DISClaimer Single Reviews: Sabrina Carpenter & Dolly Parton Are A ‘Cotton-Candy Cloud Of Bliss’

/by

Sabrina Carpenter & Dolly Parton

Today is a day for collabs at DISClaimer.

Of the tracks we’re spotlighting today, fully half of them are vocal collaborations, and three of those are mash-ups between country stars and pop headliners. One of them, the smile-awhile meeting of new pop diva Sabrina Carpenter and country megastar Dolly Parton is our Disc of the Day. By the way, if the lyric seems oblique, check out Carpenter’s solo video of “Please Please Please.” Trust me, it will all make sense.

But if you’re looking for the perfect country solo performance to become an instant-add to your playlist, look no further than Dierks Bentley.

The DISCovery Award contenders are Zach John King and Austin Snell. That’s no contest at all. King walks away with the trophy.

GRAHAM BARHAM / “Oil Money”
Writers: Beau Bailey/Cole Miracle/Graham Barham/Sam Bergeson; Producers: Sam Bergeson, Will Bundy; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– He has a cool hillbilly delivery loaded with reverb. The leering lyric is weirdly ear catching (“She’s got a body like oil money,” anyone?). I could have done without the “country-trap fusion” computer rhythm track, but this thing probably has legs. One question: If she’s so classy, why is she wearing Daisy Dukes?

DIERKS BENTLEY / “She Hates Me”
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Chase McGill/Dierks Bentley/Jimmy Allen/Ross Copperman/Wesley Scantlin; Producers: Jon Randall, Mary Hilliard Harrington; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Wry and delightful. It rocks in a cool, spare-bones kinda way. When this guy is on his game, he can’t be beat. A smash. Also: The video is hilarious.

KAYLEY GREEN / “This Little Love of Mine”
Writers: Adam Craig/Jonathan Smith/Kayley Green; Producer: Ross Copperman; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Frisky and frolicking. She sings with immense verve, and the rockabilly track spits fire. Clap hands and dance along. You’ll be forgiven if you hear echoes of “This Little Light of Mine” in back of the church pews. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

MYLES SMITH & LAINEY WILSON / “Nice to Meet You”
Writers: Dan Smith/Myles Smith/Peter Fenn/Phil Plested; Producer: Peter Fenn; Label: RCA Records
– Strum-y, jaunty, bopping and charming. I’ve heard of quickie romances, but this takes the cake—”Nice to meet you; have a dance; spend all night together”—Just like that. Smith is a British pop singer-songwriter, best known for last year’s Platinum-selling “Stargazing.” This was originally a solo single. The addition of Wilson’s country voice definitely makes it brighter.

ASHLEY COOKE & JOE JONAS / “All I Forgot”
Writers: Ashley Cooke/Charlie Puth/David Alexander/Griff Clawson/Jacob Kasher Hindin/Joe Jonas/Naliya; Producers: Charlie Puth, Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records
– Well, it turns out that alcohol can’t blot out a lover’s memory, after all. These two blend nicely on this tuneful heartbreaker. His pop croon meshes with the gentle warmth of this previous MusicRow award winner who’s a CRS New Faces Show honoree this year.

SABRINA CARPENTER & DOLLY PARTON / “Please, Please, Please”
Writers: Amy Allen/Jack Antonoff/Sabrina Carpenter; Producer: Jack Antonoff; Label: Island Records
– What a delicious audio confection. Burbling, airy, twinkling and loaded with Carpenter’s signature wit. The two wafting sopranos lift this thing into a cotton-candy cloud of bliss. Sabrina keeps falling for losers and begs this one not to embarrass her like all the others. Best line: “Don’t bring me to tears, when I just did my makeup so nice.” Totally loving this.

CAYLEE HAMMACK / “How Long”
Writers: Caylee Hammack/John Osborne/Lucie Silvas; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– I have been in love with this woman’s music forever. Her phrasing on this sultry slow jam is utterly exquisite. The dreamy, soulful track is a thing to get lost in. It’s from an album called Bed of Roses that will accompany her co-written romance novel of the same title, releasing March 7.

SCOTTY McCREERY & JASON CRABB / “Red Letter Blueprint”
Writers: Brent Anderson/Derek George/Jeremy Bussey/Monty Criswell/Scotty McCreery; Producers: Nathan Thomas, Spencer Peppard; Label: Triple Tigers
– This is a CCM song on Opry member McCreery’s current album, so it makes perfect sense to add one of Christian music’s most powerful vocalists to it. To ensure that the country singer isn’t completely overwhelmed, Crabb’s volume is turned down.

CHARLES ESTEN & SARA EVANS / “In a Bar Somewhere”
Writers: Charles Esten/Jason Gantt/Neil Medley; Producer: Marshall Altman; Label: CE
– The Nashville TV star and the established country star harmonize beautifully on this barroom ballad. This guy deserves a hit, and this melodic pleasure deserves to be it.

ZACH JOHN KING / “Cold Shoulder”
Writers: Tom Whall/Zach John King/Zarni Dewet; Producer: Ryan Wilson; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– His plaintive singing is backed by simple, plucked guitar strings. As the heartbreaking regret grows, a steel sighs in the distance. Echoey and aching.

IRA DEAN & GRETCHEN WILSON / “Everything”
Writers: Dave Turnbull/Ira Dean; Producer: Noah Gordon; Label: 8 Track Entertainment
– Ira Dean wrote this love ballad for his wife Jennifer and sang it at their wedding. The sweetly sentimental ode features Gretchen Wilson on harmony vocals. You can see the joyous wedding ceremony footage in the song’s video. John Carter Cash performed the ceremony, and Jamey Johnson serenaded the couple.

AUSTIN SNELL / “Muddy Water Rockstar”
Writers: Austin Nivarel/Austin Snell/Joe Ragosta; Producers: Andrew Baylis, Austin Nivarel; Label: River House Artists/Warner Music Nashville
– He’s screaming with profanity that he can perform a hard rock track and call it country music. You can call it whatever you want, but do we have to listen to it?

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