DISClaimer: Smithfield, Brett Young Offer Soulful, Emotional New Tracks

Perhaps it is the upcoming CRS convention.

This week, a bevy of country stars-in-the-making are issuing new sounds, hoping to catch radio’s ears. They include Devin Dawson, Luke Combs, Lance Carpenter & Krystal Keith, Brett Young and Walker McGuire, with a dandy little bonus track from Ryan Kinder thrown into the mix.

Brett Young emerges from the pack with the Disc of the Day.

The new duo Smithfield wins our DisCovery Award today in DisClaimer.

SMITHFIELD/Hey Whiskey
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; In2une (ERG)
– She can’t hold her lover while he’s in the clutches of alcohol. The lyric is dynamite. The delivery is piercing and emotional. The production is solid. Play it.

WALKER MCGUIRE/Lost
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Wheelhouse (ERG)
– I like his innocent-sounding Southern accent, and it suits this story of a country boy who gets lost in love. Swirling and endearing.

BRETT YOUNG/Mercy
Writers: Brett Young/Sean McConnell; Producers: Dann Huff; Publishers: Super Big/Caliville/Big Machine/Warner-Tamerlane/Little Beluga, ASCAP/BMI; BMLG (TRACK)
– A stately slab of heartache. The ballad is soulfully sung, and the piano-dominated arrangement punctuates every emotional wound. Highly recommended.

JASON ALDEAN/You Make It Easy
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; BBR
– It’s a power ballad with fairly generic romantic cliches and the obligatory rock guitar solo.

DEVIN DAWSON/All On Me
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Atlantic (download)
– A pop-flavored come-on with a percolating track and jaunty vocal delivery. Easy on the ears.

KRYSTAL KEITH & LANCE CARPENTER
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Show Dog
– Very exciting. An “escape” road song with perfect harmonies and lotsa rhythmic drive. Newcomer Carpenter delivers the goods, vocally, while Krystal solidifies her promise.

RYAN KINDER/Fortunate Son
Writer: John Fogerty; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– It’s such a great song. Kinder slows it and strips down the instrumentation to throw the spotlight on its extraordinary lyric. Bluesy, groovy, stark, soulful and meaningful.

HUNTER HAYES/This Girl
Writers: Jordan Schmidt/Andy Albert/Jessie Jo Dillon; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Atlantic (download)
– The rapid-fire lyric is quite well written. Hayes, as usual, gives it plenty of oomph in his vocal-and-guitar delivery. Radio ready, for sure.

SARA EVANS/All The Love You Left Me
Writers: Hillary Lindsey/Gordon Sampson/Ben West; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Born To Fly
– Somebody pushed down too hard on the “echo chamber” button.