DISClaimer Single Reviews: Morgan Wallen Takes First Disc Of The Day In The New Year

/by

Photo: Courtesy of Big Loud/Mercury Records/Republic Records

In keeping with the subdued emotions of wintery weather, today’s edition of DISClaimer is a snow shower of ballads.

Morgan Wallen wins the Disc of the Day award with his bittersweet ballad “Smile,” and he has plenty of company in the downbeat department. Kameron Marlowe, Muscadine Bloodline, Kat Luna, Warren Zeiders, Lee Brice and the trio of Mary Chapin Carpenter with Scottish stars Julie Fowlis and Karine Polwart are also crooning slow tunes.

Slightly more upbeat is Dylan Schneider, who takes home this week’s DISCovery Award. Even more stirring is Mackenzie Carpenter’s winking delivery of “Dozen Red Flags,” which gets bonus points for cleverness.

DYLAN SCHNEIDER / “Better Than You Left Me”
Writers: Brett Tyler/Dylan Schneider/Lalo Guzman/Michael Tyler; Producer: Zach Abend; Label: Wheelhouse Records
– Don’t be mislead by his plaintive delivery: This is a revenge song where he struts his newfound joy in the face of the one who dumped him. Engaging and promising.

KAMERON MARLOWE / “Hello Whiskey”
Writers: Kameron Marlowe/Kendell Marvel/Phil O’Donnell; Producer: Ben West; Label: Columbia Nashville
– The slow-ballad track is a bottomless well of dark, echoey doom, and his anguished vocal is a midnight-cry of the soul. He seeks oblivion and anesthesia for his heartache, and it’s fascinating listening.

WARREN ZEIDERS / “Fight Like Hell”
Writers: Erik Dylan/Jared Keim/Ryan Beaver/Warren Zeiders; Producers: Ross Copperman, Warren Zeiders; Label: Warner Records
– The simple, piano-vocal production throws a spotlight on his nicely shaded phrasing, vocal range and earnest spirit. Sit back and let him work his audio magic on this power ballad.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER, JULIE FOWLIS & KARINE POLWART / “Hold Everything”
Writer: Karine Polwart; Producer: Josh Kaufman; Label: Lambent Light Records
– The sound is an acoustic folk tapestry. The delivery is a hushed wash of breathy seduction. The lyric is a meditation on mortality. The trio’s album, Looking for a Thread, drops on Jan. 24. Based on this enchanting track, I am mighty intrigued to hear it.

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
– Bopping and merry. The galloping electronic tempo, compressed production and rapid-fire vocals describe tumbling head over heels in love. Catchy as can be.

KIP MOORE / “Bad Spot”
Writer: Casey Beathard; Producer: Jaren Johnston, Kip Moore; Label: Virgin Music
– This fellow is building an overseas career that’s stronger than any of his peers. Hence his CMA International Artist Achievement Award. This midtempo outing apologizes for his past behavior and asks for another shot. As usual, his delivery is urgent and believable. “Bad Spot” is an advance track for a 23-song double album titled Solitary Tracks that will drop next month.

MORGAN WALLEN / “Smile”
Writers: Charlie Handsome/Ernest Keith Smith/John Byron/Luis Witkiewitz/Morgan Wallen/Rocky Block; Producers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records/Mercury Records/Republic Records
– Bittersweet heartache, accompanied by hushed backup sighing and gently-plucked guitars. Beautifully done.

KAT LUNA / “Happiest I’ve Ever Been”
Writers: Erika Ender/Josh Kerr/Kat Luna/Peytan Porter; Producer: Nathan Chapman; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Love her catch-in-throat alto delivery with its shards of pain. As with her previous release, the ballad’s lyric is delivered in both Spanish and English. There’s a certain tension and underlying power in her singing that I find quite compelling.

LEE BRICE / “Cry”
Writers: Ben Hayslip/Dallas Davidson/David Garcia/Lee Brice; Producers: Ben Glover, Jerrod Niemann, Lee Brice; Label: Curb Records
– This isn’t due until Jan. 31, but an advance listen indicates that Brice has not lost his touch in engaging top-shelf material. On top of a simple yet ear catching production, he moans marvelously in an aching description of a heart broken male. I remain an enormous fan. Brice’s acoustic tour hits the Ryman on Feb. 18.

MACKENZIE CARPENTER / “Dozen Red Flags”
Writers: Brandon Hood/Mackenzie Carpenter/Nicolle Galyon; Producer: Brandon Hood; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Hilarious. In her drawling delivery, she lists all the reasons why she should have never fallen for him. Sardonic and really, really fun.

MUSCADINE BLOODLINE / “10-90”
Writers: Charlie Muncaster/Gary Stanton/Kendell Marvel; Producers: Charlie Muncaster, Gary Stanton, Ryan Youmans; Label: Big Machine Records/Thirty Tigers
– This is a vow of eternal love, performed with plaintive, poignant emotion. “Give me you on your worst day, and I’ll give you my best.’ ‘I’ll be the answer to what you’re praying.” A wedding, first-dance song if I’ve ever heard one.

TIMOTHY WAYNE / “Louisiana Saturday Night”
Writers: Jimmy Newman/Tom T. Hall; Producers: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw; Label: UMG Nashville
– Wayne sang this jaunty 1981 Mel McDaniel classic on the Louisiana Office of Tourism float on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl Parade. The Franklin, Tennessee native is in his third year at LSU, balancing his pursuit of a college degree with his pursuit of country stardom. He’s hitting the books as well as the recording studio as he preps his debut album.

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