DISClaimer Single Reviews: New Russell Dickerson Is ‘Joyously Rocking’

/by

Russell Dickerson

Back to the barrooms!

This edition of DISClaimer spotlights a number of talents who are steering this genre back to country music. You can’t go wrong with superb efforts by Vince Gill, Morgan Wallen, Carter Faith, Joe Nichols and Mae Estes.

Rollicking Russell Dickerson rides off with the Disc of the Day award.

Lex Lashaun is a new female voice on the contemporary country scene. Her debut earns her a DISCovery Award.

LUKAS NELSON, SIERRA FERRELL, TRAVELIN’ McCOURYS / “Unknown Legend”
Writer: Neil Young; Producers: Lukas Nelson, Ronnie McCoury; Label: 6 Ace Records/Sony Music Nashville
– Zesty and utterly refreshing. The fleet fingers of the McCourys scamper across the fretboards to set the brisk tempo. Lukas begins to spin the yarn of a free-spirited gal who rides the roads. Then Sierra takes over, and, as always, everything she sings is a cloak of shining gold. When everyone is picking and singing at this level, I’m in heaven.

BRANTLEY GILBERT / “Want You Back”
Writers: Brantley Gilbert/Hunter Phelps/Michael Hardy/Will Weatherly; Producers: Brantley Gilbert, Brock Berryhill, Will Weatherly; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Clever and engaging. He wishes she’d done something totally crazy instead of just breaking up. That way he knows he’d never miss her. The track rocks and Gilbert delivers just the right touch of snark.

DASHA / “Work on Me”
Writers: Amy Allen/Dasha/John Ryan; Producer: John Ryan; Label: Warner Records
– Car-repair imagery abounds in this saucy come-on. Dasha’s wit and pop smarts twinkle as brightly as ever.

MORGAN WALLEN / “20 Cigarettes”
Writers: Blake Pendergrass/Chase McGill/Chris LaCorte/Josh Miller; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud Records/ Mercury Records/Republic Records
– The lyric is loaded with visuals and Wallen delivers the goods, vocally. A night of passion in a pick-up truck that sounds youthful and utterly authentic.

MAE ESTES / “I Better Go”
Writers: Brice Long/Mae Estes/Paul Sikes; Producer: Paul Sikes; Label: Big Machine Records
– She has a lovely, pure-country delivery. The mid-tempo tune explores the war between the head and the heart as she contemplates whether to take a walk on the wild side or not. I think I could listen to this lady all day.

THOMAS RHETT & NIALL HORAN / “Old Tricks”
Writers: Andrew Haas/Ian Franzino/Jim Beavers/John Ryan/Julian Bunetta/Thomas Rhett; Producers: Dann Huff, Julian Bunetta, Scott Hendricks; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Rhett takes the global pop star out for a night in the honky tonks. Horan seems marvelously comfortable in this twangin,’ good-time, country rocker. Lotsa roadhouse fun. 

GREG BLAKE / “Nora McNally”
Writers: Milan Miller; Producer: none listed; Label: Turnberry Records
– Greg Blake continues on the 50th-anniversary tour of Special Consensus. In the meantime, he cuts solo tunes like this bluegrass ditty of an alluring lass. His mellow tone floats atop the merry instrumental work and explains his two-time anointment as the IBMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year.

JOE NICHOLS / “Goodbyes Are Hard to Listen To”
Writers: Jacob Lyda/James LeBlanc/Jen Stegall; Producer: Mickey Jack Cones; Label: Quartz Hill Records
– A terrific barroom weeper from a master of the form. Advice for the broken hearted: “You shouldn’t mix whiskey/With Haggard and Whitley.” Or Hank: He needs to padlock the jukebox because he keeps playing “Lovesick Blues” over and over. Country music with a capital “C.”

VINCE GILL / “I Gave You Everything I Had”
Writer: Vince Gill; Producer: Vince Gill; Label: MCA
– This heart-tugging ballad is the elegy of an aging troubadour looking back at a life well lived. It’s a mini-masterpiece of emotion from one of our living giants. You’ll hear nothing but cheers and amens from me about that lifetime MCA Records contract. A legendary talent for the ages.

CARTER FAITH / “Betty”
Writers: Carter Faith/Shane McAnally/Tofer Brown; Producer: Tofer Brown; Label: MCA
– “Charming” doesn’t even begin to describe this bopper. In a pert and perky vocal performance, Faith imagines her ex with a beauty who cooks. Jealous? Just a titch.

RUSSELL DICKERSON / “Worth Your Wild”
Writers: Anthony Kiedis/Bret Mazur/Casey Brown/Chad Smith/John Frusciante/Michael Balzary/Parker Welling/Russell Dickerson/Seth Binzer; Producers: Casey Brown, Josh Kerr, Russell Dickerson; Label: Triple Tigers
– Joyously rocking. This lights a fire under Friday night and points to a night of tearin’ up the roads and makin’ whoopie. Dickerson always heats up a playlist, and he’s hotter than ever here.

LEX LASHAUN / “From the Start”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: LL
– She didn’t grow up on a farm, own a truck, go hunting or live a rural life. But she loves good country music. Her throaty alto and the strummed acoustic guitar on this sweet ballad are the proof. An excellent disc debut.

MORGXN / “Evergreens”
Writers: Kyle Ryan/Morgan Karr; Producers: Kyle Ryan, MORGXN; Label: BMG
– Nashville native Morgxn (Morgan Karr) is an openly queer folk-pop artist. His debut outing since signing with BMG is a super happy love song, sung to a strummy acoustic track. This artist’s LGBTLQ+ advocacy and his alternative-radio hit “Home” have led to guesting on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Kelly Clarkson Show, as well as a slot on Lollapalooza. The video for “Evergreens” finds him riding around in the bed of a pick-up truck with an all-female band, driving past the sights of Music City.

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