DISClaimer Single Reviews: Jackson Dean Shows Off ‘Terrific Singing & Dynamite Lyric’

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Jackson Dean. Photo: Sean Hagwell

DISClaimer has some real audio goodies for you today.

So many, in fact, that it’s hard to know where to shine the spotlight the brightest. Four records raced neck and neck for the Disc of the Day award. Three of them are collaborations—Post Malone & Tim McGraw, Kameron Marlowe & Marcus King and David Nail & Aubrie Sellers. Any of them are worthy of the crown. But for ultimate creativity and sheer drive, I’m going with the solo outing by Jackson Dean, “Heavens to Betsy.”

Black country artists continue to thrive. Today’s column features new music by Ashlie Amber, Sacha and newcomer Tae Lewis. He would have nailed a DISCovery Award were it not for the sensational solo debut of Brad Tursi, who takes home the prize.

BRAD TURSI / “Parallel Love”
Writer: Brad Tursi; Producers: Brad Tursi, Dan Isbell; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– This is a delightful twang fest, full of funky thump and hillbilly harmony. The title tune of Tursi’s debut solo album is a toe-tapping, innocent-sounding ode to love in the countryside that will have you smiling from ear to ear. Absolutely play this. The Old Dominion member stages his first solo Opry appearance tomorrow evening (Aug. 23).

JOSH TURNER / “Two Steppin’ On The Moon”
Writers: Chase McGill/John Pierce/Matt Dragstrem; Producer: Kenny Greenberg; Label: MCA Nashville
– Rolling and pleasurable, it’s another of his swirly, romantic, lost-in-love odes. Turner debuted it on the TODAY show on Monday and launched its music video on CMT last Friday.

SACHA / “High Life”
Writers: Chris Loocke/Emma-Lee/Jaden Michaels/Sacha Visagie; Producer: Eric Arjes, Jimmy Robbins; Label: Sony Music Canada
– She is somewhat better known in her native Canada, but this artist’s profile is trending upward in the U.S., thanks to “Hey Mom I Made It.” Now comes this merry, feel-good ditty about being high on life. “I ain’t drinkin’ I ain’t smokin’/Now the only thing I’m tokin’ is them big puffy clouds in the sky,” she sings while the track burbles contentedly along. The candy-colored music video reveals her to be an able skateboard surfer.

KAMERON MARLOWE & MARCUS KING / “High Hopes”
Writers: Brad Tursi/Josh Osborne/Trevor Rosen; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Columbia Nashville
– King’s torrid guitar work kicks off this slow-blues jam. Marlowe’s blue-eyed soul vocal wails the hurtin’ lyric to get you in a downbeat honky-tonk mood. Then King’s spine-tingling tenor comes in and the two begin to harmonize splendidly. As they swap swamp sounds, King lets fly with more deep-fried licks. A sensational record.

TAE LEWIS / “When I Grew Up”
Writers: Jacob Frish/Paul Krieg/Tae Lewis; Producer: none listed; Label: Origins Records
– The chorus takes awhile to get to the punch line. But this guy has vocal talent to spare, so he sells this lyric of redemption with panache. He tosses the bottle away and holds his head high. Origins Records is a new label devoted to Black country talent, and this guy and an artist named David Junior are their flagship signees. Bon voyage!

WARREN ZEIDERS / “Intoxicated”
Writers: Bart Butler/Benjy Davis/Mark Holman/Randy Montana/Warren Zeiders; Producer: Mike Elizondo; Label: Warner Records
– Zeiders’ debut Warner album, Relapse, will drop tomorrow. Its latest preview and new single maintains the youngster’s rock-country fusion style with a smoldering-hot stomper about being drunk on love.

DAVID NAIL & AUBRIE SELLERS / “Why”
Writer: David Nail; Producers: David Nail, Reed Pittman; Label: DN
– This man was born to sing. This expressive performance questions why he makes a relationship so rocky and troubled. The track ripples and sighs around his superb vocal with soprano contributions by Sellers. The song was originally intended as a track for a 2013 Universal album that was never released. This is its poetic new version.

JAMES HOUSE / “What Do You Say”
Writer: James House; Producer: James House; Label: JH
– The loping “western” vibe churns along while House’s rasping tenor beckons her for a bluesy night on the town. Kinda hypnotic and retro cool.

ASHLIE AMBER / “What You Deserve”
Writers: Christian Stalnecker/Taylor Acorn; Producers: Ashlie Amber Harris, Victor “Vdub” Wilson; Label: AA
– The melody isn’t much, but her double-tracked vocal gives it a little heft. The pace is plodding and the production lacks imagination, but the whole thing is listenable in a lulling sort of way.

POST MALONE & TIM MCGRAW / “Wrong Ones”
Writers: Austin Post/Charlie Handsome/Ernest Keith Smith/James McNair/Louis Bell/Luke Combs; Producers: Charlie Handsome, Louis Bell; Label: Mercury Records/Republic Records
– Post Malone’s just-released, 27-track country album is packed with celebrities, and the massive successes of “I Had Some Help” (with Morgan Wallen) and “Pour Me a Drink” (with Blake Shelton) are illustrations of how fine his collaborations can be. His F1-Trillion collection also features him alongside Luke Combs (“Guy for That”), Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Hank Jr., Jelly Roll, Billy Strings, Ernest, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson (“Nosedive”), Hardy and Sierra Ferrell. The album kicks off with this raucous barroom duet with Tim McGraw. The snarly, bluesy vibe suits both voices just fine. Malone (Austin Richard Post) is on fire: He also has the chart-topping “Fortnight” pop duet with Taylor Swift from her The Tortured Poets Department album.

JACKSON DEAN / “Heavens To Betsy”
Writers: Benjy Davis/Driver Williams/Jackson Dean; Producer: Luke Dick; Label: Big Machine Records
– This soulful guy has a new lyric video for this wonderful story song about a man who speaks to a loved one from beyond the grave. As if his terrific singing and the dynamite lyric aren’t enough, the spectacular production has froth and foam and tempo, tempo, tempo. Electrifying in every way.

Robert K Oermann
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