DISClaimer Single Reviews: Ringo Starr’s Country Debut Is A ‘Simply Lovely Record’

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Ringo Starr.

Let’s get Latin today.

It has been too long since the country stardom of Johnny Rodriguez, Freddy Fender, Emilio, Rick Trevino and the like. Stepping into this void are veteran Stephanie Urbina Jones and newcomer Moriah, both of whom have excellent new singles.

The biggest current star of the format is on hand today with new music from Morgan Wallen. But even superstars must take a back seat when there’s a Beatle in the house. Ringo Starr wins the Disc of the Day prize.

Taking home a DISCovery Award is Neil Perry with his debut solo release.

RYAN LARKINS / “Buzzin”
Writers: Brad Warren/Brett Warren/Jordan Minton/Ryan Larkins; Producer: Paul Sikes; Label: Red Street Records
– “Nothin’ gets me buzzin’ like you do,” sings Larkins. MusicRow’s Breakthrough Songwriter 2024 awardee is a dandy record maker, too. He sings in a rich, low baritone and conveys warmth and personality with every note. He’s nominated for a CMA Award this year as the co-writer of Cody Johnson’s “The Painter.”

JUSTIN MOORE & DIERKS BENTLEY / “Time’s Ticking”
Writers: Jeremy Stover/Justin Moore/Randy Montana/Will Bundy; Producers: Jeremy Stover, Scott Borchetta; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Seize the moment and savor it. Don’t put things off—stop and smell the roses, tell folks you love ‘em, “make a memory not just money.” All set to a toe-tapping beat. Well worth your spins.

MÕRIAH / “Hasta Mañana”
Writers: Mõriah/Paul Duncan/Paul Mabury; Producer: Paul Mabury; Label: F2 Entertainment Group
– It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and it’s high time we had a Latina country star. This breathy, sensuous vocalist puts in her bid with this tuneful bopper. She’ll be releasing a Spanish-language version next week in conjunction with the Day of the Dead holiday.

CLARENCE TILTON & MARTY STUART / “Fred’s Colt”
Writer: Christopher Weber; Producer: none listed; Label: 7814467 Records
– The singing of the Clarence Tilton band’s Chris Weber probably won’t win any awards, but there is a raggedy, rumpled charm in this uptempo outing, enlivened by some red-hot electric guitar picking. Americana programmers take note.

RUNAWAY JUNE / “New Kind Of Emotion”
Writers: Jennifer Wayne/Natalie Stovall/Paul Sikes/Stevie Woodward; Producer: Kristian Bush; Label: Quartz Hill Records
– You just can’t beat this act’s delicious, three-part harmony singing. On this pop track, the trio weaves a lovely audio tapestry of budding romance. “This is what a love song feels like,” they sigh together. It certainly is.

MORGAN WALLEN / “Love Somebody”
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Charlie Handsome/Elof Loelv/Jacob Kasher Hindlin/John Byron/Martina Sorbera/Morgan Wallen/Nicholas Gale/Shaun Frank/Steve Francis Richard Mastroianni/Yaakov Gruzman; Producers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records/Mercury Records/Republic Records
– This is a breezy, upbeat change of pace for this champ hit maker. He’s looking for love while the Latin-tinged track burbles merrily along. The guitar solo is terrific.

SAM WILLIAMS / “Scarlet Lonesome”
Writers: Ben Roberts/Nathan Sexton/Sam Williams; Producers: Ben Roberts, Nathan Sexton; Label: Mercury Nashville
– The torrid power ballad is about being drawn into an obsessive love. The video illustrates that this is a gay romance.

RINGO STARR / “Time On My Hands”
Writers: Daniel Tashian/Paul Kennerley/T Bone Burnett; Producers: Bruce Sugar, Daniel Tashian, T Bone Burnett; Label: UMG Nashville
– At 84, Ringo still sings splendidly. Sharing the spotlight on this mid tempo meditation is a brilliant, crystal-clear production featuring breathtaking steel guitar work by Paul Franklin. A simply lovely record.

STEPHANIE URBINA JONES / “La Reina De Los Angeles Cielto Lindo”
Writers: Mark Marchetti/Stephanie Urbina Jones; Producers: Preston ‘Shoes’ Sullivan/Stephanie Urbina Jones; Label: Global Eyes Entertainment/Casa Del Rio Records
– Jones and her Honky Tonk Mariachi Band are the sound of joy on this delightfully rhythmic prancer. It practically commands you to get up and go into a happiness dance. I have always loved this good-vibes performer, and never more so than now. The song ends with a coda of “Cielito Lindo,” which I always assumed was a folk song. How pleasant to find out that it has a composer.

WARREN HAYNES, LUKAS NELSON & JAMEY JOHNSON / “Day Of Reckoning”
Writers: Lukas Nelson/Warren Haynes; Producer: Warren Haynes; Label: Fantasy Records
– The track conjures a swampy, bluesy mood while the three voices swap soulful, apocalyptic lines about coming together in brotherhood. Kinda left field, but totally groovy, in an optimistic, Civil Rights anthemic sorta way. Haynes is the frontman for the Americana band Gov’t Mule. This is drawn from his solo album Million Voices Whisper, which drops on Nov. 1.

HARPER GRACE / “Jolene”
Writer: Dolly Parton; Producers: Cooper Bascom, Tedd T.; Label: Curb Records
– The smoky-voiced American Idol alumnus tackles the often-sung Parton classic with vivacious verve. She really rocks it. So much so that she sounds like she’s ready to punch Jolene’s lights out.

NEIL PERRY / “If You Can’t Don’t”
Writers: Neil Perry/Jet Harvey/Jackson Nance; Producers: Nathan Chapman, Neil Perry; Label: NP
– He was always overshadowed as a vocalist in The Band Perry. With his debut solo outing, Neil Perry claims the spotlight he deserves. The take-me-as-I-am song is about loving an imperfect man. The electronic production is loaded with dramatic tension and dynamics that mirror the shifting tones of the vocal. Excellent work.

BRANTLEY GILBERT & ASHLEY COOKE / “Over When We’re Sober”
Writers: Brantley Gilbert/Brock Berryhill/Jason Bradley DeFord/Justin Wilson; Producers: Brock Berryhill, Brantley Gilbert, Scott Borchetta; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– They broke up, but they keep hooking up after they’ve been belting whiskey in the club at night. The song is cool and they both sing great, but the record sounds busy and over produced. Gilbert & Cooke will perform this on tomorrow’s telecast of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Robert K Oermann
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