DISClaimer: Brothers Osborne, Dugger Band Top New Tracks

Brothers Osborne

It’s a new year brimming with new country talent.

Tegan Marie, Sara Morgan and Dugger Band are all making their DisClaimer debuts today, while Jenny Tolman, Noe Palma and Cale Dodds are stepping up to the plate with their sophomore efforts.

Dugger Band wins the DisCovery Award. This brother duo had to compete for the big prize with two other teams, Dan + Shay and Brothers Osborne, plus the band LANco. Despite the worthy competition, Brothers Osborne wins Disc of the Day.

LANCO/Born To Love You
Writers: Brandon Lancaster/Ross Copperman/Ashley Gorley/Josh Osborne; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/Concession 114/Neon Cross/EMI Blackwood/Plain Jane/Rezolant/Sony-ATV/Combustion Engine/Sadie’s Favorite/WB/Anderson Fork in the Road/Smackville/Smack Songs/Kobalt, BMI/ASCAP; Arista (track)
– Percolating country-pop with hooks a-plenty, crunchy beats and charming vocals. Absolutely addictive.

DUGGER BAND/East Tennessee Son
Writers: Jordan Dugger/Seath Dugger/Bill DiLuigi; Producers: Paul David/Jordan Dugger/Seth Dugger; Publishers: Dughouse/888 King, ASCAP/SESAC; DB (track)
– The sibling harmonies are skintight. The lyric praising Appalachian beauty is evocative. The soaring melody is lovely. The production is sophisticated and nicely layered. Get on board.

DAN+SHAY/Tequila
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– Anguish and heartache, brought on by a taste of tequila that brings back her memory. Beautifully produced and sung, as usual, with feeling and gusto. Highly recommended.

TEGAN MARIE/Keep It Lit
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– She’s 14. Her single is bouncy and youthful and romantic.

BROTHERS OSBORNE/Shoot Me Straight
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; EMI
– These two are the best thing to happen to country music in years. On this outing, they combine the swagger of Southern rock, the drawl of backwoods blues, stinging guitar licks and relentlessly righteous rhythm. Love them. Love this.

NOE PALMA/Swerve
Writers: Bridgette Tatum/Benjamin Drew Davis/Jason Matthews; Producers: Bart Busch & Jason Matthews; Publishers: none listed; Mae Capital
– I loved this dude’s last effort. This shouted rocker is heavier on attitude than it is on melody, but I imagine it goes down well in a rowdy nightclub setting.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD & LUDACRIS/The Champion
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Arista
– This is her anthem for the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics. Her vocal is compressed and processed. His is multi-tracked. I don’t hear the result as being programmable by either pop or country taste makers.

SARA MORGAN/The Boots
Writer: Sara Morgan; Producers: Carl Butler/Sara Morgan; Publishers: none listed; River Delta (track)
– “He might wear the pants, but I wear the boots.” Cleverly written and sung with spunk, moxie and verve. The steel-dominated track is a might thin sounding.

CALE DODDS/Take You Back
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– Dreamy and tuneful. His endearing, boyish, pleading vocal is paired with a swirling, chiming, echoey production. The lyric is of nostalgia and lost romance. I dig this.

JENNY TOLMAN/Something To Complain About
Writers: Dave Brainard/Aaron Raitiere/Jenny Tolman; Producer: Dave Brainard; Publishers: none listed; Jennyville (track)
– A working girl looks at the problems of privileged celebrities with a jaundiced eye. Then she compares the problems of her own life with those of a homeless person. Smartly written and engagingly sung. Somebody sign this indie gal pronto.