DISClaimer Single Reviews: Chris Young Delivers Smoldering New Track

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Chris Young. Photo: John Shearer

Vintage artists vie with contemporary country acts today in DISClaimer.

Wade Hayes, Sawyer Brown and Billy Dean are still singing fine. But so are Brian Kelley, Gabby Barrett and Chris Young. Mr. Young easily takes home a Disc of the Day award for his stunning “Right Now” performance.

Lizzie No is one of three Black country stylists in today’s column. She competes for a DISCovery Award alongside Jessie G and The Castellows. In a tough, all-female contest, The Castellows earn the honor.

BRITTNEY SPENCER/ “Night In”
Writers: Brittney Spencer/Jessica Cayne/Summer Overstreet; Producer: Daniel Tashian; Label: Elektra
– It’s a delightfully catchy pop track with Brittney coyly suggesting that she’d rather curl up on the couch, get high with friends and chill as a “home girl” instead of doing another night on the town. The beats are crunchy and the personality is charming.

CHRIS YOUNG / “Right Now”
Writers: Chris Young/Chris DeStefano/Josh Hoge; Producers: Chris Young/Chris DeStefano; Label: Sony
– Magnificent. He’s carrying a torch so hot that the whole track smolders. While percussion throbs and guitars cry, one of our greatest current country singers yearns for her in a lonely well of desire. Play it again.

SAWYER BROWN / “Nashville Cat”
Writer: Mark Miller; Producers: Mark Miller/Blake Shelton; Label: Curb
– The band is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with a documentary titled Get Me to Stage on Time and a forthcoming album. The latter’s advance track is this characteristic rocker asking an “uptown girl” for a lively date. A classic Sawyer Brown bopper.

REYNA ROBERTS / “One Way Street”
Writers: Natalie Stovall/Reyna Roberts/Aaron Wagner; Producer: Aaron Wagner; Label: Empire
– This track from her new Bad Girl Bible collection finds Roberts singing at the tippy-top of her vocal range on a somewhat slogging, aimless ballad. She can do better, and has.

BILLY DEAN / “Never Back Down”
Writers: Billy Dean/Hugh Van Landingham/Cody Van Landingham; Producer: none listed; Label: BD
– This has been announced as Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign theme song. It’s a flag-waving string of phrases calling for everyone to rise up who is “tired of the same old crowd.” Oh, I almost forgot: The track has “USA, USA, USA” chanting, too.

LIZZIE NO / “Annie Oakley”
Writer: Lizzie No; Producers: Lizzie No/Graham Richman/Patrick Dillett; Label: Thirty Tigers/Miss Freedomland
– She is a Black Opry showcaser and a folk-music podcaster with a new album titled Halfsies that drops on Jan. 19. Its single is a road song that questions both the journey and the destination. Acoustic guitar strumming accompanies her languid vocal at first, and then the track builds in complexity and intensity. Drums pound the creation home. Definitely worth a listen.

BRIAN KELLEY / “Trucks, Ducks, Bucks & Beer”
Writers: none listed; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Big Machine
– This one is an upbeat outdoor sportsman’s anthem about huntin’ and fishin.’ It is also his best vocal performance to date.

GABBY BARRETT / “You’re My Texas”
Writers: Gabby Barrett/Miranda Lambert/Hillary Lindsey; Producers: Ross Copperman/Gabby Barrett; Label: Warner
– Utterly enchanting. Her dreamy performance is saturated with romance and comfort. Wafting background-vocal sighs and steady, chopping guitar licks color the ballad’s production, while the lyric conjures pastoral images. Highly recommended.

WADE HAYES / “Old Country Still Rocks”
Writer: Wade Hayes; Producer: Wade Hayes; Label: Conabor
– Wade sings the praises of Willie, Waylon, Haggard, Bocephus, Brooks & Dunn, Loveless, Diffie, Travis, Strait, Tritt, Chesnutt and other vintage stylists on this snappy country rocker with stuttering guitar and scampering fiddle.

JESSIE G & GRETCHEN WILSON / “Like My Whiskey”
Writers: Jessica Goergen/Matthew Hundley; Producers: Jessie G/Gretchen Wilson; Label: MusicCred
– Jessie is Gretchen’s protégée. The older star urged Jessie to move from Oregon to Music City and has been guiding her progress. Their debut collaboration is a pile-driving country rocker in praise of wild times. “I like my men like I like my whiskey,” they warble over and over again as the band kicks up dust.

THE CASTELLOWS / “A Little Goes a Long Way”
Writers: Eleanor Balkcom/Lily Balkcom/Powell Balkcom/Natalie Hemby; Producer: Trina Shoemaker; Label: Warner
– This sister trio will drop its debut EP in February. This is its title tune, a lilting, breezy outing showcasing the blonde Georgia siblings’ pitch-perfect harmony singing. Their musical goodness also shines on the bopping, nostalgic “No. 7 Road,” which is now airing on CMT.

Robert K Oermann
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