DISClaimer Single Reviews: Anne Wilson’s New Track Is ‘Beautifully Written’

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Anne Wilson. Photo: Robby Klein

Country music is rocking this week.

Hardy, Kylie Frey, Chase Matthews, Anne Wilson, Nate Smith and Darci Lynne are amping up the volume. And from their ranks come both of this week’s award winners.

Nailing down her first Disc of the Day award is Anne Wilson, who combines her Christian music background with country storytelling on “God and Country.” The DISCovery Award goes to Kylie Frey.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that both performers have been named to this year’s class of CMT’s Next Women of Country. Carter Faith was in last year’s class, and she is represented this week by her fine duet with Sam Williams on a Tammy Wynette classic.

DARCI LYNNE/ “Push Our Luck”
Writers: Darci Lynne/Maggie McClure/Shane Henry; Producers: The Imaginaries/Maggie McClure/Shane Henry; Label: DL
– Muddy production and compressed vocals do her no favors. Her singing is sprightly and assured on the country-rock number. This youngster won as a ventriloquist on America’s Got Talent in 2018 and has been touring successfully ever since. She reportedly has more than seven million followers on social media.

SAM WILLIAMS & CARTER FAITH/ “’Til I Can Make It On My Own”
Writers: George Richey/Billy Sherrill/Tammy Wynette; Producers: Nathan Sexton/Ben Roberts; Label: Mercury Nashville
– It’s a magnificent country classic. These two youngsters bring complimentary vocal personalities to their duet performance of it. Both ache with believability. The song was originally a No.1 hit for its co-writer Tammy Wynette in 1976. Its revival is well-timed since Wynette was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award this month.

ANNE WILSON/ “God And Country”
Writers: Anne Wilson/Jeff Pardo/Matthew West/Trannie Anderson; Producers: Jeff Pardo/Jonathan Smith; Label: Sparrow (SPR)
– The single might be “Rain in the Rearview,” but this advance track from the Christian-music star’s country album debut is a spectacular show-stopper. The production rocks splendidly, she sings her face off and the lyric is a beautifully written series of contrasting images. Absolutely play this. Wilson is in this year’s class of CMT’s Next Women of Country.

BLAKE SHELTON & GWEN STEFANI/ “Purple Irises”
Writers: Gwen Stefani/Jakob Hazell/Niko Rubio/Svante Halldin; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– This is pop music, but whenever Blake’s voice is emphasized it comes back down to earth. Mind you, that isn’t often enough.

DYLAN MARLOWE/ “You Did It Too”
Writers: Dallas Davidson/Dylan Marlowe/Joe Fox; Producer: Joe Fox; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– The dobro-laced track is spare and empty, which places the focus firmly on his country boy vocal. The autobiographical lyric defends his wrong-side-of-the-tracks lifestyle against haters who talk trash about his hillbilly culture.

KACEY MUSGRAVES/ “Deeper Well”
Writers: Daniel Tashian/Ian Fitchuk/Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Daniel Tashian/Ian Fitchuk/Kacey Musgraves; Label: Interscope Records/MCA Nashville
– Her lilting, double-tracked vocal explores a failed relationship while acoustic guitars ripple around her. Echoey and enchanting. Different sounding, and different is good.

LARRY CORDLE/ “How Could I Love Her So Much”
Writer: Hugh Mofatt; Producer: Larry Cordle; Label: Mighty Cord Records
– Cordle is a Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member who has made his mark as a hit country songwriter and a hit bluegrass artist. This 1983 Johnny Rodriguez oldie has long been one of my favorite country songs. Its revival as a bluegrass track is an audio delight. Twin fiddles, rippling banjo, fleet-fingered guitar picking, sizzling mandolin, and high-lonesome vocal harmonies—what’s not to love?

SCOTTY McCREERY/ “Love Like This”
Writers: Aaron Eshuis/Frank Rogers/Scotty McCreery; Producers: Frank Rogers/Aaron Eshuis/Derek Wells; Label: Triple Tigers
– The ode to fatherhood is right on the money in every department. Great production of its shifting tempos. Tight songwriting. And, as always, he sings flawlessly.

KYLIE FREY/ “Miss Thang”
Writers: Adam Hood/Brent Cobb/Kylie Frey; Producers: Trent Willmon/Paul Worley; Label: Deep Frey’d Music
– Rampaging and rocking, yet country to the core. The new Next Women of Country participant bites into this lyric with fierce commitment while the track froths and foams around her.

NATE SMITH/ “Bulletproof”
Writers: Ben Johnson/Hunter Phelps/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Lindsay Rimes; Label: RCA Records Nashville
– “World on Fire” was No. 1 for eight weeks. “Whiskey on You” sold Platinum. Smith’s new single moans about heartbreak, noting that booze doesn’t help a bit, because her memory is “bulletproof” despite the “shots.” Electric guitars grind and scream in the background.

CHASE MATTHEW/ “Small Town Shit”
Writers: Daniel Ross/Jessie Jo Dillon/Jaxson Free/Taylor Phillips; Producers: Alex Maxwell/Daniel Ross/Jake Angel; Label: Chase Matthew Music/Warner Music Nashville
– Hip-hop beats infuse his recitation of backwoods country cliches. It wears out its welcome pretty quickly.

HARDY/ “Rockstar”
Writers: Michael Hardy/Jacob Durrett/Blake Pendergrass; Producers: Joey Moi/Hardy/Jacob Durrett; Label: Big Loud Records/Big Loud Rock
– Zesty, hard rocking and delightfully tongue-in-cheek. I love his wry, wise-ass attitude.

Robert K Oermann
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