DISClaimer Single Reviews: Rascal Flatts & The Jonas Brothers Collab On Disc Of The Day

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The country-music wing of Americana flexes its muscles in this week’s DISClaimer.

Frankly, it’s a little nuts that such solidly country folks as Charley Crockett, Willow Avalon and Sierra Ferrell are called “Americana” while pop acts rule the so-called “country” charts. In any case, Willow Avalon wins the DISCovery Award. Make a beeline for The Exit/In tomorrow to catch her in person.

Despite strong competition from Brett Young, Old Dominion and Kane Brown, Rascal Flatts wins the Disc of the Day award, with an assist from the mighty Jonas Brothers.

ALANA SPRINGSTEEN / “You Don’t Deserve A Country Song (Live From The Ryman)”
Writers: Alana Springsteen/Geoff Warburton/Michael Whitworth/Mitchell Tenpenny/Will Weatherly; Label: Columbia Records/Sony Music Nashville
– Pulse-quickening percussion leads you into searing vocal of accusation and defiance. Recorded live at the Ryman, this performance brims with confidence and style. Blazing guitars add fuel to the fire.

RASCAL FLATTS & THE JONAS BROTHERS / “I Dare You”
Writers: Dewain Whitmore/Nick Jonas/Shay Mooney/Tommy English; Producers: Dann Huff, Jay DeMarcus, Jeremy Hatcher, Tommy English; Label: Big Machine Records
– This snazzy little country rocker has a built-in spring breeze. Lyrics fly by like highway scenery as the band kicks up dust. Gary carries the lead with the Jonas boys adding vocal embellishments, holding back until the bridge. After that, everybody sings to the sky. A winner, even though one yearns for more Jonas.

CHARLEY CROCKETT / “Lonesome Drifter”
Writer: Charley Crockett; Producers: Charley Crockett, Shooter Jennings; Label: Island Records
– Nervous, moody, restless rhythm and stuttering guitar back this dark meditation of a solitary wanderer. The ever-prolific Crockett marks new label and producer affiliations here, but he’s still his own, individualistic country-music man.

KANE BROWN / “Says I Can”
Writers: Gabe Foust/Jaxson Free/Kane Brown/Matt Roy; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Records Nashville
– Dasha, Ashley Cooke, Mitchell Tenpenny and Scotty McCreery drop by for some chorus harmonizing, verse swapping and vocal interjections. The rousing, slow- stomper song is made for hearty barroom drinking with pals. Somebody yell, “Yee haw.”

SIERRA FERRELL / “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”
Writers: Gladys Stacey Flatt/Jerry Organ/Louise Certain/Wayne Walker; Producer: Eddie Spear; Label: Rounder Records
– This country evergreen was originated by Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers in 1925. Ferrell gives it a drawling, bluesy, vivacious delivery. Snappy fiddle, mandolin and guitar picking scamper along. Sierra Ferrell deservedly swept this week’s Grammy Awards in the Americana field. No right-thinking country fan should be without this woman’s music.

MORGAN WALLEN / “I’m the Problem”
Writers: Charlie Handsome/Ernest Keith Smith/Grady Block/Jamie McLaughlin/Morgan Wallen; Producers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records/Mercury Records/Republic Records
– With five writers, you’d think somebody would have come up with a melody.

WILLOW AVALON / “Homewrecker”
Writers: JR Atkins/Tofer Brown/Willow Avalon; Producers: JR Atkins, Tofer Brown, Willow Avalon; Label: Assemble Sound/Atlantic Records
– Any woman named Willow Avalon with an album titled Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell has my attention. She bops along brightly on this sassy, double-time, country rocker. The track boasts echo chamber and band-member shouts supporting her pert, tart soprano delivery. Avalon has racked up 15 million streams in the past two months. She plays The Exit/In tomorrow night (Feb. 7). Sounds good to me.

OLD DOMINION / “Making Good Time”
Writers: Brad Tursi/Matthew Ramsey/Ross Copperman/Ross Ellis/Trevor Rosen; Producers: Old Dominion, Shane McAnally; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– As tuneful and listenable as ever. This is a band that knows how to really write and really sing. The single chugs along with irresistible energy.

HUESTON / “Right Now”
Writers: Brandon Sammons/Cory Hueston/Joshua Kimbowa; Producer: BSAMZ; Label: Silver Wings Records
– I hear hip-hop and electro pop, with boring audio loops and generic sampled beats.

MICKEY GUYTON / “The Star Spangled Banner”
Writer: Francis Scott Key; Producer: none listed; Label: UMG Nashville
– Guyton lit the Internet on fire with her performance of the national anthem at the 2022 Super Bowl. Since then, she has made the song her own by singing it at the World Series, the NBA Cup, the women’s U.S. Open and other high-profile events. If you ever had any doubts about her power and range as a vocalist, this will erase them forever. As of this week, it’s now available on all streaming platforms.

HUDSON WESTBROOK / “Mine Tomorrow”
Writers: Dan Alley/Hudson Westbrook/Ryan Beaver; Producers: Lukas Scott, Ryan Youmans; Label: River House Artists
– Gently persuasive. Acoustic picking and a laid-back vocal create a relaxed mood as a hopeful lyric unspools. Engaging and promising.

BRETT YOUNG / “Tastes Like You”
Writers: Brett Young/Justin Ebach/Noah Needleman/Jon Nite; Producer: Justin Ebach; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– Young turns up the tempo for this splendidly rocking, steaming-hot ode to lust. Get up and shake it.

VINNY TOVAR & AUBRY RODRIGUEZ / “Pass Me By”
Writer: Hillman Hill; Producers: Stormy Cooper, Will Braun; Label: Azteca Ranch Music
– Aubry is the daughter of Johnny Rodriguez, who immortalized this country classic in 1972. Vinny is a golden-voiced, Mexican-American leading light of the Latin country community. They swap lines on the twin-fiddled two stepper with aplomb. Azteca Ranch is a San Antonio label devoted to this kind of Texican excellence.

Robert K Oermann
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