DISClaimer Single Reviews: Billy Currington Wins Disc Of The Day With ‘Enchanting’ Tune

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Billy Currington

Music veterans keep pace with the youngsters today in DISClaimer.

Little Anthony, Michael Martin Murphey, Eddy Raven and Jackson Browne are all on tap, matching their still-vital voices with another generation of music makers. Of the solo tracks, Kashus Culpepper, Dylan Marlowe and Dasha are stand outs.

The Disc of the Day belongs to Billy Currington.

Brendan Walter takes home a DisCovery Award.

BRENDAN WALTER / “Back on Deseret”
Writers: Brendan Walter/Colton Venner; Producer: Grady Smith; Label: Sony
– This is a highly attractive country rocker with a nostalgic lyric recalling the street he grew up on. Walter sings with earnest charm, and the track is delightfully punchy.

HARDY / “Bottomland”
Writers: Hunter Phelps/Jessie Jo Dillon/Michael Hardy/Smith Ahnquist/Zach Abend; Producer: Zach Abend; Label: Big Loud
– The ballad is starkly produced with a cool, funeral-parlor organ and extended a cappella vocal passages. The hook about being buried in his native soil is repeated a few too many times.

DELTONA / “Heartbreak Fix”
Writers: Allison Veltz Cruz/Caleb Miller/Chris Deaton/Jason Massey/Ned Abernathy; Producer: Jason Massey; Label: Capitol/The Core Records
– This is a trio comprised of Chris Deaton, Caleb Miller and Ned Abernathy. They met at a writers’ round at The Bluebird, but don’t listen for anything acoustic on this single. The sound is pop-country, electronically processed and auto tuned within an inch of its life.

STEVE MARTIN, ALISON BROWN & JACKSON BROWNE / “Dear Time”
Writers: Steve Martin/Alison Brown; Producers: Alison Brown, Garry West; Label: Compass
– Browne sings lead with Martin and Brown’s banjos providing rippling accompaniment and elegantly tasteful solos on this gentle, folkie song of memories. The Dirt Band’s Jeff Hanna provides vocal harmonies.

DASHA / “Like It Like That”
Writers: Dasha/David Garcia/JKash/Gian Stone; Producers: avid Garcia, Gian Stone; Label: Warner
– This bops along like crazy with merry handclaps and beats dropping left and right. The sprightly tempo tune is all about s-e-x.

BILLY CURRINGTON / “One Thing I Ain’t Been”
Writers: Chase McDaniel, Johnny Clawson, Steve Moakler; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Label: MCA
– The groove is enchanting, a rolling ride on a calm sea of sound. Amid the swaying atmosphere is Currington’s softly yearning invitation to romance. Very listenable.

DYLAN MARLOWE / “Coming Home Tomorrow”
Writers: Joe Fox/Dylan Marlowe/Johnny Clawson; Producer: Joe Fox; Label: Sony
– He’s leaving the road behind to find heaven at home. The super energetic, country-rock production surrounds his delivery with fiery electric guitar work and furious drumming. Nice work.

SOUL CIRCUS COWBOYS & EDDY RAVEN / “I Got Mexico”
Writers: Frank J. Myers/Eddy Raven; Producer: Frank Myers; Label: SSC
– This is a breezy, rollicking update of the 1984 Raven hit. The veteran country star easily keeps up with the young country rockers, swapping hearty vocals and harmonies with lead singer Billy McKnight. Stay tuned with the uber cool guitar solo. Timeless. Recommended.

LITTLE ANTHONY & BROOKE MORIBER / “Hurts So Bad”
Writers: Bobby Hart/Teddy Randazzo/Bob Weinstein; Producer: Fred Mollin; Label: Reviver
– The track begins starkly with acoustic piano and Moriber’s lustrously aching soprano. The duet builds in intensity, much like the 1965 iconic pop original. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Little Anthony (Jerome Anthony Gourdine) still sounds amazing at age 85. Vocal powerhouse Brooke Moriber is a Broadway veteran (Les Miserables) who has become a country mainstay in New York City.

KASHUS CULPEPPER / “Believe”
Writers: Kashus Culpepper/Foy Vance; Producer: Brian Elmquist; Label: Big Loud
– Steeped in soul and recorded in Muscle Shoals, this is a stately anthem that reaches for faith and inspiration. Love the ghostly angelic background voices. Gripping listening.

CODY JOHNSON & MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY / “Wildfire”
Writers: Larry Cansler/Michael Martin Murphey; Producers: Trent Willmon & Ryan Murphey; Label: MMM
– What’s not to love? A brilliant, classic song. A country superstar. A match made in music marketing heaven.

AMANDA SHIRES / “Piece of Mind”
Writer: Amanda Shires; Producer: Lawrence Rothman; Label: ATO
– The multi-instrumentalist troubadour treads the line between rock and Americana in this dramatic outing. A grinding electric guitar and a deep-groove rhythm section thunder behind her light-soprano vocal.

Robert K Oermann
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