DISClaimer Single Reviews: Warren Zeiders’ New Track Burns With ‘Romantic Intensity’

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Warren Zeiders. Photo: Austin Screws

Country music is easing us into spring this week.

Riding warm winds are Tucker Wetmore, Devon Gilfillian, Carter Faith, Kameron Marlowe and Kip Moore.

The grooviest Daylight Savings Time sounds belong to our Disc of the Day winner, Warren Zeiders and the marvelously creative effort by DISCovery Award winner Leah Blevins.

Happy listening.

KIP MOORE / “Levee”
Writers: none listed; Producer: Andrew DeRoberts, Kip Moore; Label: KM
– Swampy, steaming, and rocking, with shades of Creedence and a lot of menacing attitude. Love the ad-libbed yelps.

BOB MINNER, TIM McGRAW & LORI McKENNA / “Kentucky Bluebird”
Writers: Don Cook/Wally Wilson; Producer: Bob Minner; Label: Billy Blue Records
– Pining for a long-distance lover, accompanied by gently plucked mandolin, dobro, and guitar, as well as a softly sighing fiddle. Acoustic nirvana.

LEAH BLEVINS / “All Dressed Up”
Writers: Dan Auerbach/Daniel Tashian/Leah Blevins; Producer: Dan Auerbach; Label: Easy Eye Sound
– Her mountain soprano is wedded to an echoey, dramatic track in this stately ballad of unrequited love. Innovative and ethereal, it’s a sound that will haunt you. It is also the title tune of an ear-opening, singer-songwriter album that’s due on March 20

WARREN ZEIDERS / “Born to Be Yours”
Writers: Ali Tamposi/Blake Pendergrass/Griff Clawson/Jake Hindlin/Warren Zeiders; Producer: Ross Copperman; Label: Warner Records
– A rumbling, rhythmic, stirring track lifts a song of eternal devotion heavenward. Zeiders’ vocal is loaded with dynamics, from hushed whisper to soaring celebration. The whole thing seems infused with burning romantic intensity. I’m in.

LILY MEOLA & WILLIE NELSON / “Tumbleweeds and Chewing Gum”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: LM
– Hawaii native Meola floats over a spare, loping, “prairie” sounding track while Nelson adds his own special sauce with a mid-song verse. Dreamy atmosphere rules here. Meola showcases her upcoming album at Skinny Dennis on Sunday (March 8) at 7 p.m. The event also celebrates the one-year anniversary of the East Nashville nightspot.

RODNEY CROWELL & EMMYLOU HARRIS / “Go Light a Candle”
Writers: Rodney Crowell/Sam Baker; Producers: Dan Knobler, Rodney Crowell; Label: New West Records
– With a tender touch, Crowell offers a song of hope and resilience in the face of political oppression. He and Harris assure us that things will get better, and Lera Lynn adds soft harmony support. It sounds like a kitchen-table conversation with old and trusted friends.

TREY PENDLEY / “Like a River”
Writers: Ben Chapman/Meg McRee/Trey Pendley; Producers: Jacob Bryant, John Davidson; Label: Leo33
– Heart warming. He relaxes into the love ballad with an easy-going drawl. The nicely arranged track gives the tune its meaty sonic core. Gently persuasive.

TUCKER WETMORE / “Sunburn”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: MCA/Back Blocks Music
– A breezy beach romance with a lilting, bobbing, bubbling vibe. Wetmore continues to impress.

ANGEL WHITE / “LONESTAR GIRL”
Writers: Angel White/Jeffrey East; Producers: Angel White, Joseph Holguin; Label: American Dogwood/EMPIRE
– Authentic Texas cowboy White goes in an urban, blues-rock direction on this strutting stomper. It’s the theme song of a new Wrangler ad campaign that features him dancing while sporting the company’s western shirts.

KAMERON MARLOWE / “No Need for Leavin’”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: Sony
– Steeped in a neo-soul groove, Marlowe gets into a wailing bluesy, plea that urges her to stay. Some deep-indigo guitar licks and a searing organ underscore his supremely confident vocal performance. Extremely well done.

TYLER BRADEN / “Dry County”
Writers: Allison Veltz Cruz/Lalo Guzman/Laura Veltz/Tyler Braden; Producers: Lalo Guzman, Sam Martinez; Label: Warner Records Nashville
– Dobro and steel notes ache along with his heartbreak vocal delivery in this mid-tempo, lonesome outing. There’s something intimate and hearty about his voice that is quite appealing.

CARTER FAITH / “If I Had Never Lost My Mind”
Writers: Carter Faith/Jen Stegall/Jordan Lehning/Lauren Hungate/Tofer Brown; Producer: Tofer Brown; Label: MCA
– Her plaintive delivery has hooky vocal breaks as well as volume oomph. The power ballad has cool, thumpy, backbeat percussion and soaring strings. The lyric laments the fact that she drove him away because she is deranged and crazed. This song’s parent album, Cherry Valley, is one of country music’s finest debut collections. Catch Carter Faith at the Exit/In on Saturday (March 14) and Sunday (March 15). 

DEVON GILFILLIAN / “Hold On (Hourglass)”
Writers: Dana Mary Williams/Devon Gilfillian/Paul Duncan/Ran Jackson; Producers: Devon Gilfillian, Jonathan Smalt, Ran Jackson; Label: Fantasy
– Gilfillian is the finest R&B talent in Nashville today. He previews his third album with this twang-embellished, urgent, country-soul rocker that rumbles along righteously while he wails in heartache.

Robert K Oermann
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