DISClaimer Single Reviews: George Strait ‘Knocks It Out Of The Park’

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George Strait. Photo: Peggy Sirota

Traditional country music asserts its lasting appeal in this week’s DISClaimer column.

There’s not a pop-country note to be sounded in the new tracks by Josh Turner, Joe Nichols, Brett Young, Jeannie Seely or Jamey Johnson. Towering over them all is King George. That’s right: all-time hit monarch George Strait has the Disc of the Day.

We turn to folk music for our DISCovery Award as John Lomax III officially becomes the oldest artist to ever nab this prize.

JEANNIE SEELY / “Suffertime”
Writers: Bill West/Dottie West; Producer: Steve Wariner; Label: Cheyenne Records
– With the retirement of Wanda Jackson, Jeannie Seely becomes the oldest still-active female country artist. That’s not a put down; she’s proud of it. She’s still hosting her Sundays With Seely on Sirius/XM and performing on the Opry regularly. In fact, she has now sung on the show more times than anyone in history. The 84-year-old legend recorded this homage to her late dear friend Dottie West at historic RCA Studio B with West’s discovery Steve Wariner producing. Seely and Wariner take West’s 1966 heartache song in a groovy, bluesy direction. An instant country classic.

MADDIE & TAE / “Free Like”
Writers: Casey Brown/Deric Ruttan/Maddie Font/Parker Welling; Producer: Josh Kerr; Label: Mercury Nashville
– Delightful. It’s a bouncing, bopping, merry kiss-off tune with saucy attitude in abundance. Twin-harmony vocals and snappy beats are the hallmarks of this rockin’ little ditty.

JOSH TURNER / “Somewhere With Her”
Writers: Josh Miller/Rhett Akins/Will Bundy; Producer: Kenny Greenberg; Label: MCA Nashville
– Languid and dreamy. He’s not paying attention because he’s lost in a romantic reverie. Do not operate heavy machinery while listening.

DYLAN MARLOWE / “Devil On My Shoulder”
Writers: Beau Bailey/Dylan Marlowe/Kyle Fishman/Rocky Block; Producer: Joe Fox; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– This breakup isn’t going well for him. No matter what he tries to get over her, “it ain’t doing jack.” Pleading and insistent. Very hooky, although a tad over produced and mucho electronic.

GEORGE STRAIT / “Three Drinks Behind”
Writers: Benjamin Gaither/Jeff Silvey/Kim Williams; Producers: Chuck Ainlay, George Strait, Tony Brown; Label: MCA Nashville
– I dig the chugging rhythm and mellow melody of this barroom ditty. Delivered with a smile from a Country Music Hall of Famer who can still knock it out of the park. Put this mini masterpiece on repeat pronto.

TIERA KENNEDY / “Cry”
Writers: Cameron Bedell/Jared Scott/Justin Timberlake/Scott Storch/Tiera Kennedy/Timothy Mosley; Producer: Cameron Bedell; Label: TK
– This sprightly tune is already being used in a McDonald’s commercial. Kennedy will officially release it as her new single next week. It is quite pert, catchy and attractive. The song samples Justin Timberlake’s pop hit “Cry Me a River,” so he gets a songwriter credit.

JOE NICHOLS / “Bottle It Up”
Writers: Dan Isbell/Josh Kear/Paul Sikes; Producers: Derek George, Mickey Jack Cones; Label: Brown Sellers Brown
– It turns out that I’m not the only who’s into this peerless country vocalist: Post Malone has proclaimed himself a fan. This good humored, twanging tempo tune is one more reason to applaud our enduring favorite.

JOHN LOMAX III / “I Was Born 10,ooo Years Ago”
Writer: Public Domain; Producer: Matthew “Buster” Allen; Label: Orchard
– Lomax is a member of the distinguished American folk-music family. At age 80, he is releasing his very first album. It’s chock full of traditional tunes, including this hearty, amusing old boasting song, produced with just acoustic-guitar accompaniment. Smiles all around.

BRETT YOUNG / “Goodnight Into Good Morning”
Writers: Brett Young/Jimmy Robbins/Jon Nite; Producer: Jimmy Robbins; Label: BMLG Records
– He’s always so good with romantic material. This swirling, spinning, sensuous outing is a love-at-first-sight come-on with undeniably hypnotic appeal. Hit bound.

JOSH ROSS & JULIA MICHAELS / “Want This Beer”
Writers: Hillary Lindsey/Julia Michaels/Michael Hardy/Zach Abend; Producers: Matt Geroux, Zach Abend; Label: Core Entertainment
– Moody and kinda dizzy, the ballad is a pop confection in the throats of two highly expressive vocalists. Be careful you don’t get a bloody nose when the thing ends with a sudden wall of silence in mid lyric.

DENETIA / “Gettin’ Over”
Writers: Brad Allen Williams/Denitia Odigie; Producer: Brad Allen Williams; Label: County Road
– Her sweet voice. Some twinkling steel guitar notes and the toe-tapping beats make this working-gal’s lament sound deceptively jaunty. Her songwriting seems to be growing more assured and authentically country as the months roll by.

JAMEY JOHNSON / “What A View”
Writers: Jamey Johnson/Randy Houser/Rob Hatch/Dallas Davidson; Producer: The Kent Hardly Playboys; Label: Big Gassed Records
– This drops tomorrow as Johnson’s new single, and it’s dandy. The swaying, breezy vibe evokes a Caribbean idyll, as well as classic Strait. Jamey remains a masterful country singer, and has never sounded warmer or more engaging than he does here. Essential listening.

Robert K Oermann
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