DISClaimer Single Reviews: Kelsea Ballerini Lets Go Of Emotional Baggage

/by

Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Nyk Allen, Courtesy of Black River Entertainment

As the spring season warms up, country artists are upping the tempo.

Offering excellent upbeat efforts this week are Josh Ross, Jake Worthington & Marty Stuart, Colbie Caillat & Russell Dickerson, HuneyFire and our Disc of the Day awardee, Kelsea Ballerini.

The DISCovery Award du jour is Christian Hayes.

CHRISTIAN HAYES / “Through It All”
Writers: Christian Hayes/Jonah Kagen; Producer: Jonah Kagen; Label: Capitol Records
– Strikingly different and way cool. There’s an ear-catching twang-jangle guitar clanging beneath his folkie tenor vocal. The ballad is embellished by falsetto yodel leaps on the choruses as he struggles to find equilibrium following a failed relationship.

COLBIE CAILLAT & RUSSELL DICKERSON / “If You Love Me Let Me Go”
Writers: Colbie Caillat/Jamie Scott/John Ryan/Julian Bunetta; Producers: Eric Arjes, Jimmy Robbins; Label: Blue Jean Baby Records
– Deliciously melodic. They twin-harmonize splendidly, the percussion track thumps softly, guitars twinkle in the mix and the production is flawless. I am in love with this sound. Play it again.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER / “Bitter Ender”
Writer: Mary Chapin Carpenter; Producer: Josh Kaufman; Label: Lambent Light Records
– Acoustic strumming, harmonica and spare percussion set the mood for her smoky alto delivery. The compelling lyric describes a hopeful heart that always seems to end affairs on an angry, rueful note. Marvelously listenable, the track is an advance of Personal History, her 17th album, due next month.

KELSEA BALLERINI / “Baggage”
Writers: Alysa Vanderheym/Hillary Lindsey/Jessie Jo Dillon/Karen Fairchild/Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Alysa Vanderheym, Kelsea Ballerini; Label: Black River Entertainment
– She’s feeling frisky and free, because she’s letting go of her emotional baggage. The country-rock track features a gal-pal sing-along finale, rapid guitar strums, bouncing rhythm and a searing electric guitar break. Sing and dance along.

DYLAN MARLOWE & CONNOR SMITH / “Country In the Clouds”
Writers: Brent Anderson/David Medlin/Dylan Marlowe/Jameson Rodgers/Zach Abend; Producers: Joe Fox, Zach Abend; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Breezy brushed rhythms and sparkling steel, banjo and guitar licks underscore a lyric that imagines a blissful Heaven that is full of all things country.

JAKE WORTHINGTON & MARTY STUART / “I’m the One”
Writers: Jake Worthington/Jenna LaMaster/Marty Stuart; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records
– Marty’s twangin’ electric guitar sets the pace. Worthington’s Possum-and-Lefty influenced vocal bends notes every whichaway on this rompin’ rockbilly raveup. A complete blast from the first note to the cold close. A mini-masterpiece.

HUNEYFIRE / “Gonna Live (How I Wanna Live)”
Writers: Caitlin Evanson/Cheaza Figueroa/Denny Mishler/Michael Vittima; Producer: Cheaza Figueroa; Label: Double Decades Entertainment
– The mother-daughter duo returns with a rocker that sports a lively Bo Diddley beat, handclaps, stinging electric guitar and a furiously sawing fiddle. The have-fun lyric is perfect for summertime.

LOCASH / “Wrong Hearts”
Writers: Chris Lucas/Josh Thompson/Matt Dragstrem/Preston Brust; Producer: Jacob Rice; Label: Galaxy Label Group
– He thanks all his bad decisions because they led him to her. Sung with heart and country confidence.

WILLIE NELSON / “What Kind of Love”
Writers: Rodney Crowell/Roy Orbison/Will Jennings; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Label: Legacy Recordings
– Willie turned 92 years old this week and celebrated by releasing his latest album, Oh What a Beautiful World. The gorgeous title tune is out as a single. The collection kicks off with this stately, echoey track anchored by the superstar’s emotive reading of its meditation-on-devotion lyric. The entire collection consists of Rodney Crowell songs, which is truly a match made in heaven. I am definitely going to buy this record.

MOE BANDY / “You Don’t Have Very Far To Go”
Writers: Merle Haggard/Red Simpson; Producer: Jimmy Capps; Label: StarVista
– I think of this song as a country classic, so I was shocked to find that it has never been a hit single. Haggard co-wrote and sang the original version in 1964. It has since been covered by a country who’s-who, including Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely, Roy Clark, Rosanne Cash, Lucinda Williams, Johnny Paycheck, Suzy Bogguss and The Grascals. Bandy’s rendition is rather thinly produced. It’s drawn from his Songs I Missed album, which drops tomorrow (May 2).

JOSH ROSS / “Hate How You Look”
Writers: Chris McKenna/Christian Yancey/Jessica Farren/Nicholas Sainato; Producer: Matt Geroux; Label: Core Entertainment
– Ross is the current Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Entertainer of the Year and the winner of the CMA’s Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award. His latest is a marvelously well written toe tapper. It’s not just how good she looks in that red dress—he also hates how she looks “movin’ on” with somebody new. The superbly produced track soars right along with his powerful delivery. It made me feel like soaring, too.

CHRIS JANSON / “Me & A Beer”
Writers: Andy Sheridan/Ashley Gorley/Chris Janson/Taylor Phillips; Producers: Andy Sheridan, Chris Janson; Label: Harpeth 60 Records/Warner Music Nashville
– He can’t do much hard work, pick up girls, go hunting or relax unless he has a beer in his hand. If you say so…..

COFFEY ANDERSON / “Happy and You Know It Drink a Beer”
Writers: Carlo Colasacco/James Slater/Kate Sykes/Styles Haury; Producer: Carlo Colasacco; Label: Lakeside Entertainment
– This repetitive folk ditty has a history as a children’s tune as well as a drinking song. Granger Smith previously brought it to country music as the latter (2020’s ”Country and Ya Know It”). It’s not a particularly challenging vocal piece. Anderson is appropriately jaunty and simple.

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