DISClaimer Single Reviews: Zac Brown Band 'Welcomes Us To Summer Fun'

Zac Brown. Photo: Tyler Lord

Spring has sprung, and country music has a treatment for those pollen allergies.

Head for a windy seashore: That’s what our Zac Brown Band is prescribing in its “Tie Up” song. This week’s Disc of the Day is the introductory song of summer 2024.

Also bringing wafting breezes to the season are Lacy J. Dalton, The Frontmen, Sam Hunt and the duet by Jordyn Shellhart & Donovan Woods. The last-named was actually my favorite record today, but I fear that it might be way too creative for intelligence-insulting terrestrial country radio.

And speaking of creative, lend your ears to Wardel, whose zephyr of sound wins a DISCovery Award.

JORDYN SHELLHART & DONOVAN WOODS / “Search My Name”
Writers: Ava Suppelsa/Donovan Woods/Jordyn Shellhart/Robyn Dell’Unto; Producer: Cameron Jaymes; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– Utterly enchanting. Their voices harmonize and intertwine amid a sonic swirl of electronic flavors. Their singing, the fever-dream song and the production are all wonderfully innovative. Essential listening.

SAM HUNT / “Locked Up”
Writers: Jerry Flowers/Josh Osborne/Sam Hunt/Shane McAnally/Zach Crowell; Producers: Zach Crowell/Chris LaCorte/Jerry Flowers/Sam Hunt; Label: MCA Nashville
– He made some bad decisions and wound up in the slammer. But she stood by him, and that’s when he knew that she was The One. Hunt scores again with this mid-tempo tune that name-checks Tammy Wynette in its lyric.

DON LOUIS / “Long Time Comin’”
Writers: Demetric Jennings/Kaleb Jones; Producer: Serg Sanchez; Label: Money Myers Entertainment LLC/EMPIRE
– Don Louis is a hunk who was a defensive end football standout during his school days. The Texan’s vocal style is straight-up country with a tiny hint of rasp. His debut single is an ode about a struggling musician who perseveres despite the difficulties. An oomphy production underscores his earnest delivery. Recommended.

ZAC BROWN BAND / “Tie Up”
Writers: Jonathan Singleton/Ben Simonetti/Chris Gelbuda/Josh Hoge/Zac Brown; Producers: Zac Brown/Ben Simonetti; Label: Home Grown Music/Warner Music Nashville
– This loping, easy-going groove welcomes us to summer fun. Get on the water, pop a top when you dock the boat and relax in the sunshine. I can feel the warm weather already.

LACY J. DALTON / “Bonny Doon”
Writer: Lacy J. Dalton; Producer: Dino Nikolas; Label: Time-Life Music
– Dalton’s new Listen to the Wind collection contains new interpretations of her greatest hits alongside this folkie new ballad. While guitars gently strum, she sings of rejection, resignation and restoration. Soothing and peaceful.

RILEY GREEN / “Way Out Here”
Writers: Casey Beathard/David Lee Murphy/Josh Thompson; Producers: Dann Huff/Scott Borchetta/Jimmy Harnen; Label: BMLG Records
– We smoke, chew and fry everything. We like being rednecks with guns. Our trucks are dirty. We are backwoods and proud of it. There you have it.

MEGAN MORONEY / “28th Of June”
Writers: Ben Williams/Mackenzie Carpenter/Megan Moroney/Micah Carpenter; Producer: Kristian Bush; Label: Columbia Nashville/Columbia Records
– She’s enduringly creative. In this outing, a too-soon wedding falls apart and she’s heartbroken. The ache in her delivery is exquisite, and her lyric is plain-spoken, homespun poetry.

HUNEYFIRE / “Feeling Gray”
Writers: Caitlin Evanson/Cheaza Figueroa/Denny Mishler/Marriana Nevarez/Michael Vittima/Stephen West; Producers: Cheaza Figueroa/Jason Pennock; Label: Double Decades Entertainment
– The Afro-Latina, mother-daughter duo returns with a slow, bluesy jam. It’s a lost-love lament that gradually builds, stacks and mixes their vocal tracks. Highly listenable.

THE FRONTMEN / “Beatles And Eagles”
Writers: Ben Daniel/Larry McCoy/Riley Thomas; Producer: Mickey Jack Cones; Label: Broken Bow Records
– The Frontmen are Richie McDonald (Lonestar), Tim Rushlow (Little Texas) and Larry Stewart (Restless Heart). The new single from their new album shows that these voices of the ‘90s still have charisma. The lyric imaginatively quotes song titles immortalized by the two iconic bands of the title. Break out the vinyl!

THE WAR AND TREATY / “Stealing A Kiss”
Writers: Michael Trotter Jr./Tanya Trotter; Producer: Michael Trotter Jr; Label: UMG Nashville
– Sultry and swampy, this gives off heat as a soul ballad of passion. Searing organ notes, funk guitar, piano accents and gospel-y background vocals support their customary sensational singing.

ASHLEY MONROE / “I Like Trains”
Writer: Fred Eaglesmith; Producers: Gena Johnson/Ashley Monroe; Label: AM
– Her languid reading of the fine lyric is sleepy and sensuous. The under-produced track features simple, dull, acoustic-guitar strumming.

WARDEL / “Sleepless in Seattle”
Writer: Noah Gunderson; Producer: Idrise Ward-EL Jr; Label: Epochal Artists Records
– Idrise Ward-El Jr. is the offspring of a Mr. USA body-building champion. Both father and son are military veterans, and Ward-El Sr. is a Desert Storm veteran. Junior competed on The Voice as R&B stylist “Idrise” and is now transitioning into country music under his new “Wardel” billing. This single is a gentle, whispered lament for a fading city and a lonely guy. Wardel’s vocal has a sensitive, plaintive, folk quality that is quite attractive.