DISClaimer Single Reviews: Brandy Clark Is ‘A Song Goddess’

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Brandy Clark. Photo: Pamela Springsteen

Country music sings us into autumn today in DISClaimer.

Duking it out for the Disc of the Day award are stars Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert & Ella Langley, and Brandy Clark. I’m going with the underdog, my longtime love, Clark.

In a similarly tight contest, the DISCovery Award is a choice between Max Alan, Ty Myers, and our winner, Wyatt McCubbin. By the way, he and Clark are both performing in Nashville this week.

TY MYERS & WILLIE NELSON / “Write Your Own Songs”
Writer: Willie Nelson; Producers: Brandon Hood, Mickey Raphael; Label: RECORDS Nashville/Columbia/Outlier Recordings
– The Myers album is titled Two Braids and the Truth: My Tribute to Willie, which includes his versions of Nelson’s hits. The man, himself, joins in on this delightful duet. Its a pointed jab at the suits who run the music industry, and it’s as true today as it was during the Red Headed Stranger’s heyday.

BRANDY CLARK / “American Roots”
Writers: Brandy Clark/Griff Clawson/Michael Pollack; Producer: Shooter Jennings; Label: Reprise
– Utterly enchanting. Clark unspools a meditation on legacy and heritage while a lively acoustic band trips merrily along. Soft, heavenly vocal harmonies embellish a hearty performance. A song goddess at work. If you can get in the door, Brandy Clark is booked for 3rd & Lindsley on Sunday (Oct. 18). She’ll be celebrating the release this week of her new album, The Bird.

LAINEY WILSON / “Kinda Love It”
Writers: John Mayer/Jon Decious/Kid Harpoon/Lainey Wilson; Producer: Kid Harpoon; Label: Broken Bow Records
– Wilson rocks out on this lickety split celebration of falling for a charming bad boy. Breezy, sunny, and insanely catchy. Ya gotta love it.

STEVE MARTIN & ALISON BROWN / “Old Town Road”
Writers: Atticus Matthew Ross/Kiowa Roukema/Montero Lamar Hill/Trent Reznor; Producers: Alison Brown, Garry West; Label: Compass Records
– This is a total hoot. The rippling banjos of Brown and Martin lead a stellar band (Stuart Duncan, Ronnie McCoury, Garry West). Martin sings, but the song’s main lead vocalists are Dan Tyminski and Del McCoury, who ham it up delightfully. Goofy new lyrics also enliven this bluegrass reworking of the 2019 mega hit.

PYNK BEARD / “Ice on the Road”
Writers: Coleridge Tillman/Jayme Silverstein/Warren Okay Felder; Producers: Jayme Silverstein, Oak for The Orphanage; Label: Anzie Blue Records
– Pynk Beard’s comment on the ICE raids targeting minorities urges compassion, empathy, community-building, and understanding in the face of violence and unrest. The stirring anthem’s music video contains harrowing footage of masked agents beating and killing our neighbors. The song has become a social-media phenomenon since its release.

DAVID ALLAN COE / “You Never Even Called Me By My Name”
Writer: Steve Goodman; Producer: Ron Bledsoe; Label: Columbia Nashville
– The final studio album by the late David Allan Coe is titled A Million Reasons. It drops tomorrow (Oct. 16). Among its highlights is this fine reworking of the artist’s wry, witty 1975 hit. The country-spoof lyrics were co-written by an uncredited John Prine. This late Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member is celebrated in a superb new movie titled You Got Gold, which documents the all-star Ryman concerts that saluted John Prine following his passing in 2020.

STEPHEN WILSON JR. / “Yellow Brick Home”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: Big Loud Records
– Wilson is capping a breakthrough year with four CMA nominations. In addition to Best New Artist, he earned nods for Male Vocalist plus Song and Video (for “Gary”). His new single describes a tornado while singing beneath loud, crashing electric guitars. Gripping and dramatic, if a little hard to decipher.

MIRANDA LAMBERT & ELLA LANGLEY / “Snakeskin Boots”
Writers: Brendan McLoughlin/Jesse Frasure/Miranda Lambert/Natalie Hemby; Producer: Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert; Label: MCA
– This has a cool, retro, neo-western vibe. The ladies are singing about a female outlaw, and an airy twang abounds. Highly recommended.

WYATT McCUBBIN / “I Love You”
Writers: Marty Stuart/Wyatt McCubbin; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: Lucille Records
– McClubbin is booked to play the Exit/In tonight (Oct. 15). Expect the chiming, melodic, echoey twang of this rhythmic, darkly romantic single and more. The newcomer co-wrote it with Country Music Hall of Fame member Marty Stuart, and it is a swirl of audio pleasure that keeps on captivating through an extended instrumental fade. The ethereal female harmony vocalist is McCubbin’s wife, Holly, and she is found through his 650 album, which drops tomorrow (Oct. 16).

CHRIS JANSON & DAVID LEE MURPHY / “Fun”
Writers: Chris Janson/David Lee Murphy/Jesse Murphy/Michael Wayne Wilkes/Mitchell Oglesby; Producer: Michael Wayne Wilkes; Label: Harpeth 60 Records/Warner Records Nashville
– A rollicking country rocker with a bop that don’t stop.

EXILE / “Habanero”
Writers: Clay Mills/Liz Hengber/Sonny LeMaire; Producers: JP Pennington, Sonny LeMaire; Label: StarVista
– Meixcali rhythm accents underlie this playful, melodic romance that lasts though the years. I’ve always loved these guys.

MAX ALAN / “Hundred Thousand Sunsets”
Writers: Delaney Ramsdell/Max Alan Zimmerman; Producers: Brian Stanley, Ryan LeVine; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Tender, wistful, sweet, sad, and gently lovely, this traces a lifelong love that endures into old age and death. The simple, fiddle-guitar production aches beautifully.

Robert K Oermann
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