DISClaimer Single Reviews: Dierks Bentley & Stephen Wilson Jr. Team Up For Disc Of The Day

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Dierks Bentley & Stephen Wilson Jr. Photo: Houston Cofield

There’s some definite stretching of country music’s boundaries today in DISClaimer.

Proven country winner Don Louis is pushing in an R&B direction. Madeline Edwards & DJ Logan Garrett are taking country music onto the EDM dancefloor. Willie Jones continues to agitate for some kind of hip-hop fusion sound. Americana favorite Valerie June takes a simple country ditty and dresses it up in her kookie, delightful sonic weirdness.

Despite competition from Blake Shelton, Warren Zeiders, Caylee Hammack and Mitchell Tenpenny, Dierks Bentley & Stephen Wilson Jr. emerge holding aloft the Disc of the Day prize thanks to their “Cold Beer Can.”

Stephen Wilson Jr. had a big week. He also had credits in this stack with his oldie revival of “Stand By Me” and his songwriting collaborations on the Caylee and Dierks tracks. Is it any wonder that he claims a DISCovery Award?

STEPHEN WILSON JR. / “Stand By Me”
Writers: Ben E. King/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller; Producers: Adam Blank, Ben West; Label: Big Loud Records
– This beloved oldie was immortalized by Ben E. King in 1961 and has been performed by many others since. This dark-voiced, dramatic, bluesy fan-favorite performer offers a soulful, gripping, ear catching revival that compels you to hear it in a brand-new way. Recorded live with just plucked acoustic-guitar accompaniment, the performance shows you why this guy has 20 million social views and a sold-out string of tour dates this year.

KASSI ASHTON & PARKER McCOLLUM / “Sounds Like Something I’d Say”
Writers: Barry Dean/Jon Randall/Kassi Ashton; Producers: Kassi Ashton, Luke Laird; Label: MCA Nashville
– This is a drowsy, morning-after ballad of fuzzy memories and a dreamy hook-up. Ashton’s bruised alto brushes up against McCollum’s dusky drawl nicely.

DON LOUIS / “Look What You Made Me Do”
Writers: David Ray Stevens/Don Louis/Kipp Williams; Producer: Kipp Williams; Label: Money Myers Entertainment/EMPIRE
– His cool baritone voice has previously proven itself as an able honky-tonk instrument. On this sultry, mid-tempo, hooky toe tapper, Louis stirs a big helping of R&B into his audio stew. It’s terrifically catchy, although not all that “country” sounding.

WARREN ZEIDERS / “Relapse”
Writers: Blake Pendergrass/Justin Ebach/Warren Zeiders; Producer: Mike Elizondo; Label: Warner Records
– Zeiders rocks out on this summertime jam. The “relapse” he’s talking about isn’t about substance abuse. It’s about re-living a faded romance and wanting it back. As always, he brings earnest passion to the performance.

CROWE BOYS / “Bootstraps”
Writer: Ocie Crowe; Producer: Andrew Campanelli; Label: UMG Nashville
– These New Orleans brothers have an acoustic-based, strummy, folkie style that is utterly captivating. Snappy percussion slaps around a rousing, tuneful, sing-along track. The duo (Wes and Ocie Crowe) is graduating from indie, grassroots success with “Where Did I Go Wrong” to this major-label leap of faith.

BLAKE SHELTON / “Let Him In Anyway”
Writers: Carson Wallace/Kyle Clark/Michael Hardy/Zach Abend; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Label: Wheelhouse Records
– Still one of our finest country singers, Shelton brings some strong emotion to this ballad. He mourns the death of his best buddy and begs God to open Heaven’s doors. A tasteful, piano-based production frames his plea perfectly.

CAYLEE HAMMACK / “No I Ain’t”
Writers: Caylee Hammack/Mark Trussell/Stephen Wilson Jr.; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Capitol Nashville
– I’m always eager to hear anything this gifted lady does. She never disappoints. This time out, she’s resisting the invitations of a heartless beau who uses her but doesn’t love her. The lilting track and steady, subtle percussion carry along her intimate, pained delivery. I remain a massive fan.

MITCHELL TENPENNY / “Same Moon”
Writers: Dallas Wilson/Derrick Southerland/Mitchell Tenpenny/Paul DiGiovanni; Producers: Jordan Schmidt, Mitchell Tenpenny; Label: Riser House Entertainment/Columbia Nashville
– Smooth rolling pleasure. The terrific track drops dollops of chiming guitar, thumpy percussion, piano chords and a gorgeous echoey atmosphere into a gently swirling pool of sound. Amidst it all is Tenpenny’s soft, romantic tenor vocal. This is one  enchanting little record.

DYLAN MARLOWE / “Picture Perfect”
Writers: Dallas Davidson/Dylan Marlowe/Joe Fox/Seth Ennis; Producer: Joe Fox; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Dreaming of life together and of becoming successful down the road with a house, kids, land and years of memories. Sweetly sung.

DIERKS BENTLEY & STEPHEN WILSON JR. / “Cold Beer Can”
Writers: Dierks Bentley/Jon Randall/Luke Dick/Stephen Wilson Jr.; Producers: Mary Hilliard Harrington, Jon Randall, Ross Copperman; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Wilson’s bluesy drawl and strong guitar work strongly color this duet performance. It salutes blue-collar friendship, family ties, romantic events, brotherhood and life’s best moments. “Money can’t buy what a cold beer can,” they sing. Amen, bro’s. Sing on.

VALERIE JUNE / “Sweet Things Just for You”
Writer: Valerie June Hockett; Producer: M. Ward; Label: Concord Records
– This wonderfully unclassifiable stylist is jaunty, light-hearted and innocent sounding on this simple country love ditty. Ticklish-sounding acoustic guitar, childlike backing vocals and a double-tracked lead vocal that is not quite in sync add up to a quirky listening experience. There is something kinda joyful about her.

WILLIE JONES / “Silverado”
Writers: Brandon Day/Rufio Hooks/Willie Jones; Producer: Willie Jones; Label: Gravel Road
– Jones debuts on a new label with a good-time hip-hop banger with tiny flecks of actual instruments mixed in with the electronic beats. The minimalist lyric is repeated unceasingly. Beyond the reference to a truck, I fail to hear what is “country” about this.

DJ LOGAN GARRETT & MADELINE EDWARDS / “Take Me Down”
Writers: Kyle Featherstone/Logan Garrett/Madeline Edwards; Producers: Kyle Featherstone, Logan Garrett; Label: Background Energy
– Nashville native DJ Logan Garrett creates what he calls “country house” music. Teaming up ace vocalist Madeline Edwards he has a dance-addict’s dream in this rampaging bundle of beats. She says, “If this isn’t on the top of every hot girl’s Peloton playlist, I will rage.” Garrett was previously noted for his “I Had Some Help” Morgan Wallen remix.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Mickey Guyton Delivers A ‘Stunning Listening Experience’

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Mickey Guyton

This sure sounds like a good weekend for music.

Four of our DISClaimer candidates are performing in Music City over the next several days—Russell Dickerson, Onoleigh, Jet Black Roses and Gary Nicholson. I recommend them all.

This is also a good week for solid, meat-and-potatoes country music. I refer you to the new sounds from Zach Top & Billy Strings, Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Willie Nelson & Rodney Crowell, William Beckmann and Tucker Wetmore. This makes my heart feel so good.

William Beckmann, by the way, is our DisCovery Award winner.

The Disc of the Day is claimed by the spectacular vocal delivery of Mickey Guyton.

TUCKER WETMORE / “3, 2, 1”
Writers: Jordan Reynolds/Josh Miller/Summer Overstreet; Producer: Chris LaCorte; Label: EMI Nashville/Back Blocks Music
– Twangin’ dobro, thumping propulsion, joyous mood, cool country singer… What’s not to love? Wetmore drops his debut album next month. Based on what I’ve heard so far, it’s bound to be a winner.

MICKEY GUYTON / “You Don’t Know Me at All”
Writer: Dave Jordan; Producer: Karen Kosowski; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Guyton drew a standing ovation for her performance of this power ballad on Monday’s Ringo & Friends at the Ryman TV special. As a single, it’s a stunning listening experience, with goosebumps popping up all over when she rolls into that chorus. This lady can SING. Listen and believe.

GARY NICHOLSON / “What a Little Love Can Do”
Writers: Gary Nicholson/Stephen Bruton; Producers: Gary Nicholson, Kevin McKendree; Label: Qualified Records
– This Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member is also a performer of warmth and personality. You’ll hear it for yourself on this jangly country rocker. It’s the lead-off track of his groovy album Common Sense. Nicholson will be celebrating it with his pals on Saturday evening (March 15) at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge. Showtime is 9:00 p.m.

WILLIE NELSON & RODNEY CROWELL / “Oh What a Beautiful World”
Writer: Rodney Crowell; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Label: Legacy Recordings
– Pure poetry, to the accompaniment of sighing harmonica, rippling guitars and a gently rolling rhythm. This is the title tune of an album devoted to Crowell’s songs that Willie will issue as his 154th collection. It’s due next month, but while you wait, immerse yourself in this dreamy, bittersweet meditation on the passage of time. A lovely, lovely record.

BRAD PAISLEY & DAWES / “Raining Inside”
Writers: Brad Paisley/Lee Thomas Miller/Taylor Goldsmith; Producers: Brad Paisley, Luke Wooten; Label: EMI Nashville
– The country star and the rock band create a stately bluesy mood on this downbeat ballad. Stay tuned for the guitar fireworks at the finale.

TIM McGRAW & PARKER McCOLLUM / “Paper Umbrellas”
Writers: Drake Milligan/Monty Criswell; Producers: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw; Label: Big Machine Records
– Advice and barroom sympathy from one broken heart to another. The rolling track is terrific, and the well-crafted lyric is even better. Absolutely play this.

RUSSELL DICKERSON / “Happen to Me”
Writers: Chase McGill/Christopher LaCorte/Jessie Jo Dillon/Robert Hazard/Russell Dickerson; Producers: Chris LaCorte, Josh Kerr, Russell Dickerson; Label: Triple Tigers
– Tap your foot. This one’s a good-time banger with energy that doesn’t let up. Perfect for a springtime playlist. Born showman Dickerson plays at the new venue The Pinnacle tomorrow evening (March 14).

DOLLY PARTON / “If You Hadn’t Been There”
Writer: Dolly Parton; Producers: Gregg Perry, Kent Wells; Label: Butterfly Records
– Our hearts are heavy for our beloved Dolly, who has lost her life’s companion. She pours her heart out in this tender eulogy for Carl. I choked up. There is love behind every tear-stained note of this performance.

ONOLEIGH / “Bottomless Tears”
Writers: Ally Sou/Emile Ghantous/Josh Goode/Onoleigh Pommier/Sam SZND; Producer: Emile Ghantous; Label: Onoleigh
– Raising a glass to a busted love affair. She sings this with remarkable force and confidence, crushing the message with clarity and emotional directness. She sounds like a total pro. The lady performs this evening (March 13) at 6:00 p.m. at The Analog. It’s a release party for her EP First Rodeo. I am told that she puts on a great show.

ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION / “Granite Mills”
Writer: Timothy Eriksen; Producer: Alison Krauss & Union Station; Label: Down The Road Records
– Esteemed bluegrass star Russell Moore has joined Union Station, and he takes the gripping lead vocal on this tragic, factory-fire story saga. This is a traditional tune, based on the 1874 burning of a textile mill in New York State. Heart and soul in every note of this thrilling tenor’s singing. This will be on the group’s comeback album, Arcadia, which drops on March 28.

WILLIAM BECKMANN / “Honky Tonk Blue”
Writers: Chris Stapleton/William Brice Long; Producer: Jon Randall; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– The title says it all. Magnificently country. This is the real stuff, folks. Can I get a loud, “Amen!”

ZACH TOP & BILLY STRINGS / “Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown”
Writers: Ray Pennington/Roy Eugene Marcum; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Label: Leo33
– Hillbilly nirvana. These two one-up each other in awesome honky-tonk vocal slides and dazzling guitar-string tickling as they navigate this Stanley Brothers bluegrass classic made famous by Ricky Skaggs in 1984. Music to warm your country heart.

JET BLACK ROSES / “Psychoboogie Hoochiecoo”
Writers: none listed; Producer: Greg Archilla; Label: JBR
– Funky, horn-punctuated Southern rock with some built-in grease. Other tracks show that the group is equally at home in country settings. This outfit will be jamming at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row on Lower Broadway tonight (March 13) at 8:00 p.m.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Carly Pearce Is ‘Country Music Eloquence’

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Carly Pearce. Photo: Allister Ann

Tomorrow, March 7, is International Women’s Day, and DISClaimer salutes that with an all-female playlist today.

Leading the charge is Disc of the Day winner Carly Pearce. Her excellent “No Rain” is joined by first-class new music from Dasha, Tigirlily Gold and Sarah Borges.

Newcomer Caroline Owens wins this week’s Disc of the Day award. She’s so promising that the current issue of Bluegrass Unlimited devoted a feature story to her before she’d released any music.

FIMONE / “Woman”
Writer: Janelle Faiman; Producer: Greg Magers; Label: Fimone
– This feminist anthem features her drawling, bluesy voice accompanied solely by her snarling electric guitar. The lyric demands equal rights, addressing bodily autonomy, pay parity and an end to systemic oppression. In other words, “r.e.s.p.e.c.t.” Kinda preachy but kinda cool, too.

CARLY PEARCE / “No Rain”
Writers: Carly Pearce/Emily Weisband/Jordan Reynolds/Lauren Hungate; Producers: Carly Pearce, Dave Clauss; Label: Big Machine Records
– When you’re going through hardship, remember that without rain, there are no flowers. Pearce’s vocal is beautifully phrased, and the strings-and-guitar accompaniment is simply poetic. Country music eloquence.

CARTER FAITH / “If I Had Never Lost My Mind”
Writers: Carter Faith/Jen Stegall/Lauren Hungate/Tofer Brown; Producer: Tofer Brown; Label: UMG Nashville
– Her plaintive soprano vocal covers an impressive range, up into falsetto acrobatics, as she wends her way through this heartache power ballad. An oomphy production adds to the dynamics. Impressive.

SIERRA HULL / “Spitfire”
Writer: Sierra Hull; Producer: Sierra Hull; Label: SH
– Singer, songwriter and mandolin virtuoso Sierra Hull gives this story song a wafting lilt. The ballad’s lyric is about her strong and resilient grandmother. Her performance of it is surrounded by a silky cushion of acoustic sound, anchored by her own deft guitar playing. Hull is booked to perform tomorrow night (March 7) at Brooklyn Bowl.

TIGIRLILY GOLD / “Forever From Here”
Writers: Kendra Slaubaugh/Krista Slaubaugh/Pete Good/Shane McAnally; Producer: Pete Good; Label: Monument Records
– She has a vision of their future together, as in, “I can see forever from here.” The rippling, sparkly track is full of energy and sunshine. So is the harmony-soaked duet performance. This effervescent single is their finest to date.

MADDIE & TAE / “Kissing Cowboys”
Writers: Laura Veltz/Luke Dick/Maddie Font/Taylor Kerr; Producer: Josh Kerr; Label: Mercury Nashville
– The duo bops though this rollicking, good-time tune with joyous moxie to spare. I bet this one is a blast in concert.

CAROLINE OWENS / “You’ve Still Got It”
Writers: Jerry Salley/John Pennell; Producers: Darin Aldridge, Jerry Salley; Label: Billy Blue
– She sings this lovely ode to addictive romance in a sky-high mountain soprano. This works super well when the male harmony vocals are stacked beneath it. Dazzling mandolin picking and sighing fiddle add to the magic. Bluegrass on the wing in full flight.

DASHA / “Not at This Party”
Writers: Anna Dasha Novotny/Ashley Gorley/Ben Johnson; Producers: Ben Johnson, Johnny Reno; Label: Warner Records
– To state the obvious right away: This is brain meltingly catchy, ridiculously lovable and a rhythm happy carnival ride. While the beats drop around her, Dasha advises us that she’s physically at the party, but her mind is on him. Get up and dance.

HAILEY WHITTERS & MOLLY TUTTLE / “Prodigal Daughter”
Writers: Bryan Simpson/Hailey Whitters/Paul Sikes; Producer: Jake Gear; Label: Big Loud Records
– This rocks. Whitters wails righteously of her lost innocence amid a frothing, percussive track. Bluegrass star Molly Tuttle provides guitar and harmony-vocal support.

RUNAWAY JUNE / “To Be Yours”
Writers: Aaron Eshuis/Jennifer Wayne/Natalie Stovall/Ron Fair/Stevie Woodward; Producer: Ron Fair; Label: Quartz Hill Records
– Sugary sweet. The trio adopts a soft, caressing vocal tone for this lovey-dovey tune. It’s as delicious as an ice cream sundae and as lovely as a pastoral watercolor, but I like them better when they are feisty and bopping.

SARAH BORGES / “Mercy of the Moon”
Writers: Jay Godfrey/Jeremy Tepper; Producer: Eric “Roscoe” Ambel; Label: Lakeside Lounge Records
– This is a rumbling honky tonker delivered by a sturdy roadhouse alto. Twang guitars,  slamming drumming and band-member support vocals give it a pleasingly garage-y sound. The totally country song was co-written by Jeremy Tepper, the Diesel Only Records man who died too young and is much missed.

AVERY ANNA / “Mr. Predictable”
Writers: Avery Anna/Ben Williams/David Fanning; Producer: David Fanning; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– There is something about her voice that has me hanging on every line. This aching performance about being in love with a cheater has dramatic shifts in tone, from solo intimacy to furiously electronic roaring. Fascinating listening.

LILY ROSE / “I Know What I Want”
Writers: Andy Albert/Emily Weisband/Jaxson Free/Lily Rose/Paul DiGiovanni/Taylor Phillips; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Label: LR
– This perennial rule breaker leans in a pop/hip-hop direction on this snappy slab of sass. The lyric is quite simple and quite repetitive.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Trace Adkins ‘Can Still Deliver The Goods’

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Trace Adkins. Photo: Kristin Barlowe

Old-school country is on the menu today at DISClaimer.

Jon Pardi, Bryce Leatherwood and DISCovery Award winner Chase McDaniel set the tone of the listening session.

For the icing on this traditionalist cake, we also have a collection of proven masters of old-school country craft. Joe Nichols, Moe Bandy and Disc of the Day winner Trace Adkins are here to show the kiddies how it’s done.

BRYCE LEATHERWOOD / “Where the Bar Is”
Writers: Chase McGill/Cole Taylor/Michael Carter/Shane Minor; Producer: Will Bundy; Label: UMG Nashville
– He’s such a solid country singer, and this is a true-blue honky-tonk song. I don’t quite understand the decision to record him with a track that rocks this hard.

COLT FORD & MICHAEL RAY / “Hell Out of It”
Writers: Cole Taylor/Lalo Guzman/Michael Tyler/Thomas Archer; Producer: Dylan Maloney; Label: Average Joes Entertainment
– We’re small people in a small town, but we love who we are. Rousing and sincere.

CHASE McDANIEL / “Burned Down Heaven”
Writers: Chase McDaniel/Jon Nite/Lindsay Rimes; Producer: Lindsay Rimes; Label: Big Machine Records
– Excellent. The song of regret and guilt is powerfully written, and his aching, soaring vocal sells it like nobody’s business. Wonderfully listenable.

MOE BANDY / “Pure Love”
Writer: Eddie Rabbitt; Producer: Jimmy Capps; Label: StarVista
– This 1970s & 1980s hit maker has an upcoming album titled Songs I Missed. This advance single is his version of Ronnie Milsap’s 1974 chart topper. Bandy’s slightly pitch-y rendition won’t erase the memory of the original, but it is straightforward, well meaning and totally country.

RYAN HURD / “Die For It”
Writers: Mark Holman/Randy Montana/Ryan Hurd; Producer: Aaron Eshuis; Label: Big Machine Records
– The story of a marriage. Things might get rocky, but love lasts always. The jangly guitars and an octave-leap backing vocal are ear catching. But the steady-state, minimal melody goes nowhere in its endless loop.

TRACE ADKINS / “What Color’s Your Wild”
Writers: Casey Beathard/Monty Criswell; Producer: Bart Butler; Label: Verge
– The big man can still deliver the goods. And how. This stomper is loaded with charisma, and the color-coded lyric about pursuing passion is terrific. I hung on every note. Essential audio.

SAM WILLIAMS / “Countrystar”
Writers: Marisa Maino/Nick Bailey/Ryder Johnson/Sam Williams; Producer: Nick Bailey; Label: UMG Nashville
– His soft, feathery singing style doesn’t really go with the thumpy, hip-hop backing track. However, it is strikingly different.

JON PARDI / “Love the Lights Out”
Writers: Jimi Bell/Jon Pardi/Matt Dragstrem; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Let’s rock out, baby, and have a really, really big night of love making. Pardi’s vocal is, as usual, country with a capital “C.” Righteously ringing guitars do the rest of the work. Recommended.

NATE SMITH & HARDY / “Nobody Likes Your Girlfriend”
Writers: Ben Johnson/Hunter Phelps/Jessie Jo Dillon/Michael Hardy; Producer: Lindsay Rimes; Label: RCA Records Nashville
– Ya gotta love a title like that. Here’s the gist of the song: “From buddy to buddy, I’m telling you something you might not want to hear. That gal you’re dating is no good for you.” The lyric is rapid-fire but crystal clear as they vocalize above a choppy, grinding track. Snappy and clever.

JOE NICHOLS & ANNIE BOSKO / “Better Than You”
Writers: Derek George/John Pierce; Producers: Derek George/Mickey Jack Cones; Label: Quartz Hill Records
– I love a good country love duet, and this one is a dandy. Joe is, of course, a masterful country singer, but Annie keeps up with him. She also harmonizes splendidly. A delightful performance.

LANCE COWAN / “Love Anyway”
Writer: Lance Cowan; Producers: Jason Stelluto/Scott Paschall; Label: Lantzapalooza Müzik
– Music Row publicist Lance Cowan is also a terrific singer-songwriter. His second album, Against the Grain, drops next month. Its advance single addresses the political divisiveness that’s so pervasive today. “If there’s ever hope for change, love anyway,” he sings in his tender tenor while acoustic piano and guitar notes ripple around him. Innocent, touching and gently folkie. Cowan gigs at The Listening Room with Mark Irwin and Irene Kelley next Wednesday (March 5).

LOUIE THE SINGER / “Good Girl”
Writers: Joe Ginsberg/Luis Palacios II/Nate Kenyon; Producer: CANDY; Label: UMG Nashville
– This Mexican-American sings in this slow-burn ditty that he’s a bad boy. What’s more, he’s fine if she can’t accept that and doesn’t fall for him. So, “If you don’t want a bad boy, I’m good, girl.” His Texas drawl is backed by a twanging track that plods along.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Sabrina Carpenter & Dolly Parton Are A ‘Cotton-Candy Cloud Of Bliss’

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Sabrina Carpenter & Dolly Parton

Today is a day for collabs at DISClaimer.

Of the tracks we’re spotlighting today, fully half of them are vocal collaborations, and three of those are mash-ups between country stars and pop headliners. One of them, the smile-awhile meeting of new pop diva Sabrina Carpenter and country megastar Dolly Parton is our Disc of the Day. By the way, if the lyric seems oblique, check out Carpenter’s solo video of “Please Please Please.” Trust me, it will all make sense.

But if you’re looking for the perfect country solo performance to become an instant-add to your playlist, look no further than Dierks Bentley.

The DISCovery Award contenders are Zach John King and Austin Snell. That’s no contest at all. King walks away with the trophy.

GRAHAM BARHAM / “Oil Money”
Writers: Beau Bailey/Cole Miracle/Graham Barham/Sam Bergeson; Producers: Sam Bergeson, Will Bundy; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– He has a cool hillbilly delivery loaded with reverb. The leering lyric is weirdly ear catching (“She’s got a body like oil money,” anyone?). I could have done without the “country-trap fusion” computer rhythm track, but this thing probably has legs. One question: If she’s so classy, why is she wearing Daisy Dukes?

DIERKS BENTLEY / “She Hates Me”
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Chase McGill/Dierks Bentley/Jimmy Allen/Ross Copperman/Wesley Scantlin; Producers: Jon Randall, Mary Hilliard Harrington; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Wry and delightful. It rocks in a cool, spare-bones kinda way. When this guy is on his game, he can’t be beat. A smash. Also: The video is hilarious.

KAYLEY GREEN / “This Little Love of Mine”
Writers: Adam Craig/Jonathan Smith/Kayley Green; Producer: Ross Copperman; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Frisky and frolicking. She sings with immense verve, and the rockabilly track spits fire. Clap hands and dance along. You’ll be forgiven if you hear echoes of “This Little Light of Mine” in back of the church pews. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

MYLES SMITH & LAINEY WILSON / “Nice to Meet You”
Writers: Dan Smith/Myles Smith/Peter Fenn/Phil Plested; Producer: Peter Fenn; Label: RCA Records
– Strum-y, jaunty, bopping and charming. I’ve heard of quickie romances, but this takes the cake—”Nice to meet you; have a dance; spend all night together”—Just like that. Smith is a British pop singer-songwriter, best known for last year’s Platinum-selling “Stargazing.” This was originally a solo single. The addition of Wilson’s country voice definitely makes it brighter.

ASHLEY COOKE & JOE JONAS / “All I Forgot”
Writers: Ashley Cooke/Charlie Puth/David Alexander/Griff Clawson/Jacob Kasher Hindin/Joe Jonas/Naliya; Producers: Charlie Puth, Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records
– Well, it turns out that alcohol can’t blot out a lover’s memory, after all. These two blend nicely on this tuneful heartbreaker. His pop croon meshes with the gentle warmth of this previous MusicRow award winner who’s a CRS New Faces Show honoree this year.

SABRINA CARPENTER & DOLLY PARTON / “Please, Please, Please”
Writers: Amy Allen/Jack Antonoff/Sabrina Carpenter; Producer: Jack Antonoff; Label: Island Records
– What a delicious audio confection. Burbling, airy, twinkling and loaded with Carpenter’s signature wit. The two wafting sopranos lift this thing into a cotton-candy cloud of bliss. Sabrina keeps falling for losers and begs this one not to embarrass her like all the others. Best line: “Don’t bring me to tears, when I just did my makeup so nice.” Totally loving this.

CAYLEE HAMMACK / “How Long”
Writers: Caylee Hammack/John Osborne/Lucie Silvas; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– I have been in love with this woman’s music forever. Her phrasing on this sultry slow jam is utterly exquisite. The dreamy, soulful track is a thing to get lost in. It’s from an album called Bed of Roses that will accompany her co-written romance novel of the same title, releasing March 7.

SCOTTY McCREERY & JASON CRABB / “Red Letter Blueprint”
Writers: Brent Anderson/Derek George/Jeremy Bussey/Monty Criswell/Scotty McCreery; Producers: Nathan Thomas, Spencer Peppard; Label: Triple Tigers
– This is a CCM song on Opry member McCreery’s current album, so it makes perfect sense to add one of Christian music’s most powerful vocalists to it. To ensure that the country singer isn’t completely overwhelmed, Crabb’s volume is turned down.

CHARLES ESTEN & SARA EVANS / “In a Bar Somewhere”
Writers: Charles Esten/Jason Gantt/Neil Medley; Producer: Marshall Altman; Label: CE
– The Nashville TV star and the established country star harmonize beautifully on this barroom ballad. This guy deserves a hit, and this melodic pleasure deserves to be it.

ZACH JOHN KING / “Cold Shoulder”
Writers: Tom Whall/Zach John King/Zarni Dewet; Producer: Ryan Wilson; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– His plaintive singing is backed by simple, plucked guitar strings. As the heartbreaking regret grows, a steel sighs in the distance. Echoey and aching.

IRA DEAN & GRETCHEN WILSON / “Everything”
Writers: Dave Turnbull/Ira Dean; Producer: Noah Gordon; Label: 8 Track Entertainment
– Ira Dean wrote this love ballad for his wife Jennifer and sang it at their wedding. The sweetly sentimental ode features Gretchen Wilson on harmony vocals. You can see the joyous wedding ceremony footage in the song’s video. John Carter Cash performed the ceremony, and Jamey Johnson serenaded the couple.

AUSTIN SNELL / “Muddy Water Rockstar”
Writers: Austin Nivarel/Austin Snell/Joe Ragosta; Producers: Andrew Baylis, Austin Nivarel; Label: River House Artists/Warner Music Nashville
– He’s screaming with profanity that he can perform a hard rock track and call it country music. You can call it whatever you want, but do we have to listen to it?

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Riley Green ‘Keeps The Sultry Mood Rolling’

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Riley Green. Photo: Matthew Simmons on behalf of Gildan

The sound of love is in the air this week.

In keeping with the Valentine’s Day holiday, the country stars are full of romance in this column. To get in the mood, lend your ears to Mackenzie Carpenter & Midland, to Thomas Rhett and to Disc of the Day winner Riley Green as well as to our DISCovery Awardee, Adrien Nunez.

For those of you on the losing side of love, I direct your attention to this week’s country heartbreakers Jordan Davis and Karley Scott Collins. Happy listening.

KASHUS CULPEPPER / “Jenni”
Writers: Jacob Durrett/Jordan Dozzi/Kashus Culpepper; Producer: Brian Elmquist; Label: Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
– The groove is set by cool harmonica blowing, simple percussion and full-band production. His vocal yearns for love and exudes honesty. I’m in.

THOMAS RHETT / “After All the Bars Are Closed”
Writers: Jacob Kasher Hindlin/Jaxson Free/John Byron/Julian Bunetta/Thomas Rhett; Producers: Dann Huff, Julian Bunetta; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– He and his honey want to stay up all night together, to the accompaniment of finger snaps and ringing guitar notes. Jaunty. Pleasant.

VALERIE JUNE / “Joy, Joy!”
Writer: Valerie June Hockett; Producer: M. Ward; Label: Concord Records
– This Americana star leans into a horn-punctuated r&b groove on the lead single from her upcoming album. Her double tracked, lilting vocal has a childlike innocence as she sings of bliss.

JORDAN DAVIS / “In Case You Missed It”
Writers: Jacob Davis/Jordan Davis/Paul DiGiovanni/Travis Wood; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Label: MCA Nashville
– There’s something warm and endearing in his singing. The hearty tune sounds like a party, but the lyric is a heartbreaker. Loaded with folkie soul.

ADRIEN NUNEZ / “All I Ever Do”
Writers: Adrien Nunez/Cole Miracle/Sam Sumser/Sean Small; Producer: Steinza; Label: Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records
– The happy love song bounces along with joy in each step. His bright lead vocal is joined by a shouting, sing-along chorus on the hooky parts, and the production is admirably understated. Smooth listening.

RILEY GREEN / “Worst Way”
Writer: Riley Green; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– He has s-e-x on his mind, and he lets her know it. The feel-good, midtempo track keeps the sultry mood rolling right along. Green’s streak of chart-toppers ought to continue with this dandy outing.

KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS / “Runner”
Writers: Ashley Ray/Karley Scott Collins/Sam Backoff/Zane Callister; Producers: Karley Scott Collins, Nathan Chapman; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Her husky drawl is gripping to the max. The ballad describes a heart so broken that it  has made her cynical about love and unwilling to trust anyone. The lyric is wonderfully poetic. This is a very cool sounding track.

CHRIS JANSON / “Stay Rowdy”
Writers: Blake Bollinger/Chris Janson/Michael Tyler/Thomas Archer; Producers: Blake Bollinger, Chris Janson; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– This has the country rocking vibe of ’90s country. As usual, Janson knows how to let the good times roll.

BILL MEDLEY / “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
Writers: Bobby Braddock/Curly Putman; Producer: Fred Mollin; Label: Curb Records
– The Righteous Brother has immortalized everything from “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” to “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” Medley also has a country past, having charted in the genre half a dozen times in the ‘80s. His forthcoming album is devoted to classic country songs. It probably wasn’t the best idea to cover this iconic George Jones number, especially not by making the death ballad sound even more lugubrious. But I’m still a fan.

ANA CHRISTINA CASH / “Last Call”
Writers: Ana Cristina Cash/Jodi Marr/Willie Breeding; Producer: John Carter Cash, Willie Breeding; Label: Avondale Records
– This lady has always been a fiery vocal stylist. This sassy, empowering outing rocks smartly with a snappy rhythm to match her spitfire performance. The artist is also issuing a Spanish-language version, “Tu Ultima Llamada.” She and hubby John Carter Cash are slated for the Opry’s Valentine’s Day edition tomorrow (Feb. 14). The show’s theme is “It Takes Two: The Opry Celebrates Country Duos,” and other guests will include those lovebirds of The War and Treaty

LARRY FLEET / “Hard Work and Holy Water”
Writers: Barry Dean/Larry Fleet/Luke Laird; Producer: Trent Willmon; Label: LF
– Fleet remains a mighty strong country vocalist. The blue-collar song is perfect for him, and the clean production couldn’t be more flawless. This is my kinda country. “Can I get a back-road Hallelujah?” he asks. Yes, you can.

MACKENZIE CARPENTER & MIDLAND / “I Wish You Would”
Writers: Chris Tompkins/Jamie Moore/Jonathan Hutcherson/Mackenzie Carpenter; Producer: Jamie Moore; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Nice work. The track has a seductive rhythmic roll, guitars twanging gently and beautifully harmonized vocals. Put this sensuous one on “Repeat.”

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Rascal Flatts & The Jonas Brothers Collab On Disc Of The Day

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The country-music wing of Americana flexes its muscles in this week’s DISClaimer.

Frankly, it’s a little nuts that such solidly country folks as Charley Crockett, Willow Avalon and Sierra Ferrell are called “Americana” while pop acts rule the so-called “country” charts. In any case, Willow Avalon wins the DISCovery Award. Make a beeline for The Exit/In tomorrow to catch her in person.

Despite strong competition from Brett Young, Old Dominion and Kane Brown, Rascal Flatts wins the Disc of the Day award, with an assist from the mighty Jonas Brothers.

ALANA SPRINGSTEEN / “You Don’t Deserve A Country Song (Live From The Ryman)”
Writers: Alana Springsteen/Geoff Warburton/Michael Whitworth/Mitchell Tenpenny/Will Weatherly; Label: Columbia Records/Sony Music Nashville
– Pulse-quickening percussion leads you into searing vocal of accusation and defiance. Recorded live at the Ryman, this performance brims with confidence and style. Blazing guitars add fuel to the fire.

RASCAL FLATTS & THE JONAS BROTHERS / “I Dare You”
Writers: Dewain Whitmore/Nick Jonas/Shay Mooney/Tommy English; Producers: Dann Huff, Jay DeMarcus, Jeremy Hatcher, Tommy English; Label: Big Machine Records
– This snazzy little country rocker has a built-in spring breeze. Lyrics fly by like highway scenery as the band kicks up dust. Gary carries the lead with the Jonas boys adding vocal embellishments, holding back until the bridge. After that, everybody sings to the sky. A winner, even though one yearns for more Jonas.

CHARLEY CROCKETT / “Lonesome Drifter”
Writer: Charley Crockett; Producers: Charley Crockett, Shooter Jennings; Label: Island Records
– Nervous, moody, restless rhythm and stuttering guitar back this dark meditation of a solitary wanderer. The ever-prolific Crockett marks new label and producer affiliations here, but he’s still his own, individualistic country-music man.

KANE BROWN / “Says I Can”
Writers: Gabe Foust/Jaxson Free/Kane Brown/Matt Roy; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Records Nashville
– Dasha, Ashley Cooke, Mitchell Tenpenny and Scotty McCreery drop by for some chorus harmonizing, verse swapping and vocal interjections. The rousing, slow- stomper song is made for hearty barroom drinking with pals. Somebody yell, “Yee haw.”

SIERRA FERRELL / “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”
Writers: Gladys Stacey Flatt/Jerry Organ/Louise Certain/Wayne Walker; Producer: Eddie Spear; Label: Rounder Records
– This country evergreen was originated by Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers in 1925. Ferrell gives it a drawling, bluesy, vivacious delivery. Snappy fiddle, mandolin and guitar picking scamper along. Sierra Ferrell deservedly swept this week’s Grammy Awards in the Americana field. No right-thinking country fan should be without this woman’s music.

MORGAN WALLEN / “I’m the Problem”
Writers: Charlie Handsome/Ernest Keith Smith/Grady Block/Jamie McLaughlin/Morgan Wallen; Producers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records/Mercury Records/Republic Records
– With five writers, you’d think somebody would have come up with a melody.

WILLOW AVALON / “Homewrecker”
Writers: JR Atkins/Tofer Brown/Willow Avalon; Producers: JR Atkins, Tofer Brown, Willow Avalon; Label: Assemble Sound/Atlantic Records
– Any woman named Willow Avalon with an album titled Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell has my attention. She bops along brightly on this sassy, double-time, country rocker. The track boasts echo chamber and band-member shouts supporting her pert, tart soprano delivery. Avalon has racked up 15 million streams in the past two months. She plays The Exit/In tomorrow night (Feb. 7). Sounds good to me.

OLD DOMINION / “Making Good Time”
Writers: Brad Tursi/Matthew Ramsey/Ross Copperman/Ross Ellis/Trevor Rosen; Producers: Old Dominion, Shane McAnally; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– As tuneful and listenable as ever. This is a band that knows how to really write and really sing. The single chugs along with irresistible energy.

HUESTON / “Right Now”
Writers: Brandon Sammons/Cory Hueston/Joshua Kimbowa; Producer: BSAMZ; Label: Silver Wings Records
– I hear hip-hop and electro pop, with boring audio loops and generic sampled beats.

MICKEY GUYTON / “The Star Spangled Banner”
Writer: Francis Scott Key; Producer: none listed; Label: UMG Nashville
– Guyton lit the Internet on fire with her performance of the national anthem at the 2022 Super Bowl. Since then, she has made the song her own by singing it at the World Series, the NBA Cup, the women’s U.S. Open and other high-profile events. If you ever had any doubts about her power and range as a vocalist, this will erase them forever. As of this week, it’s now available on all streaming platforms.

HUDSON WESTBROOK / “Mine Tomorrow”
Writers: Dan Alley/Hudson Westbrook/Ryan Beaver; Producers: Lukas Scott, Ryan Youmans; Label: River House Artists
– Gently persuasive. Acoustic picking and a laid-back vocal create a relaxed mood as a hopeful lyric unspools. Engaging and promising.

BRETT YOUNG / “Tastes Like You”
Writers: Brett Young/Justin Ebach/Noah Needleman/Jon Nite; Producer: Justin Ebach; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– Young turns up the tempo for this splendidly rocking, steaming-hot ode to lust. Get up and shake it.

VINNY TOVAR & AUBRY RODRIGUEZ / “Pass Me By”
Writer: Hillman Hill; Producers: Stormy Cooper, Will Braun; Label: Azteca Ranch Music
– Aubry is the daughter of Johnny Rodriguez, who immortalized this country classic in 1972. Vinny is a golden-voiced, Mexican-American leading light of the Latin country community. They swap lines on the twin-fiddled two stepper with aplomb. Azteca Ranch is a San Antonio label devoted to this kind of Texican excellence.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Miranda Lambert Is ‘At The Top Of Her Game’

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Miranda Lambert. Photo: James Macari

The stars are out and they are shining brightly in this week’s roundup of country tracks.

Dan + Shay, Alison Krauss, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert and Rodney Atkins have all previously earned their spots in the country-music firmament. Any one of them deserves a Disc of the Day award. I’m going with Miranda Lambert, whose album Postcards From Texas is fine listening from start to finish. And that’s where you’ll find “Run.”

To teenager Ty Myers, we present a well-deserved DISCovery Award for this week.

TY MYERS / “Firefly”
Writer: Ty Myers; Producer: Brandon Hood; Label: RECORDS Nashville/Columbia Records
– Kinda dreamy, kinda lovestruck, kinda lovely. This young rookie sounds like he’s forging his own sound, his own style and his own artistry. Off the beaten path and simply lovely.

RODNEY ATKINS / “Marry Me Again”
Writers: Adam Craig/Jaxson Free/Jim McCormick/Rodney Atkins/Russell Sutton; Producers: Rodney Atkins, Ted Hewitt; Label: Curb Records
– Atkins returns with a soft, romantic ode to his wife. It has sincerity and heart, but could have used a little more production and oomph. If you listen carefully, that’s wife Rose Falcon, herself a formidable singer-songwriter, gently providing harmony vocals in the background.

CAMILLE PARKER / “Run Wild”
Writers: Camille Parker, Jack Schrepferman, Ried Sorel, Stephen Day; Producer: Jack Schrepferman, Sheux – Bear; Label: CP
– This “Next Women of Country” alumna bops brightly on this snappy celebration of being a free spirit. She sings with feisty power, sass and finesse while beefy percussion sets the pace.

RILEY GREEN / “Damn Good Day to Leave”
Writers: Erik Dylan/Jonathan Singleton/Nick Walsh/Riley Green; Producers: Dann Huff, Jimmy Harnen, Scott Borchetta; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– This snarky country-rocker has been knocking around the charts for months. It’s a witty kiss-off number—she’s gone, so now he has time to goof off as much as he wants. Green has always been a dandy country singer, and he sounds like your favorite good ol’ boy here. He is noted for his duets with Ella Langley, Luke Combs, Justin Moore, Thomas Rhett and Dustin Lynch, which gives you some idea of how well respected he is by his peers. Solo stardom is now en route.

THE CASTELLOWS & FLATLAND CALVARY / “Place They Call Home”
Writers: Cleto Cordero/Ellie Balkcom/Lily Balkcom/Powell Balkcom; Producer: Dwight A. Baker; Label: Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records
– Imaginatively written, the lyric is sung from the point of view of planet Earth as it addresses all of us. The tempo is jaunty, the mood is tender, the singing is fine. Fiddle and electric guitar solos add to the warmth.

ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION / “Looks Like the End of the Road”
Writer: Jeremy Lister; Producer: Alison Krauss & Union Station; Label: Down The Road Records
– Wistful, sad and haunting. The artfully poetic lyric almost seems like a suicide note. The mournful Jerry Douglas dobro notes underscore the mood of desolation and disillusion. Gorgeous listening.

BRYAN MARTIN / “Ain’t My Old Man”
Writers: Bryan Martin/Lee Thomas Miller/Nick Walsh; Producer: Nick Gibbens; Label: Average Joes Entertainment
– His hearty style previously came to prominence with the hit “We Ride.” Now Martin muses about his dad, insisting he’s  different than him, yet realizing he’s just like him when he looks in the mirror. Well written, well sung and perfectly produced. Play this.

MIRANDA LAMBERT / “Run”
Writer: Miranda Lambert; Producers: Jon Randall, Miranda Lambert; Label: Big Loud Records/Republic Records
– The thrilling, pumping production sets your pulse racing. The lyric of regret, deception and escape grabs your ear. Her voice, as always, rules your heart. An artist at the top of her game with a mini masterpiece.

SCOOT TEASLEY / “Gone to Dust”
Writers: John Townsend/Nicholas Sainato/Scoot Teasley; Producer: Nick Sainato; Label: Amigo Records
– His singing is warmly forceful and the percussion touches are ear catching on this depiction of the end of a relationship. The muscular production matches the potency of his performance of this midtempo rouser. I remain a fan.

DAN + SHAY / “Always Gonna Be”
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Dan Smyers/Jordan Minton/Shay Mooney; Producers: Dan Smyers, Scott Hendricks; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– Some things are forever. Rivers running, back porch swinging, radios playing country songs, beer drinking, Friday footballing, Sunday church going and being with the one you love. Sunny, sweet, heart-tugging and true, this rolls along like a soap box racer. Love this.

GEORGE BIRGE / “It Won’t Be Long”
Writers: Chase McGill/George Birge/Joe Fox/Trannie Anderson; Producer: Joe Fox; Label: RECORDS Nashville
– Believe this. Life might be crazy, unexpected, sweet, imperfect or unpredictable. Life might be a lot of things, but one thing’s for certain: It won’t be long. So love as hard as you can. Great song.

REBECCA LYNN HOWARD / “Heart Still Does”
Writers: Elisha Hoffman/Jenee Fleenor/Rebecca Lynn Howard; Producers: Elisha Hoffman, Lee Brice; Label: Pump House Nashville
– This hugely talented woman has long deserved major, major stardom. Her Appalachian twang, multi-instrumental abilities and songwriting talent are A-List attributes that have not been celebrated nearly enough. This rollicking, winking, good-time, funky, frisky ditty is an absolute delight. I am permanently in her fan club. So is Lee Brice, and Pump House is his label.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Maggie Rose & Vince Gill Collaborate On ‘Aching Ballad’

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Maggie Rose & Vince Gill

There’s a pot pourri of styles on hand in today’s DISClaimer roundup of current country tunes.

Dance along with The Kentucky Gentlemen. Go on a haunting, Appalachian journey with Mindy Smith. Rock out to Tyler Braden. Get gritty and experimental with Gavin Adcock. Let Kane Brown mellow your love thoughts. Get your funny bone tickled by The Doohickeys. Take a country-rock ride with Braedon Barnhill.

At the end of the day, indulge in something timeless and classic. That would be “I Can’t Make You Love Me” performed by Maggie Rose & Vince Gill as our Disc of the Day.

The DISCovery Award goes to Dee White, who is making his debut in the column with his second album. I can’t remember the last time I encountered an artist who was so awesome as both a singer and writer. Adding to the recipe is the fact that White is now produced by the legendary Tony Brown.

TYLER BRADEN / “Me Or The Dawn”
Writers: Autumn Buysse/Jake Rose/Tyler Braden; Producer: Sam Martinez; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– It’s a fiery country rocker with screaming guitars and a vocal that nearly shrieks as the song hits it apex. Stand back: This one has blast-furnace heat.

LAUREN ALAINA / “Those Kind Of Women”
Writers: Derek George/Lainey Wilson/Lynn Hutton/Monty Criswell; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records
– Alaina delivers a touching ode to her mother and celebrates her own impending motherhood with this lilting performance. Sweetly sentimental.

DEE WHITE / “Heart Talkin’”
Writers: Dee Aubrey White/Sergio Gabriel Sanchez; Producer: Tony Brown; Label: DW
– In a word, dynamite. This Alabama youngster sings with hair-raising intensity while surrounded by super sympathetic steel-and-guitars support. The song is a hooky power ballad with the vocalist citing the parts of his body that need to work together to ensure that he doesn’t lose his lover. Country-music perfection. White did a mini showcase at Sound Stage Studio this week that made believers out of everyone present.

THE KENTUCKY GENTLEMEN / “Country Hymn”
Writers: Brandon Campbell/David Mescon/Derek Campbell; Producer: David Mescon; Label: River House Artists
– Twins Derek and Brandon stage their debut on River House with this rousing stomper that invites us all to attend country-music “church.” These guys always know how to bring the party.

KANE BROWN / “Gorgeous”
Writers: Blake Anthony Carter/Gabe Foust/Gregory Aldae Hein/Jaxson Free; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Records Nashville
– An easy-going groove sets the mood for this mellow ode to the one he loves. It’s not her looks that make her beautiful to him. It’s her heart and mind. Amen to that. Brown’s new 18-track album The High Road contains this little jewel, as well as collaborations with Jelly Roll, Brad Paisley, Khalid, Marshmello and wife Katelyn Brown. It drops tomorrow.

MAGGIE ROSE & VINCE GILL / “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
Writers: Allen Shamblin/Mike Reid; Producer: Davis Naish; Label: One Riot Records
– Maggie Rose is one of the finest singers in a city full of great vocalists. She isn’t a country artist, but collaborating with Country Hall of Famer Vince Gill gives her definite country-soul cred. Especially because it’s on this aching ballad of unrequited love originally immortalized by Bonnie Raitt in 1991. Melody. Emotion. Technique. Flawless artistry.

THE DOOHICKEYS / “Rein it in Cowboy”
Writers: Haley Elizabeth Brown/John Hackett; Producer: Eric Corne; Label: Forty Below Records
– This gets the Video of the Day award. An army of zombie barflies accosts a protesting cowgirl in a honky-tonk. The guys are fabulously clueless, wearing their various pick-up lines on their white t-shirts. A hilarious country rocker.

JON PARDI / “Honkytonk Hollywood”
Writers: Bart Butler/Benjy Davis/Jacob Rice; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– “She’s West Coast, down-home pretty.” “Kinda country, kinda city.” She’s wine, he’s whiskey. She’s glamor, he’s grits. You get the idea. This is the title tune of his forthcoming album. Pardi and new producer Jay Joyce recorded it with the star’s touring band.

BRAEDON BARNHILL / “Dashboard Dreaming”
Writers: Braedon Barnhill/Stacy Barnhill; Producers: Julian Raymond, Scott Borchetta; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Love his throaty tenor as he rides effortlessly atop this splendidly produced, irresistible country rocker. The open road has never sounded more inviting. Who is this kid?

GAVIN ADCOCK / “Loose Strings”
Writers: Brent Cobb/Erik Dylan/Phillip White; Producers: Brent Cobb, Jay Rodgers, Oran Thornton; Label: Thrivin’ Here Records/Warner Music Nashville
– Oddly ear catching. There’s no real melody. It is very word-y. His delivery is somewhat monotonic. Yet there’s cool stuff going on with the stark, guitar-and-bass production and the grit in his voice.

PARMALEE / “Cowgirl”
Writers: David Fanning/James Daniel Lewis/Parmalee/Peter Daniel Newman/Robbie Jay/Thomas Frank Ridley Horsley; Producers: David Fanning, James Daniel Lewis; Label: Stoney Creek Records
– He’s falling in love and the track bops along joyously. The lyric isn’t much. This one’s all about the groove.

MINDY SMITH / “Quiet Town”
Writer: Mindy Smith; Producer: Neilson Hubbard; Label: Compass Records
– This is the title tune of Smith’s first album in over a decade. It’s a gently sung soprano ballad that reflects on the past with wistful nostalgia. She remains a distinctly lovely Appalachian vocal stylist. For a truly enriching audio experience, also listen to the moody “Jericho” and/or the sentiments of “Something to Write in Stone.” This is an album worth buying.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: The War And Treaty Proclaim A ‘Vow Of Love’

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The War And Treaty. Photo: Sophia Matinazad

Black country is well represented in this edition of DISClaimer.

This was arguably the outstanding trend of the genre in 2024, and the new year is showing no slow-down. Kashus Culpepper, Don Louis, Dalton Dover and Disc of the Day award winners The War and Treaty are all on hand with new sounds.

Country music’s women are also flexing their muscles. Hailey Whitters, Caylee Hammack, Ella Langley, Cyndi Thompson and DISCovery Award winner Lanie Gardner show their strengths today.

Vying for supremacy alongside The War and Treaty are competitors Dover, Hammack, Whitters and Culpepper, plus Keith Urban and the Boomtown Saints & Sam Grow collaboration.

This is a very, very good listening day.

ELLA LANGLEY / “Weren’t For The Wind”
Writers: Ella Langley/Johnny Clawson/Joybeth Taylor; Producer: Will Bundy; Label: SAWGOD/Columbia Records
– Her smoky, throaty vocal is captivating. The upbeat, wanderlust song seeks open-road, unencumbered freedom. Roll with it.

DALTON DOVER / “Ain’t It Easy”
Writers: Alex Maxwell/Dalton Dover/Matt McGinn/Matthew McVaney; Producer: Matthew McVaney; Label: Mercury Nashville
– The languid pace, finger snaps and gentle delivery build to a power ballad of True Love. Dover remains one of the finest vocalists among country’s current bumper crop of newcomers. Richly rewarding listening. I remain a big fan of this fellow.

CYNDI THOMPSON / “Acres Of Diamonds”
Writers: Cyndi Thompson/Dan Wilson/Jessica Roadcap; Producer: D.J. Goodman; Label: CT
– This former Capitol act now has a second career as a jewelry designer (Haybelle Co.). Her comeback as a record maker includes this highly engaging, melodic ode to lasting love and family. The ear-catching track blends sighing organ, crunchy percussion and an anthemic chorus roar with her resonant alto vocal.

IRA DEAN & RONNIE DUNN / “Tele-Man”
Writers: Jeffrey Steele/Tony Mullins; Producer: Noah Gordon; Label: 8 Track Entertainment
– This song is a tribute to country music’s favored electric guitar. Who better to join Ira and Ronnie on it than Telecaster masters Vince Gill, John Osborne and Brent Mason? As you might expect, the tempo is lickety split and the licks are hot.

LANIE GARDNER / “Buzzkill”
Writers: Chris Ganoudis/Katie Cecil/Lanie Gardner; Producer: none listed; Label: Broken Bow Records
– Hey buddy, look out for that gorgeous babe. She’s no good. Her sassy, snappy delivery of this bopper is tart and tangy, and the tempo is a delight.

KEITH URBAN / “Straight Line”
Writers: Chase McGill/Greg Wells/Jerry Flowers/Keith Urban; Producers: Greg Wells, Keith Urban; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Utterly irresistible. The perfect open-road country rocker. Ride along, and let the wind blow through your hair.

CAYLEE HAMMACK / “Bed Of Roses”
Writers: Benjy Davis/Caylee Hammack/Jeff Hyde; Producer: John Osborne; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– The title tune of her sophomore album is a saucy survival song. Hammack is a totally awesome vocalist, and the tune gives her plenty of space to emote. This woman rules.

THE WAR AND TREATY / “Save Me”
Writers: Kendell Marvel/Michael Trotter Jr./Tanya Trotter; Producers: Andrew Capra, Michael Trotter Jr., Tanya Trotter; Label: UMG Nashville
– Can we all just agree that these two are in a completely different class than the rest of the singers in this town? On this vow of love, their thrilling voices are backed by a rock-star track that fills the speakers with electronic power and rhythm. The War and Treaty’s forthcoming album, Plus One, will drop on Valentine’s Day. Somebody say, “Amen.”

BOOMTOWN SAINTS & SAM GROW / “Heart Breaks You”
Writers: Connie Harrington/Houston Phillips/Josh Dunne; Producers: Colt Ford, Gary Kraen, Noah Gordon; Label: 8 Track Entertainment
– Boomtown Saints members Chris Ramos and Ben Chism team with solo artist Sam Grow in the new video for their current collaborative single. Sitting in Dee’s Country Lounge in Madison, the three sing about a heartbreaker who gets his heart broken. By the time they’re drinking their final round together, they’re addressing each other and pouring on splendid vocal harmonies. This record is a shining country jewel. Essential listening. And viewing.

DON LOUIS / “XO”
Writers: Don Louis/Kipp Williams; Producer: Kipp Williams; Label: EMPIRE
– I like him, but I like him better when he’s singing in a country manner rather than in this quasi-rapped hip-hop style. Also: check out his bi-lingual collaboration with Latino country artist Sammy Arriaga on the deluxe version of his album Liquor Talkin.

HAILEY WHITTERS / “Casseroles”
Writers: Hillary Lindsey/James Slater/Tom Douglas; Producer: Jake Gear; Label: Pigasus Records/Big Loud Records/Songs & Daughters
– This is a ballad about grief, and it hits an emotional bullseye. How do your process anguish and loss after the other mourners depart and the casseroles stop coming? Whitters suggests that eventually hope will emerge from the pain. Brilliantly done.

KASHUS CULPEPPER / “After Me?”
Writers: Kashus Culpepper/Mark Addison Chandler; Producer: Brian Elmquist; Label: Big Loud/Mercury Records
– This honky-tonking twanfest is wailed with raw, sandpapery power by this gifted newcomer. He’s moaning the blues, because she’s happy after breaking up with him. Listen to his gripping delivery, and believe in this man.