DISClaimer Single Reviews: Jordan Davis Is ‘Always Dependable’

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Jordan Davis. Photo: Patrick Tracy

There’s a fall chill in the air in sunny Tennessee, but the country stars are heating things up.

The new sounds from Joe Nichols, Kip Moore, Jesse Welles, Carter Faith, Thomas Rhett, Karley Scott Collins and Tracy Lawrence ought to warm your speakers. Ruling over ‘em all is the always dependable Jordan Davis. He takes home the Disc of the Day award.

Bella Lam stages her debut in DISClaimer this week and earns a DISCovery Award.

BELLA LAM / “Bootfirst”
Writers: Bella Lam/Jessica Cayne/Kayliann Lowe; Producer: Lowell Reynolds; Label: BL
– A deliriously joyous audio blast. She’s “jumpin’ in bootfirst” to the party. Turn her up and join the rockin’ merriment.

JORDAN DAVIS / “Steady Flame”
Writers: Jacob Davis/Jordan Davis/Josh Jenkins/Matt Jenkins; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Label: MCA
– This guy always gets to me. This time out, his naturally charismatic voice urgently asks for shelter from life’s storms. Honesty and believability in every note.

VICKIE VAUGHN / “Paducah”
Writer: John Hartford; Producer: Deanie Richardson; Label: Mountain Home Music Company
– It takes awhile before the full band kicks in. When it does, you’re in for a lively ride. The track also stirs nostalgia for John Hartford’s quirky song style. Vaughn competed for the Best New Artist prize at the bluegrass-music awards. The Della Mae bandmember won her third consecutive Bass Player of the Year IBMA trophy at the September ceremony and is gearing up for her debut solo album later this month.

MORGAN WALLEN / “The Last Thing You Need”
Writers: Blake Pendergrass/Chase McGill/John Byron/Morgan Wallen/Ryan Vojtesak; Producers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi; Label: Atlantic Records
– She’s leaving, but he tells her that he’ll always be there whenever she misses him. The vocal and the song are fine, but I could’ve done without the electronics-heavy pop production.

KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS / “When The Moon Turns Blue”
Writers: Chase McDaniel/Chris McKenna/Karley Scott Collins/Mitch Crego; Producer: Logan Wall; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Wafting and dreamy. She falls in love too easily when the atmosphere is just right. She blames it on the moon and stars as the track echoes around her.

THOMAS RHETT / “Be There In a Minute”
Writers: John Byron/Josh Kerr/Rocky Block/Thomas Rhett; Producer: Josh Kerr; Label: Blue Highway/Fifty-One Forty-Nine
– Stinging guitar lines pierce a rushing, propulsive production while Rhett’s smoothly croons an upbeat romantic lyric. Highly listenable.

CARTER FAITH / “Still the Sparrow Sings”
Writers: Carter Faith/Hillary Lindsey/Tofer Brown; Producer: Tofer Brown; Label: MCA
– An exquisite single. The CMA New Artist nominee is aching and bruised on this broken-hearted ballad. The simple acoustic-guitar production is delicately lovely, framing her soprano performance eloquently. The song is on the soundtrack of the Netflix movie Heartland, in which Faith makes her acting debut.

KIP MOORE / “Dyin’ on the Vine”
Writers: Hillary Lindsey/Kip Moore/Thomas “Tawgs” Salter; Producers: Kip Moore, Thomas “Tawgs” Salter; Label: KM
– It has a throbbing undercurrent and a rocking attitude. Moore looks at the world around him and doesn’t like what he sees in this darkly compelling performance.

BREI CARTER / “Teacup Tequila”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: BC
– Look out. She’s a wild child and doesn’t care who knows it. The twangy, stuttering production underscores her fierce, saucy, “Queen of Country Soul” attitude.

JOE NICHOLS / “Say La V”
Writers: Brett Warren/Jason Sellers/Lance Miller; Producers: Jason Sellers, Joe Nichols; Label: Brown Sellers Brown LLC/Quartz Hill Records
– Jaunty with a rollicking groove, this cheeky, cleverly written kiss-off tune has a built-in good-time vibe. Naturally, Nichols delivers like a total country pro.

TRACY LAWRENCE / “(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance”
Writers: Burt Bacharach/Hal Davis; Producers: Biff Watson, Ed Seay, Joe Chemay; Label: StarVista
– I’ve always thought that Gene Pitney was a country singer. His 1962 cowboy classic gets an effective revival here. Lawrence is no Pitney, but he makes this work by lowering the key and gliding over the complex Bacharach musical modulations. Recommended.

DUSTIN LYNCH / “Clean Slate”
Writers: Jackson Foote/James Abrahart/Jeremy Dussolliet/Johnny Simpson/Tim Sommers; Producers: Johnny “J5” Simpson, Ross Copperman, Tim “One Love” Sommers; Label: Broken Bow Records
– He’s been living wrong, but yearns to start over with her help.

JESSE WELLES / “Whirlwind”
Writer: Jesse Welles; Producer: Mike Elizondo; Label: JW
– Jesse’s hoarse, urgent delivery is compelling enough. Then there’s the outspoken, political lyric, spewed out like a hillbilly Bob Dylan. “No one said life was fair, but does it have to be this evil?” he says. Loved it.

Robert K Oermann
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