DISClaimer Single Reviews: The War And Treaty Nab Disc Of The Day

/by

The War And Treaty. Photo: Luke Rogers

A lot of the sounds in today’s DISClaimer are colored azure.

There’s a blue tint to the new releases by Jordan Davis, Kashus Culpepper, ERNEST, The War And Treaty and the Little Big Town collab with Kelsea Ballerini. It will come as no surprise that the blues-iest of these tunes belongs to The War And Treaty and is thus the Disc of the Day.

Levi Foster earns a DISCovery Award for introducing country’s first anti-AI single.

LUKE BRYAN / “Signs”
Writers: Jason Duke/Jody Stevens/Jon Mills/Patrick Murphy/Tommy Cecil; Producers: Jeff Stevens, Jody Stevens; Label: MCA
– The title tune of Byran’s new album is a sprightly bopper about life after breakup. A jaunty toe tapper that’s just perfect for a sunny day.

KASHUS CULPEPPER / “These Arms of Mine”
Writer: Otis Redding; Producers: none listed; Label: Big Loud Records
– I am such a huge fan of this singer-songwriter. It turns out that he is just as cool when he’s covering an oldie like this 1963 Otis Redding classic. Culpepper is nominated as Emerging Artist of the Year at the upcoming Americana awards.

JORDAN DAVIS / “Mess”
Writers: Jacob Davis/Jordan Davis/Paul DiGiovanni/Travis Wood; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Label: MCA
– The relationship is an emotional mess, but he jumps back into it anyhow. The power ballad is built on a blues foundation. This guy always delivers the goods.

VINCENT MASON / “What You Want”
Writers: Jack Rauton/Vincent Mason; Producers: Brett Truitt, Jake Gear, Vincent Mason; Label: Lost Highway/Music Soup/Interscope Records
– Acoustic guitar strums and brushed drums frame this lovelorn lament. As always, his youthful tenor singing is charming. Simplicity rules on this gentle track.

MARK WILLS & JAMEY JOHNSON / “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor”
Writers: Dallas Frazier/Sanger D. Shafer; Producer: Ben Isaacs; Label: Gaither Music Group
– The new Mark Wills album, Grand Ole Revival, is a collection of country gospel favorites recorded on stage at the Opry. On its debut single, he swaps lead vocals with Jamey Johnson with Charlie McCoy’s harmonica and The Gaither Vocal Band providing backup. The rest of the album features such stellar collaborators as Ricky Skaggs, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent, Travis Tritt, the Oaks and Cody Johnson, among others.

THE WAR AND TREATY / “It’ll Hurt Me More Than It’ll Hurt You”
Writers: Jonathan Singleton/Michael Trotter Jr./Tanya Trotter; Producer: Jonathan Singleton; Label: Atlantic Outpost
– Righteous blues shouted heavenward by this dynamic duo. Heartbreak and the death of a romance have never sounded more downright inspirational.

LITTLE BIG TOWN & KELSEA BALLERINI / “Closing Time”
Writers: Alysa Vanderheym/Hillary Lindsey/Jessie Jo Dillon/Karen Fairchild/Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Gena Johnson, Karen Fairchild; Label: MCA
– This is a groove-soaked, bluesy, sexy come-on. The bar might have called “Last Call,” but how about “your-place-or-mine” to keep the party going?

STEVE EARLE & LOS LOBOS / “Volver a Celaya”
Writer: Steve Earle; Producers: none listed; Label: New West Records
– Written from the point of view of a Mexican laborer, this lilting ditty sways with Latin rhythm and glows with shared humanity. The B-side of the single is the previously reviewed (and excellent) “City of Immigrants.”

SHERYL CROW & JESSE WELLES / “Freedom Bus”
Writers: Jeff Trott/Sheryl Crow; Producers: Jeff Trott, Sheryl Crow; Label: Old Green Barn Productions
– In this stately hippie ballad, Crow and Welles urge tolerance, respect, and communication in order for us to reach beyond the things that divide us.

ERNEST / “Lucky”
Writers: Cody Lohden/Ernest Keith Smith; Producers: ERNEST, Jacob Durrett; Label: Big Loud Records
– Beautifully languid. The dreamy ballad swoons with sultry romance. Everything this man does is essential listening, but most especially fall in love with his Deep Blue collection right now.

DYLAN SCOTT / “Girl From Louisiana”
Writers: Dallas Wilson/Dennis Linde/Graham Barham/Logan Turner; Producer: Will Weatherly; Label: Curb Records
– This quotes substantially from “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” but stands on its own with mid-tempo Cajun smiles. The layered production is awesome.

ZACH JOHN KING & BROOKS & DUNN / “Way to Go”
Writers: Jimmy Robbins/Rodney Clawson/Sasha Alex Sloan/Zach John King; Producers: Ryan Wilson, Zach John King; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– He’s dizzy in love in this bouncy tempo tune. She’s gonna get the best of him, but what a way to go. The duo adds vocal coloring, but King’s performance carries the day.

LEVI FOSTER / “End of Man”
Writers: Alex Dooley/Joseph Patterson Hagan/Levi Foster; Producer: Shooter Jennings; Label: Banner Music Records
– It’s a protest song against AI. It also rocks smartly.

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