DISClaimer Single Reviews: Brothers Osborne Gives An Electrifying Performance

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Brothers Osborne.

Today belongs to country music’s groups and duos.

Old Dominion, Maddie & Tae, The Castellows and Midland are all here with new sounds. So are both of our award winners. The Reklaws take home this week’s DISCovery Award. Brothers Osborne owns the Disc of the Day prize.

As for solo efforts, I direct your attention to the ultra fine offerings by Josh Turner, HunterGirl and Jelly Roll, the three main competitors with Brothers Osborne for disc supremacy.

COLBY ACUFF / “American Son”
Writer: Colby Acuff; Producer: Eddie Spear; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– This is an acoustic folk tune with topical lyrics. Always a charismatic singer, Acuff takes an anti-capitalist, anti-war tone on this riveting meditation. Intriguing.

MADDIE & TAE / “Sad Girl Summer”
Writers: Josh Kerr/Maddie Font/Matt McGinn/Taylor Kerr; Producer: Corey Crowder; Label: Mercury Nashville
– This good-time banger suggests that going out honky tonkin’ is a dandy way to get past the guy who has been making you cry. Their harmonies are flawless, the electric guitars are churning and the beats don’t quit. Raise a glass and dance.

TYLER HUBBARD / “Park”
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Canaan Smith/Jesse Frasure/Tyler Hubbard; Producers: Jordan Schmidt, Tyler Hubbard; Label: EMI Nashville
– His car can burn rubber all the way “from Holler to Hollywood,” but rather than tear it up at high speed, he’d rather park. The track burbles along happily while he wails this uptempo romp. A summertime jam.

BROTHERS OSBORNE / “Break Mine (Live)”
Writers: John Osborne/Pete Good/Shane McAnally/TJ Osborne; Producers: none listed; Label: EMI Nashville
– This was arguably the most electrifying performance on Tuesday’s ABC TV special of the CMA Music Fest, and it is now a YouTube clip. T.J.’s commanding lead singing and John’s jaw-dropping guitar solos are both at the top of their games. This will make you proud to be a country-music fan.

THE REKLAWS / “One Beer Away”
Writers: The Reklaws/Callum Maudsley/Scott Helman; Producer: Callum Maudsley; Label: Starseed Records
– The brother-sister duo captured everyone’s attention on America’s Got Talent. Meanwhile, north of the border, The Reklaws hold eight Juno Award nominations, eight CCMA Awards, four No.1’s at Canadian radio, two double Platinum, eight Platinum and 13 Gold singles and a Gold certified debut album. In addition, siblings Jenna & Stuart Walker have more than 300 million global streams. Their new single is an upbeat jangler with banjo ripples, punchy rhythm and a joyous, party-hearty vibe. They swap lead vocals and harmonize delightfully. Get in that convertible, speed it on an open road and sing along.

JOSH TURNER / “Down In Georgia”
Writers: Anthony Olympia/Brent Rupard/Tyler Booth; Producer: Kenny Greenberg; Label: MCA Nashville
– Dark and swampy, with a gripping bass undertow. Not to mention Turner’s always compelling bass-vocal dips. Addictive as all get out. Can’t wait to hear the album.

DALTON DOVER / “Here’s The Deal”
Writers: Chase McGill/Matt Dragstrem/Michael Hardy; Producer: Matt McVaney; Label: Mercury Nashville
– He beckons her to join him in romance, but only if she’s down with his down-home, hometown values. There’s too much going on in the production, so his vocal is buried.

MIDLAND / “Lucky Sometimes”
Writers: Cameron Duddy/Jess Carson/Josh Osborne/Mark Wystrach/Matt Dragstrem; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: Big Machine Records
– A very refreshing change of pace. The harmony trio strips its sound back to acoustic basics and leans back in a relaxing posture for this gently sunny outing. It is a taste of what we can expect on the group’s Barely Blue upcoming collection, and it sure sounds good.

HUNTERGIRL / “Bad Boy”
Writers: Greg Bates/Lindsay Rimes/Tristyn Hunter Wolkonowski; Producer: Lindsay Rimes; Label: Wheelhouse Records
– HunterGirl has competed on American Idol and won fans with appearances on CMT’s “Next Women of Country” tour as well as on Kelly Clarkson’s show. Her new song is a total blast. If the guy has tattoos, smokes cigarettes, is a one-night stand and looks a little dangerous, she’s in. “I really got it bad for a bad, bad boy,” she sings, knowing that her dad is going to hate this song. The light-hearted video features her teaching nerds how to be outlaws. One more thing: This woman sings her face off. Make her a star.

OLD DOMINION / “Coming Home”
Writers: Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Whit Sellers/Geoff Sprung/Brad Tursi/Shane McAnally; Producers: Old Dominion, Shane McAnally; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– It’s a rousing, uplifting jam that communicates the joy, enthusiasm and anticipation of a loving homecoming. A hit if I’ve ever heard one.

THE CASTELLOWS / “Miss America”
Writers: The Castellows/Nicolle Galyon/Will Bundy; Producer: Chip Matthews; Label: Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records
– The blonde sister trio has never sounded smoother. The sweet-sad, jaunty tune rolls along while they sing of a small-town girl who gets her heart broken. Very pretty, very hooky, very nice.

JELLY ROLL / “Burning”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: Stoney Creek Records
– Jelly Roll held his own during his Tuesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel! Live. He chatted easily with guest host Martin Short and comedy star Jane Lynch, both of whom turned out to be fans. Then he staged the world premiere of his next single. It’s a frothing rocker where he begs for redemption while the band flames around him. It is also the finest vocal of his career to date and the first sample of the music that will be on his fall album. Roll, Jelly, roll.

Robert K Oermann
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