DISClaimer Single Reviews: Lee Brice Wins Disc Of The Day
Lee Brice
DISClaimer delves into a variety-pack of emotions this week.
We have humor thanks to Hannah Dasher, politics thanks to Amy Grant & Ruby Amanfu, party-happy silliness thanks to Breland, bluesy wistfulness from Thomas Rhett, retro energy from The Wagoneers, and gentle heartbreak from Ernest.
Lee Brice has the Disc of the Day with something soulful, spiritual and soaring. Hand a DISCovery Award to the new Kentucky band Sons of Habit.
HANNAH DASHER / “Waffle House”
Writers: Hannah Dasher/Mark Sanders; Producer: Hannah Dasher; Label: HD
– How timely of her. Dasher is celebrating the release of her debut cookbook, Stand By Your Pan, with a food-related new lyric. In this hardcore honky-tonker, she calls out a bozo who expects her to cook for him when he comes home drunk at 3 a.m. “Go find someone else/To make your patty melt” because “I ain’t your Waffle House.” Yee-haw.
ERNEST / “Deep Blue”
Writers: Ernest Keith Smith/Grady Block/Hank Compton/Jamie McLaughlin/Rocky Block; Producers: ERNEST, Jacob Durrett; Label: Big Loud Records
– Smooth sailing. While fiddles saw, Ernest delivers a mellow, breezy, heartache lament with a gently rolling rhythm, an ear-wormy melody and a lyric sprinkled with wit.
SONS OF HABIT / “Annabelle”
Writers: Frank Cassidy/Hagan Edge/Mitchell Douglas/Nathan Ross; Producer: Taylor Kimball; Label: Lucille/Republic Records
– Atmospheric, with plucked acoustic guitars giving way to an echoey soundscape. The super creative production frames an aching lead vocal describing an enigmatic lover. You have my attention. Please send more.
LUKE BRYAN / “Country and She Knows It”
Writers: Josh Miller/Matt Dragstrem/Parker Welling; Producers: Jeff Stevens, Jody Stevens, Matt Dragstrem; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Truck, booze, dirt road, tattoo, boots, Strait reference. Check, check and double check. The wooshing, forward-thrust tempo wraps the whole thing up in a terrifically listenable package. Radio ready.
ASHLEY COOKE / “xs”
Writers: Ashley Cooke/Ashley Gorley/Emily Weisband/Will Weatherly; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Big Loud Records
– Bruised and hurting, but with spirit unbowed. He doesn’t understand that “crossing lines makes x’s.” She mulls and muses in a slowly paced ballad of resignation and recrimination.
THOMAS RHETT / “Georgia On My Mind”
Writers: Hoagy Carmichael/Stuart Gorrell; Producer: Julian Bunetta; Label: Blue Highway Records
– More than 1,000 artists have recorded this everlasting American classic, including such indelible stylists as Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, The Righteous Brothers, Willie Nelson, Tom Jones, Michael Bolton, and James Brown. Rhett’s take on it is drawling, echoey, bluesy, and quite effective. He might not be indelible, but you have to admire his moxie.
MONTE WARDEN & THE WAGONEERS / “Doghouse Flowers”
Writers: Brandi Warden/Montgomery Warden; Producers: Brandi Warden, Mas Palermo; Label: MW
– Legendary Texas music Hall of Famers The Wagoneers return with their first new single in decades. It’s a delightful, dizzy, rockabilly rampage with edgy, stuttering energy. Leader Monte Warden is an Austin institution with evergreen audio charisma. A welcome and long overdue comeback.
RODNEY CROWELL / “Before I Hung Your Picture on the Wall”
Writer: Rodney Crowell; Producer: Tyler Bryant; Label: New West Records
– The country-rocking track churns and burns while Rodney sings of leaving his wandering ways behind in favor of True Love. Written and performed by a defining, enduring country-music master.
RITA WILSON / “Michaelangelo”
Writers: Amy Wadge/Rita Wilson; Producers: Dave Cobb, Rita Wilson; Label: Sing It Loud Records
– Wilson’s lustrous vocal pierces the airy, piano-and-choir ballad like an arrow of emotional truth. A firm, confident step into A/C music.
BRELAND / “In My Truck”
Writers: Andre R. Young/Curtis James Jackson/Daniel Breland/Jeremy “Kinetics” Dussolliet/Jim Lavigne/Michael A Elizondo/Nate Sander/Tim “One Love” Sommers; Producers: naebird, One Love, Sam Sumser, Sean Small; Label: Bad Realm/Atlantic
– Upbeat positivity infuses this invitation to party. It ain’t exactly deep, but the vibe is right. The artist hosts his fifth annual Breland & Friends benefit concert at the Ryman next Wednesday (April 8). The show supports at-risk youth through the Oasis Center.
INGRID ANDRESS / “Taillights”
Writers: Ingrid Andress/Lydia Sutherland/Paul DiGiovanni; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Label: Warner Records Nashville
– This sassy country rocker has the tale of gal who is wise to his every move. She tells him he didn’t get away with anything, because “I saw your taillights comin.’” Feisty and fresh.
LEE BRICE / “When the Kingdom Comes”
Writers: Billy Montana/Jon Stone/Lee Brice/Sara Brice; Producer: none listed; Label: Curb Records
– Torrid and heartfelt. When Brice is fired up like this, few can touch him as a communicator. At the end of the day, Love is all that matters.
AMY GRANT & RUBY AMANFU / “How Do We Get There From Here”
Writers: Amy Grant/Ruby Amanfu; Producer: Mac McAnally; Label: AG
– These women call for community, unity, compassion and collective action to heal our troubled times. Amanfu is powerful on her verses and lends soprano harmony vocals throughout Grant’s urgent plea to move forward together. The stirring duet single commemorates the three-year anniversary of Nashville’s Covenant School shooting.
