downbeat waltz is dandy. He remains such a superb country singer. The track is marred by the presence of a kiddie chorus.

 

SHANE OWENS/Christmas in Dixie
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; AmeriMonte (CDX)
– This honky tonker’s revival of Alabama’s 1983 holiday classic is a welcome reminder of what a cool song it is. Winning and warm.

LUKE BRYAN/O Holy Night
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Capitol (CDX)
– His accent just feels out of place on this loveliest of Christmas melodies. To his credit, he does take the octave-leap finale in stride.

HANNAH KERR/Emmanuel
Writers: Hannah Kerr/Andy Gullahorn/Jill Phillips; Producer: Mark Miller; Publishers: Songs of Black River/The Gullahorns, ASCAP; Black River Christian
– This is the title tune of a six-song EP that introduces Black River’s first entry into the CCM field. Her soft, airy delivery gives the lilting ballad extraordinary intimacy and presence, particularly when her co-writers add their lovely, lacy harmony voices. I was hanging on every phrase, mesmerized.

 

DISClaimer: Chris Stapleton, Cale Dodds Offer Superb Vocals

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Chris Stapleton, Cale Dodds

Veterans, shooting stars and newcomers are the ingredients in this week’s country-music recipe.

Toby Keith, Lee Ann Womack and Shania Twain all demonstrate that they have enduring appeal. Kip Moore, William Michael Morgan and Chris Stapleton are here to show us why they are all hot right now. Lindsay Ell and Cale Dodds are the promising newcomers.

It will come as no surprise that Chris Stapleton wins the Disc of the Day prize. The man can do no wrong.

This week’s DisCovery Award goes to social-media sensation Cale Dodds. He’s not only super handsome; he can also sing.

KIP MOORE/Last Shot
MCA (download)
-It’s an anthem-style rock power ballad delivered in his trademark, raspy, impassioned voice. I like the “shot” imagery of drinking and romantic chances.

SHANIA TWAIN/We Got Something They Don’t
Mercury (ERG)
– Kinda rumbling. Kinda thumpy. Kinda bluesy pop. Kinda groovy and catchy. I kinda like it.

LEE ANN WOMACK/All The Trouble
ATO (download)
– She could sing the phone book and make it sound soulful. Happily, this blues lament is much, much more than that. Her whole The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone album is essential.

 

KID ROCK/Tennessee Mountain Top
Red Bow (ERG)
– Suffering in L.A., he waxes nostalgic about home, where folks pack guns and sing karaoke in a double-wide thick with cigarette smoke. If that’s his idea of heaven, he’s welcome to it.

CHRIS STAPLETON/Millionaire
Mercury
-Searing and seething with emotion. It’s a classic country message: Love is more precious than money. If you’ve got love, you’re rich. Amen, bro.

LINDSAY ELL/Criminal
Writers: Lindsay Ell/Chris Stevens/Fred Wilhelm; Producer: Kristian Bush; Publishers: Magic Mustang/BMG Rights/Lindsay Ell/Moody Producer/Capitol CMG, BMI; Stoney Creek
– This multi-talented gal is still looking for the song that will put her over the top. This is a pleasant, percolating outing, but I don’t think it’s the one.

 
TOBY KEITH/Shitty Golfer
Writers: Toby Keith; Producers: Keith/Bobby Pinson; Publishers: Tokeco, BMI; Show Dog/Thirty Tigers
– This will make you grin, I guarantee it. By the way, Toby’s CD The Bus Songs also contains his immortal reefer ditties “Wacky Tobaccy” and “Weed With Willie.”

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/Vinyl
Writers: Wade Kirby/Ashley Gorley/Carson Chamberlain; Producers: Jimmy Ritchey & Scott Hendricks; Publishers: Round Hill Works/External Combustion/Songs of Southside Independent/WB/Atlas/Carson Chamerlain, BMI/ASCAP; Warner Bros.
-I remain a fan. This sweet, lilting love song compares old-fashioned romance with the warmth and comfort you feel from hearing classic music. Gently persuasive.

CALE DODDS/Out Of My System
Writers: Cale Dodds, Zach Abend, Corey Crowder; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Songs From The Rose Hotel (ASCAP)/WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)/Cale Dodds Publishing (ASCAP); Bendable Music (BMI)/Nashville International Music (BMI); Songs From The Rose Hotel (ASCAP)/WB Music Corp. (ASCAP); Warner Bros.
-He knows he’s addicted to her. But he’s not ready to de-tox just yet. The jumpy, nervous track has lots of stuttering electric guitar, but his pleading, urgent vocal remains the focus. An intriguing debut. The track is paired with a number called “People Watching.” What the two share is a certain monotonic quality that favors likable energy over any kind of distinctive melody.

 

DISClaimer: Country Music Making A Comeback?

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Country music, I mean real country music, returns with a vengeance this week.

With top-shelf performances by Alan Jackson, Jon Pardi and Chris Janson in the listening stack, I was in heaven. The female records hold up the pop-flavored part of the equation this week, with superlative offerings from Cam, Taylor Swift and Carly Pearce.

Since this column is wall-to-wall established acts, there is no DisCovery Award contender in sight. So instead, I am spreading the Disc of the Day love.

Chris Janson and Alan Jackson touched me deeply, so they are sharing the male prize.

Cam rocked and Taylor Swift provided ballad excellence. So they are both collecting the female trophy.

THOMAS RHETT/Marry Me
Writers: Thomas Rhett/Jesse Frasure/Ashley Gorley/Shane McAnally; Producers: Dann Huff, Jesse Frasure/Thomas Rhett; EMI Blackwood/Cricket on the Line/Sony/ATV/Rio Bravo/Telemitry; Valory (track)
– This piano-embellished heartbreak ballad is a nice change of pace. The plot is, she wants to get married, but not to him. Boo hoo.

CRAIG WAYNE BOYD/Stuck In My Head
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Copperline
– This 2014 winner on The Voice rocks out on this catchy ditty. He sings with gusto. The title is repeated a little too often for my taste. I guess he wants it to get “Stuck in My Head.”

TAYLOR SWIFT/New Year’s Day
Writers: Taylor Swift; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Big Machine
– I got so used to her pop bopping that I forgot what a tender balladeer she can be. This tender, piano-based heart breaker is a vivid reminder. Wistful and winning. Very, very cool.

CARLY PEARCE/Hide the Wine
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Luke Laird/Hillary Lindsey; Producer: busbee; Publishers: WB/Combustion Engine/Sadie’s Favorite/Universal/We Are Creative Nation/Jake & Mack/Songs of Universal/BMG Gold/Rezonant, ASCAP; Big Machine (track)
– He’s back in town, and that spells trouble. He’s no good, but she can’t resist him. So while the track thumps splendidly around her, she wails about getting rid of the vino, the music and the comforts that make her easy pickings. Rhythm happy.

CHRIS JANSON/Drunk Girl
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– Each vocal performance seems more expressive than the one before. He drew me into this with extraordinary intimacy. It’s also a wonderfully inventive lyric about behaving like a gentleman. A superb record.

MARGIE SINGLETON/Jesus Is My Pusher
Writer: Margie Singleton; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Ashmar, BMI; Ashley
– At age 82, this veteran is writing and singing with verve. This is one of her new gospel songs, but she’s also still creating solid honky tonkers. Margie is best known for her duet work with George Jones (”Waltz of the Angels”), Faron Young {”Keeping Up With the Joneses”) and Leon Ashley (”Hangin’ On”) in the 1960s, but she has always crafted equally distinctive solo sides (”Old Records,” “The Eyes of Love”).

ALAN JACKSON/The Older I Get
Writers: Alan Jackson; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; EMI (download)
– Philosophical and heartfelt. He is still the BEST, and I will be forever a fan. A lump-in-throat song and performance. Play and believe.

CAM/Diane
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Arista/RCA
– Man, this thing roars out of the chute like a runaway bronco. The stacked harmonies are as gripping as the pile-driving rhythm track. In the lyric, she’s a home wrecker who is trying to explain herself to Diane, the woman she has wronged. I was charmed by this track from the moment I heard her sing it during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

JON PARDI/She Ain’t In It
Writers: Clint Daniels/Wynn Varble; Producers: Bart Butler/Jon Pardi; Publishers: Writers of Sea Gayle/ClearBox Rights/Spirit of Catalog Holdings/Spirit of Nashville One/BMG Platinum/Mater Pie, BMI; Capitol (track)
-This guy gives me hope for the future of the genre. Unlike so many of his peers, he is unashamedly, unapologetically country, country, country. This swaying, heartbreak lament pushes all my buttons. The rolling tempo, the sighing steel, the gentle-twang guitars, the twin fiddles and his drawling baritone vocal are all exquisite.

KANE BROWN/Heaven
Writers: Shy Carter/Matthew McGinn/Lindsay Rimes; Producer: Dann Huff; Publishers: none listed; BMI/SESAC; RCA (track)
– Sensuous, dreamy and romantic. How could Heaven be any better than lying in her arms? There you have it.

DISClaimer: CMA Awards Spotlight New Tracks

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I thought country music offered America a pretty good representation of what it’s all about on last week’s CMA Awards Show.

Salutes to Glen Campbell, Troy Gentry and Don Williams were all well placed, as was a tribute to the 58 country fans slain in Vegas. I could have done without the ABC-TV non-stars as presenters and the gratuitous product-placement ads. But the singing and the instrumental tracks were consistently fine.

The four new songs introduced on the show (by Urban, Tim & Faith, Church, Miranda) are spotlighted in this week’s DisClaimer column. Of them, the Tim McGraw & Faith Hill enduring-love duet easily wins the Disc of the Day award.

The two closest competitors are Miranda Lambert’s honky-tonk ballad and a song that wasn’t on the telecast, Jerrod Niemann’s delightful toe tapper.

The DisCovery Award goes to a duo called Stranger Friends. It is comprised of John Martin and Jamie Floyd. He has penned songs recorded by Garth Brooks. She has had cuts by Ronnie Dunn and Ashley Monroe and is a former Disc of the Day winner as a solo artist. Together, they are terrific.

STRANGER FRIENDS/Country Song
Writers: Jamie Floyd/John Martin; Producer: Stranger Friends; Publisher: none listed; Voxhall (track)
– Everly harmonies. Slappin’ backbeat. Fabulous steel-guitar picking. Instantly catchy tune with a happy rhythm. I love, love, love this.

TIM McGRAW & FAITH HILL/The Rest Of Our Life
Writers: Ed Sheeran/Amy Wadge/Johnny McDaid/Steve Mac; Producer: none listed; Publishers: 2017 Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI) o/b/o Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Limited (PRS)/Cookie Jar Music LLP (PRS). All rights on behalf of Cookie Jar Music LLP administered by WB Music Corp./Spirit B-Unique Polar Patrol administered by Spirit B-Unique Polar Patrol Songs (BMI)/Rokstone Music (ASCAP); Sony
– A beautifully performed power ballad with a supremely romantic lyric about growing old gracefully together. These two truly are “Mr. and Mrs. Country Music.”

 

LONNIE SPIKER/Love Would Have Wanted It That Way
Writer: Curt Ryle; Producer: Curt Ryle; Publisher: Big Matador, BMI; Megalith (track)
– Booze and the Bible mix it up in this very slowly paced barroom heartache lament. Best line: “It’s a long way from Hell to Step Number 12/But I’m gonna make it there one day.” Old-school country.

JERROD NIEMANN/I Got This
Writers: Luke Dick/Rodney Clawson/Josh Osborne; Producers: Jimmie Lee Sloas/Jerrod Niemann; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Little Louder/Emilon/Round Hill Works/Big Loud Proud Crowd/Shirt At Work/Anderson Fork in the Road/Smackville/Smack Songs/Kobalt, BMI/ASCAP; Curb (track)
– I’ve always liked this guy a lot. This snappy bopper promises a gal some tunes, a pleasure drive, a drink and an open-ended evening. Irresistible.

LAURA BENITEZ & THE HEARTACHE/Whiskey Makes Me Love You
Writer: Laura Benitez; Producer: Laurea Benitez; Publishers: none listed; Copperhead (track)
– Recorded in the Bay Area, this lacks Nashville polish. But there’s plenty of guitar twang and a dandy lyric to compensate. I wonder if lowering her key would make her a more effective vocal communicator.

KEITH URBAN/Female
Writers: Nicolle Galyon/Ross Copperman/Shane McAnally; Producers: Urban, Ross Copperman, Dann Huff; Publisher: none listed; Capitol
– Almost immediately after introducing this on the CMA telecast, Urban was derided. Late-night TV host Stephen Colbert parodied the performance on his show as “She Person” and mocked the lyric as, “the first song ever written by dumping out a bin full of inspirational throw pillows.” Last weekend, some hipster NPR panelists who only knew Urban as “the guy who is married to Nicole Kidman,” also looked down their noses at it. The fact of the matter is that the production echoes and throbs and sparkles brilliantly. Keith’s performance rings with sincerity. And what the heck is wrong with a guy identifying with feminist issues anyway?

RE MATTEI/Bump Bump Bump
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Trinity Girl (CDX)
– She is sings in a throaty alto. The song is about drowning out his memory with loud music. Pass.

 

ERIC CHURCH/Chattanooga Lucy
Writers: Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: 2015 Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Little Louder Songs/Mammaw’s Friend Okra Music; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Little Louder Songs/Harold’s Purple Heart Music (BMI); EMI (track)
– This has an appealingly nervous energy level, as well as some very cool soul-sister wailing in the background. Country rock with a decided edge.

TRAILERHAWK/Car
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Hundred Proof
– The rocking track rumbles with a simple, repeated, deep-twang guitar lick. Her spitfire lead vocal should have been mixed a little hotter.

MIRANDA LAMBERT/To Learn Her
Writers: Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Waylon Payne; Producers: Frank Liddell/Glenn Worf/Eric Masse; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Pink Dog/Monroe Suede/Songs of Kobalt/Tiltawhirl, BMI; RCA (track)
– Hallelujah. Stone country from start to finish. Miranda gives it a classic honky-tonk vocal performance while the track seethes with pent-up intensity behind her. This is the right stuff.

 

DISClaimer: The Tried And The True

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Country music charges into the fall season, still pretty much sticking to the tried and true.

That means rock, pop and hip-hop influences in the sounds of Lewis Brice, Eric Chesser, Tyminski and Jackson Michelson. Among the brightest spots in this edition of DisClaimer are the David Lee Murphy/Kenny Chesney duet and the Blake Shelton track.

The Disc of the Day award goes to Lady Antebellum, who have apparently returned from wandering in the pop wilderness. Bopping Susan Shann wins the DisCovery Award, partly because heaven knows we need more female voices in this format.

SUSAN SHANN/Rhythm of the Road
Writer: Susan Shann; Producer: Bil VornDick; Moose Lodge, ASCAP; SS (track)
– The band is cooking with gas in a taut, punchy, bopping arrangement punctuated by stinging guitar licks and fluid piano lines. The song’s toe-tapping, “traveling” groove is perfect for a sunny afternoon drive. Promising.

TYMINSKI/Bloodline
Writers: Tyminski/Barlowe/Frasure; Producer: Jesse Frasure; Publishers: Broad Banz/Dan Tyminski/Castle Bound/We Be Pawtying/Spirit/Songs of Roc Nation/Telemitry Rhythm House/Warner-Tamerlane, BMI/SESAC; Mercury (track)
– His album Southern Gothic‘s lead single is a meditation on heritage, music and memory with a choppy backbeat and an r&b feel. Haunting and hooky.

LEO EIFFERT Jr./Blue Crawfish Cup
Writers: Lwo J. Eiffert Jr.; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Young Country, BMI; Young Country
– Amateur Hour at the bar and grill.

LADY ANTEBELLUM/Heart Break
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Capitol Nashville (CDX)
– Breezy and charming. Hillary takes the lead on this tuneful, mid-tempo ditty about healing from a bad relationship. The layered track shuffles and echoes beautifully.

BLAKE SHELTON/I Lived It
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Ben Hayslip/Rhett Akins/Ross Copperman; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– He is such a superb country singer, and this dreamy, nostalgic song is a perfect vehicle for him. Can’t wait for the new album.

NED LEDOUX/We Ain’t Got It All
Writers: Ned LeDoux/Chris LeDoux/Mac McAnally; Producer: Mac McAnally; Publishers: Rusty Spur/Mad Cracker, BMI
-The late rodeo champ, country singer and Garth Brooks fave Chris LeDoux left behind scraps of paper with song ideas on them. With help from Mac McAnally, his son has polished several of these into finished works. They’re included on Ned’s new CD Sagebrush. This one is a sturdy, home-folks outing with a steady backbeat that pumps right along. Recommended. By the way, the CD also includes a duet with Chase Rice on the elder LeDoux’s 1991 single “This Cowboy’s Hat.”

JACKSON MICHELSON/Rollin’
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Curb (CDX)
– Please stop talking and sing, for pete’s sake. Also, please lose the rock guitars.

LEWIS BRICE/Best Ex Ever
Writers: L. Brice/M. Walker/B. Davis; Producers: Lewis Brice/Brian Bunn; Publishers: none listed; Pump
– She rescues him when he’s drunk. He knows they’ll never get back together, but he sure likes her then. Very cute. Especially when the whole band shouts the title.

DAVID LEE MURPHY & KENNY CHESNEY/Everything’s Gonna Be Alright
Writers: David Lee Murphy/Chris Stevens/Jimmy Yeary; Producer: Buddy Cannon/Kenny Chesney; Publishers: none listed; Reviver/Blue Chair
– This has a steady groove that’s enormously pleasing. The feel-good message is certainly one we can use right now. I’m in.

ERIC CHESSER/Yes
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Big Big (CDX)
– I liked his last single quite a bit. This one not so much, largely because the production seems needlessly busy and noisy. He still sings splendidly.

DISClaimer: Shenandoah Makes A Comeback, Ashley McBryde Makes Classic Country Debut

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A couple of comebacks and a whole lot of debuts characterize this edition of “DISClaimer.”

Returning after a 20 year absence are both Shendandoah and the late John Denver. The reunion of Shenandoah is particularly welcome. So welcome, in fact, that the band wins the Disc of the Day award with “Noise.”

Now for the newcomers. First timers in the column today include Sabin Sharpe and Michael Lee, both of whom I sincerely hope to hear more from. Our new group entries are Gal Friday and Scooter Brown Band.

Our top debut contenders are both females, singer-songwriters Jenny Tolman and this week’s winner of the DisCovery Award, Ashley McBryde.

MICHAEL LEE/Ain’t That Just Like Jesus
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Red Hen (CDX)
-Wow. This Southern-fried baritone glows with warmth, depth and kindness. The song’s lyric is extraordinary, describing how every selfless gesture, act of compassion, thought of forgiveness and charitable effort illustrates us at our best. He avows that loving your neighbor and being color blind are the truly Christian ways to behave. A honky-tonk ballad with a message we should all take to heart.

SHENANDOAH/Noise
Writers: none listed; Producer: Jay DeMarcus; Publisher: none listed; BMG
– They sound as good as ever. Marty Raybon’s torrid tenor is still packed with heart and soul, and the reunited band is cooking with gas on this simmering slab of sound. The pace is a churning, burning, stately, mid-tempo march to glory. The noise of the world outside is obliterated by the power of her love. Amen from this corner, boys.

SABIN SHARPE/Empty Bottles
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Twisted Rooster
– I like the soulful little rasp in his voice. The production adds deep bass twang, steel embellishments and steady, slow, thumping rhythm in all the right proportions. And I’ve always been a sucker for a heartsick drinkin’ song. This pushes all my buttons.

 

IRLENE MANDRELL/Thanks To You
Writers: none listed; Producer: Pat Holt; Publishers: none listed; Reviver (download)
– I always thought she was the non-singing Mandrell sister. This doesn’t change my mind.

ASHLEY MCBRYDE/A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega
Writers: Ashley McBryde/Nicolette Hayford/Jesse Rice; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: Songs of Song Factory / Veranda Music (SESAC) / Little Falcor Music (BMI); Warner Bros.
– Stupendously cool. The guitars echo from deep in a coal mine, the lyrics rise from the heart of blue-collar America and the voice evokes classic-country immortality. I live for musical moments like this. The woman is a stone bad-ass. Go to YouTube right now and check out her singing “Bible and a .44” on stage with Eric Church.

GAL FRIDAY/Scrapyard
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Rundies (CDX)
– It’s a female trio with a cool, bluesy “attitude” song. But the too-busy track has so much going on it’s hard to hear it.

BRAD PAISLEY/Heaven South
Writers: Brad Paisley/Brent Anderson/Chris DuBois; Producers: Luke Wooten/Brad Paisley; Publishers: New House of Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP) adm by ClearBox Rights., ASCAP; Arista (track)
– This lively, joyful toe-tapper celebrates the everyday pleasures of being in love in Dixie. As usual, there’s a dandy guitar break in there. A smile from beginning to end.

 

SCOOTER BROWN BAND & CHARLIE DANIELS/American Son
Writers:Scott Brown; Producer: Casey Wood; Publishers: VAlor Ranch, BMI; BFD/Audium
– Despite the dark, relentless, bluesy, doom-y, Southern-rock track, the lyric is meant to positive and uplifting. I think. Charlie’s participation is limited to a snarling, spoken-word passage about working-class men.

JOHN DENVER/The Blizzard
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Soundcloud
-The John Denver Estate is commemorating the 20th anniversary of his untimely passing with this previously unreleased performance. It is a somewhat arty, wintertime song, daintily embroidered with rippling piano and flute notes. It also seems to go on forever.

JENNY TOLMAN/Stripper For A Week
Writers: none listed; Producer: Dave Brainard; Publisher: none listed; Jennyville (track)
– When you’re so dead broke that you’re gasping to pay the bills, and you’re young and fit…..what the heck? Saucy, winking and endearing. Her debut Jennyville collection of songs will floor you — Her creativity compares favorably with Brandy Clark’s (whom Brainard also produced). A&R talent scouts, let a word to the wise be sufficient: Sign this woman before somebody else does. Even as an unknown, she’s already surpassed 100,000 streams on Spotify with this just-released gem.

 

DISClaimer: Hunter Hayes & The Shadowboxers Team For “Charming” New Track

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Fall is in the air, and that means get ready for a flood of new releases from Music Row.

If anyone’s still buying records, they’re buying them for holiday gifts, right? So this week, we have Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Dolly Parton, Hunter Hayes, the Josh Abbott Band and more testing the season with new sounds.

The Disc of the Day award goes to Hunter Hayes. His cool tune is embellished by The Shadowboxers, who are protegees of new Nashvillian Justin Timberlake. The resulting sound is a delight.

It’s a contest between Robert Stowell and Tyler Jordan for this week’s DisCovery Award. Both are admirable singers, but Tyler’s everyday-guy sincerity as well as his songwriting ability give him the edge.

ROBERT STOWELL/I’d Die For You
Writers: Rick Tiger/Adam Dorsey; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; RS (download)
– His resonant baritone delivers this throbbing, romantic ballad with hillbilly conviction and impressive power. Well written and nicely produced.

JOSH ABBOTT BAND/Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Reviver (download)
– Drawling hilarity. I have always liked this bunch, and now that they’ve gone full-on goofy, I’m even more of a fan. The gist of it is that he’s sloppy drunk and dunderhead confused. Give yourself a smile and spin it.

 

TYLER JORDAN/Why Her
Writers: Tyler Jordan/Stephen Kirk; Producer: Chad Carlson; Publishers: Just In Case/Swear By It, BMI; Silverado (track)
– The echoey-guitar production is super ear catching, and his assured-yet-downhome vocal is very likable. A power ballad with a friendly sounding heartache. Promising, to say the least.

DOLLY PARTON/I Believe In You
Writers: Dolly Parton; Producer: Tom McBryde; Publisher: Velvet Apple, BMI; RCA/Dolly (track)
– The title tune of Dolly’s first children’s album is inspired by the eternal kiddie book The Little Engine That Could. The chug-chug, train-whistle and woo-woo sounds are adorable. Tots will love it.

MILLER CAMPBELL/All Summer’s Breaking Loose
Writers: Miller Campbell/Bill DiLuigi; Producer: Geoff Ott; Publishers: none listed; MC (track)
– This gal hails from the Pacific Northwest. I guess they don’t have Auto-Tune up there.

HUNTER HAYES & THE SHADOWBOXERS/You Should Be Loved
Writers: Hunter Hayes/Sam Ellis/Blair Daly; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Atlantic (download)
– It has retro-sounding, doo-wop harmonies, piano triplets, a finger-popping beat and a bopping, boyish, innocent mood. Charming.

 

LUKE BRYAN/Light It Up
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Capitol (ERG)
– He’s waiting for her to light-up his screen with lipstick pictures or whatever. Is this the first country song lyric completely devoted to a cell phone?

GWEN SEBASTIAN/Quicksand
Writers: Gwen Sebastian/Chris Harris/Terri Jo Box; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; GS (download)
– It has a mysterioso vibe with darkly rumbling percussion; keening, echoey, spaghetti-western guitars and a minor-key melody. It’s about being helplessly drawn into a bad relationship despite misgivings. Naturally, this haunting sound drops on Friday the 13th.

BILLY CURRINGTON/Wake Me Up
Writers: Josh Osborne/Jimmy Robbins/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Dann Huff; Publishers: none listed; Mercury (track)
– He’s always had knack for finding catchy songs. This one urges an absent lover to interrupt him at any time of the day or night. The nervous rhythms and rapid-fire lyric delivery both underline the song’s yearning, jittery uncertainty. Billy scores again.

MIKE RYAN/Sad Song
Writers: Mike Ryan/Clint Lagerberg/Brent Anderson; Producer: Brent Anderson; Publishers: none listed; MR (track)
-It’s a cool, slow, heartbroken waltz in the verses that bursts into a full-throated, wailing-tenor shout in the choruses. This man is a singer. Essential listening.

 

DISClaimer: Maren Morris, Travis Meadows Rise Above With New Singles

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Maren Morris, Travis Meadows

This is a week of thoughtful ballads.

Kellie Pickler, Delta Rae, Taylor Hicks and Maren Morris all check in with lyrics to make you stop and listen.

In collaboration with Vince Gill, Morris has the unquestioned Disc of the Day. It’s a song to help heal us from what we’ve been through this week.

The DisCovery Award goes to Travis Meadows. This isn’t his first record, but it’s the first time he has appeared in this column. He has a heckuva back story as well as a heckuva record. Check him out.

DANIELLE BRADBERY/Sway
Writers:Danielle Bradbery/Johan Fransson/Emily Weisband; Producer: Josh Kerr; Publisher: Songs of Universal, Inc. / One Voice Global Publishing / Canal Music Publishing BV. All rights for One Voice Global Publishing and Canal Music Publishing BV controlled and administered by Songs of Universal, Inc./ Warner/Chappell Music Scandinavia AB (STIM)./ WB Music Corp. / Thankful For This Music (ASCAP). All rights o/b/o itself, Warner/Chappell Music Scandinavia AB, and Thankful For This Music administered by WB Music Corp.; Big Machine
– She was just 16 when she won on The Voice, and it has been a long dry spell since then. This sweet ditty celebrates the innocent joy of hearing a spirit-lifting tune on the radio. Lilting and listenable.

BILLY BURNETTE/Oh Well
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BB
-Billy salutes his rockabilly heritage with a mighty assist from slapping, stand-up bass player Mark Winchester. Rocking.

MAREN MORRIS ft. VINCE GILL/Dear Hate
Writers: Maren Morris/Tom Douglas/David Hodges; Producer: Brad Hill/Maren Morris; Publisher: International Dog Music (BMI) a division of Big Yellow Dog, LLC, adm by Words & Music, a Division of Big Deal Music, LLC.  Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Tomdouglasmusic (BMI). All rights adm by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; 3 Weddings Music (BMI). All rights adm by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing.; Columbia
– Very, very moving. The song addresses a variety of national tragedies involving blind violence and concludes that love will always win in the end. Deliberately released in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, it could not come at a better time for our community. Well done.

 

TRACE ADKINS/Still A Soldier
Writers: Phil O’Donnell/Wade Kirby; Producer: Mickey Jack Cones; Publisher: ole Purple Cape Music (BMI) admin by OLE, Paw and Pamaw Music (BMI), admin by OLE, Round Hill Works (BMI), Fat Pony Music (BMI) admin by Round Hill
Works.; BBR/Wheelhouse
– Trace has always been a huge supporter of our enlisted folks, and he makes it explicit in this chesty, proud anthem.

DUSTIN LYNCH/I’d Be Jealous Too
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BBR
– I fail to see what is “country” about this recording. Why don’t we just put a cowboy hat on Justin Bieber?

TRAVIS MEADOWS/Pray For Jungleland
Writers: Travis Meadows/Drew Kennedy; Producer: Jeremy Spillman; Publisher: none listed; Blaster (track)
– As you might guess from the title, this channels Bruce Springsteen. But this guy’s voice carries its own special charisma. Audio excitement.

 

DELTA RAE/No Peace In Quiet
Writers: Eric Hölljes /Tiffany Goss/Adam Wood; Producer: Dann Huff; Publishers: 2016 WB Music Corp. / Eric Hölljes Music (ASCAP). All rights o/b/o itself and Eric Hölljes Music administered by WB Music Corp./ Curb Congregation Songs (SESAC)./ Curb Songs (ASCAP); Valory
– Everything this band does is deliciously melodic and oh-so catchy. This gorgeous ballad is another perfect gem. Make room for this on your playlists, please.

KELLIE PICKLER/If It Wasn’t For A Woman
Writers: Kellie Pickler/Kyle Jacobs/Brian Bunn; Producer: Kyle Jacobs/Matt McClure; Publishers: Pickle Butt Publishing/I Hope Mamma Likes This Song Publishing/Kyroll Music (ASCAP/BMI); KP
– She is such a doll. This touching ballad is for the grandma who raised her.

TAYLOR HICKS/Six Strings and Diamond Rings
Writers: Jason Deer/Jo Smith/Don Rollins; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Sony RED/Modern Whomp
– This American Idol alumnus can sing, sing, sing. This well-written outing gives him plenty of space to phrase masterfully. The lyric tells the familiar saga of a traveling musician whose lifestyle wears on his marriage. Steel guitar star Robert Randolph provides superb instrumental support.

 

ADAM DOLEAC/Whiskey’s Fine
Writers: Adam Doleac/Monty Criswell; Producer: Lindsay Rimes; Publishers: none listed; 287 (track)
– “Come on in, the whiskey’s fine,” he says to the old flame who knocks on his door in the dead of night. The lyric is sexy and his vocal delivery has plenty of passion. Judging by the EP’s jacket, I’m assuming that fiery electric guitar work is his, too.

DISClaimer: Montgomery Gentry Wins Disc of the Day

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Click to read Eddie’s note about the song.

The pattern today seems to be downloads from established stars and physical product from newcomers. Of those downloads, the outstanding submission comes from Montgomery Gentry. “Better Me” wins the Disc of the Day prize. R.I.P. Troy.

Newcomer Russell Dickerson seems to have it all going on. His “Yours” is not only a winning love song, he sings it with enormous power and passion. Give that man a DisCovery Award.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY/Better Me
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Average Joes (download) 
—Very, very stirring. He’s trying to turn a page on his wilder days and live right. The track cooks with gas, and Troy sings his butt off. How sad and aching that one of the finest recorded performances of the duo’s career comes as a swansong. Play this, and then play it some more.

SARAH ANNE/Tammy Wynette
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; SA 
—It has the tempo of a dying mammoth, but her languid, heartsick performance is on the money. She seeks comfort and solace from a singer who has cried as hard as she does. Who better than the Heroine of Heartbreak, herself?

CHRIS YOUNG/Losing Sleep
Writers: Chris Young, Josh Hoge, Chris DeStefano; Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young; Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music Inc., Goodbye Pants Music, EMI Foray Music, Write 2 Be Free Music, EMI April Music Inc., CDS Words and Music, BMI, SESAC, ASCAP, Adm by Sony/ATV; RCA (download) 
—Golly, this guy can sing. This power ballad exudes sensuous desire, whispered secrets and midnight intimacies. I remain an enormous fan.

CALICO THE BAND/The 405
Writer: K. Proffit; Producer: Steve Burns & Kristen Proffit; Publisher: none listed; California Country (track) (CALICOTHEBAND.com)
—The group is led by a female duo, Manda Mosher and Kristen Proffit. This breezy outing from its Under Blue Skies CD boasts wafting harmonies, sunny steel licks and a gently shuffling tempo. Who knew that traveling on an L.A. freeway could sound so pleasant?

BLAKE SHELTON/I’ll Name the Dogs
Writer: Matt Dragstrem, Ben Hayslip, Josh Thompson; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publisher: Round Hill Songs/Big Loud Proud Songs/WB Music/Thankful For This Music/Big Music Machine, BMI, ASCAP; Warner Bros. (download) 
—Totally cute and totally country. A hillbilly proposal that comes with a wink and a smile. Love it. He remains one of the finest honky-tonk singers on today’s scene.

SMITH & WESLEY/Superman for a Day
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Dream Walkin’ (CDX) 
—The vocals lack oomph. The song is kinda sappy.

COLE SWINDELL/Stay Downtown
Writer: Cole Taylor, Matt Dragstrem; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros. (CDX) 
—Extremely well written, slice-of-life lyrics. Minimal melodic qualities.

HOME FREE/In the Blood
Writer: John Mayer; Producer: Darren Rust; Publisher: John Maye/Milky Boy, GMR; Columbia (track) 
—The quintet has always been billed as country’s a cappella ensemble, yet the lead single from its new Timeless collection is a John Mayer tune. But stripping it down to its lyric reveals just how poetic and “country” the song really is. And there’s no getting around the fact that these guys are mighty, mighty singers. Well done.

KELSEA BALLERINI/High School
Writer: Kelsea Ballerini; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Black River (download) 
—He refuses to grow up beyond a teen mentality. Her superb performance of this wooshy ballad is extraordinarily expressive, subtle and shaded. The sonic background effects are well placed and the soft, shimmering overall audio pallet is just lovely.

RUSSELL DICKERSON/Yours
Writer: Russell Dickerson/Casey Brown/Parker Welling; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Triple Tigers (track) ()
—The album with this title tune isn’t due until next month, but the song is already a streamed and video hit. It soars on the winds of new love and promise. The ballad is evidently becoming a wedding favorite, and I can hear why.

DISCovery winner Russell Dickerson.