DISClaimer Single Reviews: Maggie Rose & Vince Gill Collaborate On ‘Aching Ballad’

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Maggie Rose & Vince Gill

There’s a pot pourri of styles on hand in today’s DISClaimer roundup of current country tunes.

Dance along with The Kentucky Gentlemen. Go on a haunting, Appalachian journey with Mindy Smith. Rock out to Tyler Braden. Get gritty and experimental with Gavin Adcock. Let Kane Brown mellow your love thoughts. Get your funny bone tickled by The Doohickeys. Take a country-rock ride with Braedon Barnhill.

At the end of the day, indulge in something timeless and classic. That would be “I Can’t Make You Love Me” performed by Maggie Rose & Vince Gill as our Disc of the Day.

The DISCovery Award goes to Dee White, who is making his debut in the column with his second album. I can’t remember the last time I encountered an artist who was so awesome as both a singer and writer. Adding to the recipe is the fact that White is now produced by the legendary Tony Brown.

TYLER BRADEN / “Me Or The Dawn”
Writers: Autumn Buysse/Jake Rose/Tyler Braden; Producer: Sam Martinez; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– It’s a fiery country rocker with screaming guitars and a vocal that nearly shrieks as the song hits it apex. Stand back: This one has blast-furnace heat.

LAUREN ALAINA / “Those Kind Of Women”
Writers: Derek George/Lainey Wilson/Lynn Hutton/Monty Criswell; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records
– Alaina delivers a touching ode to her mother and celebrates her own impending motherhood with this lilting performance. Sweetly sentimental.

DEE WHITE / “Heart Talkin’”
Writers: Dee Aubrey White/Sergio Gabriel Sanchez; Producer: Tony Brown; Label: DW
– In a word, dynamite. This Alabama youngster sings with hair-raising intensity while surrounded by super sympathetic steel-and-guitars support. The song is a hooky power ballad with the vocalist citing the parts of his body that need to work together to ensure that he doesn’t lose his lover. Country-music perfection. White did a mini showcase at Sound Stage Studio this week that made believers out of everyone present.

THE KENTUCKY GENTLEMEN / “Country Hymn”
Writers: Brandon Campbell/David Mescon/Derek Campbell; Producer: David Mescon; Label: River House Artists
– Twins Derek and Brandon stage their debut on River House with this rousing stomper that invites us all to attend country-music “church.” These guys always know how to bring the party.

KANE BROWN / “Gorgeous”
Writers: Blake Anthony Carter/Gabe Foust/Gregory Aldae Hein/Jaxson Free; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Records Nashville
– An easy-going groove sets the mood for this mellow ode to the one he loves. It’s not her looks that make her beautiful to him. It’s her heart and mind. Amen to that. Brown’s new 18-track album The High Road contains this little jewel, as well as collaborations with Jelly Roll, Brad Paisley, Khalid, Marshmello and wife Katelyn Brown. It drops tomorrow.

MAGGIE ROSE & VINCE GILL / “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
Writers: Allen Shamblin/Mike Reid; Producer: Davis Naish; Label: One Riot Records
– Maggie Rose is one of the finest singers in a city full of great vocalists. She isn’t a country artist, but collaborating with Country Hall of Famer Vince Gill gives her definite country-soul cred. Especially because it’s on this aching ballad of unrequited love originally immortalized by Bonnie Raitt in 1991. Melody. Emotion. Technique. Flawless artistry.

THE DOOHICKEYS / “Rein it in Cowboy”
Writers: Haley Elizabeth Brown/John Hackett; Producer: Eric Corne; Label: Forty Below Records
– This gets the Video of the Day award. An army of zombie barflies accosts a protesting cowgirl in a honky-tonk. The guys are fabulously clueless, wearing their various pick-up lines on their white t-shirts. A hilarious country rocker.

JON PARDI / “Honkytonk Hollywood”
Writers: Bart Butler/Benjy Davis/Jacob Rice; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– “She’s West Coast, down-home pretty.” “Kinda country, kinda city.” She’s wine, he’s whiskey. She’s glamor, he’s grits. You get the idea. This is the title tune of his forthcoming album. Pardi and new producer Jay Joyce recorded it with the star’s touring band.

BRAEDON BARNHILL / “Dashboard Dreaming”
Writers: Braedon Barnhill/Stacy Barnhill; Producers: Julian Raymond, Scott Borchetta; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Love his throaty tenor as he rides effortlessly atop this splendidly produced, irresistible country rocker. The open road has never sounded more inviting. Who is this kid?

GAVIN ADCOCK / “Loose Strings”
Writers: Brent Cobb/Erik Dylan/Phillip White; Producers: Brent Cobb, Jay Rodgers, Oran Thornton; Label: Thrivin’ Here Records/Warner Music Nashville
– Oddly ear catching. There’s no real melody. It is very word-y. His delivery is somewhat monotonic. Yet there’s cool stuff going on with the stark, guitar-and-bass production and the grit in his voice.

PARMALEE / “Cowgirl”
Writers: David Fanning/James Daniel Lewis/Parmalee/Peter Daniel Newman/Robbie Jay/Thomas Frank Ridley Horsley; Producers: David Fanning, James Daniel Lewis; Label: Stoney Creek Records
– He’s falling in love and the track bops along joyously. The lyric isn’t much. This one’s all about the groove.

MINDY SMITH / “Quiet Town”
Writer: Mindy Smith; Producer: Neilson Hubbard; Label: Compass Records
– This is the title tune of Smith’s first album in over a decade. It’s a gently sung soprano ballad that reflects on the past with wistful nostalgia. She remains a distinctly lovely Appalachian vocal stylist. For a truly enriching audio experience, also listen to the moody “Jericho” and/or the sentiments of “Something to Write in Stone.” This is an album worth buying.

Robert K Oermann
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