DISClaimer Single Reviews: Charles Kelley & Maren Morris Team For Disc Of The Day

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Charles Kelley & Maren Morris

Any playlist smorgasbord that includes such diverse talents as Megan Moroney, The Grascals and Jim Lauderdale is fine with me.

All of them are on board the DISClaimer train this week, as are such worthy folks as Ashland Craft, Chris Janson, Ingrid Andress and Zach John King.

My Disc of the Day is the Charles Kelley/Maren Morris duet. The DISCovery Award goes to Bradley Gaskin.

INGRID ANDRESS / “Now I Know”
Writers: Derrick Southerland/Ingrid Andress/Sam Ellis; Producers: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis; Label: Warner Records Nashville
– Wistful romantic aftermath, finding strength through the tears. The production has a glistening pop sheen. Her singing is, as usual, flawless.

CHRIS JANSON / “Easy to Love, Harder to Hold”
Writers: Chris Janson/Kelly Roland/Pat Bunch; Producer: Chris Janson, Michael Wayne Wilkes; Label: Harpeth 60 Records/Warner Records Nashville
– Janson sketches a portrait of a free-spirited woman while guitars churn and the rhythm section kicks up dust. Highly engaging.

ZACH JOHN KING / “Get to Drinkin’”
Writers: Kyle Fishman/Kyle Sturrock/Rhett Akins/Thomas Archer/Zach John King; Producer: Ryan Wilson, Zach John King; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– “The whiskey whispers that your heart’s still mine.” He’s fine after the breakup, until he drinks. Then all the feelings come rushing back. The jittery rhythm and his plaintive delivery both work splendidly here.

MEGAN MORONEY / “Cloud 9”
Writers: Ernest Keith Smith/Jessie Jo Dillon/Luke Laird/Megan Moroney; Producer: Kristian Bush; Label: Columbia Nashville/Columbia Records
– Can we just crown her World’s Most Adorable Human right now? The title tune of Moroney’s forthcoming album is a lilting, lovely watercolor of romantic bliss. Her voice has that magically relatable quality that is impossible to resist.

DALTON DAVIS / “Redneck and You Know It”
Writers: Brad Tursi/Dalton Davis/Ross Ellis; Producer: David Mescon; Label: Republic Records
– Points for rhyming “blue collar,” “holler,” “dollar” and “swaller.”

JIM LAUDERDALE / “Everybody’s Got a Problem”
Writers: Jim Lauderdale; Producer: Jim Lauderdale; Label: Sky Crunch Records
– Lauderdale is gearing up to release his 38th (!) album with this classic-country barroom lament. Honky-tonk piano, piercing steel, deep-twang guitar and the vocalist’s bent-note drawl take ya to Hillbilly Heaven. On March 2, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee begins a residency at the groovy East Nashville venue Skinny Dennis. Be there.

RISSI PALMER / “Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missing Tonight)”
Writers: Lola Jean Dillon; Producer: Dan Nobler; Label: RP
– Palmer dropped a new EP titled Perspectives last weekend and did a media blitz on WSM’s “Coffee Country and Cody,” the Grand Ole Opry and her “Color Me Country” Apple radio show to promote it. The set includes her sweet cover of this 1976 Loretta Lynn chart topper.

CHARLES KELLEY & MAREN MORRIS / “Can’t Be Alone Tonight”
Writers: Charles Kelley/Jon Green/Sam Ellis; Producer: Sam Ellis; Label: Southern Accent Entertainment
– The track’s groove has a sexy, R&B feel, and both vocalists are giving it their sensuous best. Swoon worthy.

OWEN RIEGLING / “Born Again”
Writers: Jesse Slack/Owen Riegling; Producer: Oscar Charles; Label: Universal Music Canada
– He’s an award winning Canadian country star who has been knocking on Music City’s door for several months now. This sparely produced ode to marital love showcases his earnest vocal delivery. I dig the open-air quality of the harmonica-embellished track

THE GRASCALS / “Bend In the River”
Writers: Billy Droze/Michael Wright; Producer: Ben Isaacs, The Grascals; Label: Billy Blue Records
– On the surface, this banjo-driven tune seems like a happy bluegrass ditty. But in the lyric, the lovers break each others’ hearts and murder ensues. Vocal and instrumental grooves abound.

BRADLEY GASKIN / “Bout Damn Did”
Writers: Landon Parker/Lee Starr/Ryan Rossebo; Producer: Robert Keith Stegall; Label: 30a Life Records
– Gaskin has a hearty, potent singing voice, and he puts it to good use on this well-written catalog of regrets. This is strong stuff all the way around, from production to lyric to performance. Listen and believe.

ASHLAND CRAFT & CHASE RICE / “Momma Don’t Pray Like She Used To”
Writers: Ashland Craft/Corey Elizabeth Grogan/Jess Grommet/Willie Morrison; Producers: Ashland Craft, Jess Grommet, Lee Starr; Label: Leo33
– I love her voice. He keeps pace by offering his own verse and harmonies. It seems that Mom used to pray because she was worried about her kids, but nowadays they’ve settled down, and she prays in thanks. Very nice work by everyone.

GRAHAM BARHAM / “Country Music”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– I don’t know what this mess is, but it is most certainly not “Country Music.”

Robert K Oermann
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