DISClaimer Single Reviews: Kacey Musgraves & Blake Shelton Share Disc Of The Day

/by

Kacey Musgraves & Blake Shelton.

Country music is nothing if not diverse.

The take-away from this year’s CMA Awards show was how different our artists are from one another. Not to mention the fact that we have the best singers.

This week’s DISClaimer echoes that sonic diversity. We have folkies, rockers, hip-hoppers, honky-tonkers and crooners in today’s sampling of current country sounds. The King and Queen of this colorful parade are Kacey Musgraves and Blake Shelton, who share this week’s Disc of the Day honor.

KIP MOORE / “Learning As I Go”
Writers: Dan Couch/Kip Moore/Luke Preston/Oscar Charles; Producers: Kip Moore, Oscar Charles; Label: Virgin
– Thanks to the more than 100,000 tickets he sold in Australia, South Africa and other overseas destinations last year, Moore is this year’s CMA International Award winner. He rocks out splendidly on this Boss-like, blue-collar romp. Furious beats back his hoarse, urgent delivery of his finest lyric to date. Rock on, bro.

ADRIEN NUNEZ / “Apology Song”
Writers: Adrien Nunez/Jacob Bryant/John Davidson; Producer: John Davidson; Label: Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records
– Nunez is former college basketball star who set his athletic career aside in favor of music. His sound is a catchy, crunchy pop pastiche of sing-along woah-ohs and bouncy boyish folk simplicity. Double tracked vocals, toe-tapping beats, echoey production. In the Shaboozey neighborhood of country music.

KACEY MUSGRAVES / “The Architect”
Writers: Josh Osborne/Kacey Musgraves/Shane McAnally; Producers: Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves; Label: Interscope Records/MCA Nashville
– Nominated for a Grammy as Best Country Song, this was a standout on Wednesday’s CMA Awards telecast. Musgraves delivers it in a folk-angel soprano as she muses about our Higher Power. Melodic, thoughtful, lilting, deep and utterly captivating. Also: Gorgeously produced, as is her entire Deeper Well collection. She hits Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 6 & 7 with Nickel Creek and Lord Huron in support.

DASHA / “Heartbreaker From Tennessee”
Writers: Anna Dasha Novotny/Jules Paymer/Oren Yoel; Producers: Bardo, Oren Yoel; Label: Warner Records
– Country’s new dance queen is back with a hooky rumbler that lays down a relentless mid-tempo groove while she reflects on her youthful tumble for a Volunteer State dude. “Austin” was a monster jam and this one demonstrates that zillion-seller was no fluke.

BLAKE SHELTON / “Texas”
Writers: Johnny Clawson/Josh Dorr/Kyle Sturrock/Lalo Guzman; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Label: Wheelhouse Records
– He’s such a superb country singer. With a song this cool, he’s unstoppable. Shelton’s debut on his new label turns some interesting rhythmic corners and sports super clever lyrics. Plus, you get a “Greek chorus” talking to him. “If she ain’t with me in Tennessee…she’s probably in Texas,” because that’s where ex’s go. This deserves to be a massive hit.

TANNER ADELL / “Religion”
Writers: Akil King/Anthony White/Parker Wellington/Stephen McGregor/Tanner Adell; Producer: Stephen McGregor; Label: ColorxStudios
– “Buckle Bunny” Adell does a change of pace and unveils her talent for ballad singing here. The gentle, soothing tune posits that it is faith that keeps us all going forward. Nicely done.

RODNEY ATKINS / “True South”
Writers: none listed; Producers: Jordan Schmidt, Rodney Atkins; Label: Curb Records
– This one’s a fist-pumping redneck anthem with shout-outs to guns, whiskey, backwoods living, religion, hunting, tractors, U.S.A., girls in cut-off jeans, barbecue……Did I miss anything?

GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS / “Empty Trainload Of Sky”
Writers: David Rawlings/Gillian Welch; Producer: David Rawlings; Label: Acony Records
– This drowsy, haunting, minor-key, pristine outing is nominated for a Grammy as Americana Song of the Year. Its parent album, Woodland, snared a Folk nomination as well. These two performers make acoustic music soar and shine. Guitars ripple, brushed drums keep time and an organ sighs.

KANE BROWN & KATELYN BROWN / “Body Talk”
Writers: Amanda Renee Ibanez/Jonathan Capeci/Kane Brown/Nicholas Sainato/Nick Long; Producers: Jonathan Capeci, Nicholas Sainato; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Intimate, sexy and breathy. A ballad with a burbling undertow of percolating rhythm. Sensuous listening. Add this.

ZACH TOP / “I Never Lie”
Writers: Carson Chamberlain/Tim Nichols/Zach Top; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Label: Leo33
– Everything is peachy-keen in his world. He’s never been better. Things are going his way. Don’t you believe any of this. It’s all a false front for the One Who Got Away. As usual, he is a beacon of true country music. His guitar licks are answered by loads of steel, and his vocal is honky-tonk perfection. Bless him.

SHABOOZEY / “Good News”
Writers: Chibueze Collins Obinna/Jake Torrey/Michael Pollack/Nevin Sastry/Sam Roman/Sean Cook; Producers: Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook; Label: American Dogwood/EMPIRE
– He maintains his strummy, hand-clappy, sing-along vibe, but this time around he has something serious on his mind. The man is going through rough times, bearing the blues, being lonely, feeling the weight of the world and struggling in life. What he needs and what this song hopes for is some good news. Honesty and country authenticity married to bounding beats. Celebrate him: Thanks to “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey is up for six Grammys this year.

MARCUS HUMMON & MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER / “I Dwell In Possibility”
Writer: Marcus Hummon; Producer: Marcus Hummon; Label: 3686 Records
– Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Hummon’s new EP is titled Songs for Emily because it is a collection of compositions he wrote based on the poetry of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). On this languid meditation, his singing is joined by the jewel-like tones of Chapin. The crystal-clear acoustic production is outstanding. Very arty, yet very cool.

RINGO STARR & ALISON KRAUSS / “Thankful”
Writers: Bruce Sugar/Richard Starkey; Producers: Bruce Sugar, Ringo Starr, T Bone Burnett; Label: Roccabella
– Saturated with steel, this is a loping ride to redemption. Alison’s harmony vocal is very, very softly mixed.

Robert K Oermann
Latest posts by Robert K Oermann (see all)