You take a week off, and you return to an “in” box crammed with tunes.

These 10 are just a fraction of the backed-up and piled-up releases waiting to be auditioned. As you might expect, there are both studs and duds.

Heading the “studs” column is Kip Moore. He has the Disc of the Day. But he’s not without plenty of competition, namely from Blake Shelton, Jon Pardi, Vince Gill and, especially, Tenille Townes.

The DisCovery Award this week goes to Kendell Marvel. He might look like a veteran to you, but to me he sounds shiny and new.

JON PARDI/Tequila Little Time
Writers: Jon Pardi/Rhett Akins/Luke Laird; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Jon Pardi, Bart Butler & Ryan Gore; Capitol Nashville
—I like the mariachi coloring—horns, squeezebox, rhythm—as well as the overall romantic beach vibe. Charming and hit bound.

 

TENILLE TOWNES/Jersey on the Wall
Writer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Jay Joyce; Columbia Nashville
—I’m completely on board with this singer-songwriter. “Somebody’s Daughter,” “White Horse” and “I Kept the Roses” were just the beginning. This track’s scintillating tempo underlies an extraordinary lyric about a boy who died too young and a heartbroken girl who asks, “Why?” Tenille Townes is the future. Get on board now.

 

VINCE GILL/Forever Changed
Writer: Vince Gill; Publisher: none listed; Producer: none listed; MCA Nashville
—Powerful and poignant. It’s a ballad about the scars that are permanent in the wake of child sexual abuse. His trembling, emotional delivery will shake you to your core. This is one more reason why the man is one of the all-time country-music greats.

 

TEMECULA ROAD/Never Knew I Needed You
Writers: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Producer: none listed; Buena Vista
—Quite polished and professional. Perhaps a little on the slick side, but these kids can really sing, and the tune is catchy. Promising. Next time, inject a bit more warmth and grit, please.

 

KIP MOORE/She’s Mine
Writers: Kip Moore/Dan Couch/Scott Stepakoff; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Kip Moore; MCA Nashville
—The edgy energy grabs you from the opening notes. When he swings into the chorus, it’s katy-bar-the-door. By the time he got to the finale, I was on my feet with my fist in the air. A superb blue-collar rocker with just the right touch of angst and questing.

 

CANAAN SMITH/Beer Drinkin’ Weather
Writers: Canaan Smith/Brian Kelley/Tyler Hubbard/Corey Crowder; Publisher: none listed; Producers: Canaan Smith, Brian Kelley & Tyler Hubbard; Round Here
—I’m certainly glad that he’s staging a comeback. I just wish it was with a stronger song than this routine boozer.

 

BLAKE SHELTON & TRACE ADKINS/Hell Right
Writers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Warner Music Nashville
The ”Hillbilly Bone” team reunites for an attitude stomper about raising a ruckus the right way. Don’t look for meaning or melody—it’s the macho vibe that counts here.

 

KENDELL MARVEL/Hard Time With the Truth
Writers: Kendell Marvel/Dan Auerbach/John Anderson; Publisher: none listed; Producers: Dan Auerbach & Dave Ferguson; Easy Eye Sound
—Very cool. Marvel has an admirable track record as a songwriter for others. This slab of “outlaw” country proves he has the vocal chops for stardom, himself. He has a baritone for the ages.

 

MAREN MORRIS/The Bones
Writers: Maren Morris/Jimmy Robbins/Laura Veltz; Publishers: International Dog/Downtown DMP/Jimmy Robbins/Round Hill/Extraordinary Alien/Oh Denise/Warner-Tamerlane/Big Music Machine; BMI/ASCAP; Greg Kurstin; Columbia Nashville
—Attractive pop music.

 

RILEY GREEN/I Wish Grandpas Never Died
Writers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Producer: none listed; BMLG
—He sings wonderfully. The track is tasty. The lyric is dreadful: Even for a country music song, this is outstandingly emotionally manipulative.

 

We have kids, veterans and everyone in between on today’s DISClaimer playlist.

The juveniles are Mason Ramsey and Gabby Barrett. The vets are Tanya Tucker, Billy Currington and the Randy Rogers Band.

In the catbird seat as the easy DISCovery Award winners are The Highwomen. I don’t know whether this is a one-off collaboration or something more permanent, but whatever it is, I’m in.

Two Big Loud artists go head to head for the Disc of the Day prize, Morgan Wallen and Hardy. But in another blow for country female empowerment, both are bested by Hailey Whitters.

BILLY CURRINGTON/Details
Writers: Mark Trussell/Nicolle Galyon/Stephen Lee Olsen; Producer: Mark Trussell; Publishers: WB/Future Heartbeat/Mark Trussell/Warner-Tamerlane/A Boy Named Ford/Slo Circus/Roc Nation/Songs of Rhythm House Red, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury Nashville
– Pleasant and craftily worded, but in one ear and out the other.

MORGAN WALLEN/Chasin’ You
Writers: Morgan Wallen/Craig Wiseman/Jamie Moore; Producer: Joey Moi; Publishers: none listed; Big Loud
– The “Whiskey Glasses” man confirms his stardom with this softly aching performance of a love memory that continues to haunt him. This guy is way cool.

HAILEY WHITTERS/The Days
Writers: Hailey Whitters/Hillary Lindsey/Ben West; Producer: Jake Gear; Publisher: Carnival Music; HW
– The slappin’ beats and echoey audio atmosphere are superb, and the song craftsmanship is even more so. “Instead of counting up the days/I just wanna make them count.” Amen, sister. This brilliant artist/writer is being criminally overlooked by the mainstream country industry. Can I get another amen?

BILLY RAY CYRUS & JOHNNY MCGUIRE/Chevys and Fords
Writers: Johnny McGuire/Jordan Walker/Rodney Clawson/Ben Hayslip; Producer: Mickey Jack Cones; Publishers: none listed; BBR
– Formerly of the duo Walker McGuire, Johnny has a terrific country-rock voice with an ear-catching “edge.” The blue-collar lyric is a dandy. And it sure doesn’t hurt his cause that he’s collaborating with America’s No. 1 artist.

HARDY/Rednecker
Writers: Andy Albert/Jordan Schmidt/Michael Wilson Hardy; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Kobalt/Downtown/Warner Chappell, no performance rights listed; Big Loud
– Pretty dang funny. This pushes every bro-country trope over the edge of parody and into the realm of delightful wackiness. Also: The first country song with the masterpiece lyric, “I piss where I want.”

TANYA TUCKER/Hard Luck
Writers: none listed; Producers: Brandi Carlile/Shooter Jennings; Publishers: none listed; Fantasy
– As spicy and saucy as tabasco, this takes a page or two from her bad-girl-image book. The track rumbles along like chugging steam engine and The Texas Tornado turns in a personality-packed vocal performance. Love this. Love her.

MASON RAMSEY/Twang
Writers: Brian Kelley/Jordan Schmidt/Hunter Phelps/Ernest K. Smith; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Big Loud/Atlantic
– From Walmart to the “Old Town Road,” this 12-year-old is on his way to …. someplace.

THE HIGHWOMEN/Redesigning Women
Writers: none listed; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publisher: none listed; Elektra/Low Country Sound
– There’s strength in numbers. Just ask Natalie Hemby, Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile, collectively recording under this billing. Their fun-loving, girl-power tune has a video featuring everyone from Wynonna to Tanya Tucker. The more the merrier. Proved it again with Dolly at the Newport Folk Festival last Saturday.

RANDY ROGERS BAND/I’ll Never Get Over You
Writers: none listed; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publishers: noen listed; Thirty Tigers
– A Texas two-stepper with a decided bounce in the beat. As always, tuneful and accomplished, but I’d shop around for a stronger song.

GABBY BARRETT/I Hope
Writers: none listed; Producer: Ross Copperman; Publishers: none listed; Warner Music
– She’s a teenager, but sounds strikingly mature as a vocalist on this torrid, vengeful tale. Next time, try producing this former American Idol competitor with a lot less pop gloss and echoey audio compression.

We are long past due for a survey of current Americana recordings.

To my ears’ delight, there is no shortage of new talent on the Americana scene. Newcomers in this listening session included Emily Scott Robinson, Casey Lambert, Tim Gartland, Lucy Isabel and our superbly innovative DisCovery Award winners, Davina & The Vagabonds.

Give a Disc of the Day honor to that enduring Nashville treasure Rodney Crowell.

TIM GARTLAND/Satisfied
Writer: Tim Gartland; Producer: Kevin McKendree; Publisher: none listed; Taste Good (track)
– This slow, sleepy-eyed blues track serves as the title tune of this Nashville singer-songwriter’s current CD. He is a warm baritone vocalist who also shines brightly as a harmonica master on album tunes such as the jazzbo “Walk On” and the rapidly rumbling honky tonker “Drinking for Two.”

RODNEY CROWELL/Flatland Hillbillies
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; RC1
– Crowell will be given the ACM’s Poet’s Award on Aug. 21, which is also when his new Texas CD will be on the market. In the meantime, go to YouTube for this easy-going video that teases the upcoming collection. His drawling, Lone Star singing and snappy guitar playing are joined by amiable cameo vocals by Randy Rogers and Lee Ann Womack. It’s a hard-luck lyric with dashes of pluck and hope. In other good news, Rodney is back on the road and is booked for the Franklin Theater on Sept. 18-19.

DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS/Little Miss Moonshine
Writers: Davina Sowers; Producer: Garry West; Publishers: Davina Marie Sowers, BMI; Red House
– This smoky-voiced Minneapolitan came to Music City to record her debut album, Sugar Drops, which drops tomorrow. Driven by her confident piano work, its single is a horn-laced romp with touches of backbeat blues and languid jazz. The cast includes such notables as Reese Wynans, Doug Lancio and Jim Hoke. Delightfully different and well worth your attention.

EMILY SCOTT ROBINSON/Better With Time
Writers: Emily Scott Robinson; Producer: Nelson Hubbard; Publishers: Tone Tree, ASCAP; ESR (track)
– It’s a folkie ode to fond memories, warm romance and smiling nostalgia. She sings in a clear soprano with just the right touches of yearning and ache. The Nashville backing track is a marvelously tasteful, understated gem. It comes from her debut album, Traveling Mercies, which is evidently aptly titled, since she is an itinerant troubadour who lives in an RV with her hubby as they journey from show to show.

RYAN BINGHAM/Wolves
Writers: Ryan Bingham; Producers: Cgarlie Sexton and Ryan Bingham; Publishers: Lost Bound, BMI; Axster
– This former Americana Artist of the Year (2010) appears on the TV series Yellowstone, which is where he introduced this track from his current American Love Song CD. Over a nervous, rippling acoustic track he cuts through with a gritty, penetrating, whiskey-and-cigarettes vocal. You might recall Bingham for his Oscar-winning “The Weary Kind” from the soundtrack of the film Crazy Heart. Also check out the anthemic, soaring tracks “Blue” and “Stones” on this album.

THE SAM BUSH BAND/Stop The Violence
Writers: Sam Bush/Jeff Black; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Samanda Lynn
– It kinda sounds like a ‘60s rock protest song. But its plea for peace couldn’t be more timely today. As usual, Bush is on fire with manic energy. The band’s video can be seen on YouTube, where you get the full effect of his electro-mandolin workout.

CASEY LAMBERT/Cornbread
Writers: none listed; Producer: Britton Patrick; Publishers: none listed; Sound Emporium
– Casey is a Nashville bluegrass guitarist who sings with reassuring heart and soulful warmth on this lovely, graceful ode to his Alabama upbringing. It comes from his self-titled, four-song EP. The cast is awesome — Darrell Scott, Kenny Malone, Dave Roe, Brittany Haas and more. Give this man a full-length showcase.

NATHAN STANLEY & PATTY LOVELESS/All I Have To Offer You Is Me
Writers: A.L. Owens/Dallas Frazier; Producer: Nathan Stanley; Publishers: Sony/ATV ACuff-Rose/Unichappell; BMI; MC1
– This 1969 Charley Pride classic becomes a heavenly hillbilly duet is the throats of these blue-chip country vocalists. Nathan’s straight-from-the-heart tenor takes the first-verse lead, while Patty soars above in harmony. Then she takes a turn in the spotlight, sounding as sensational as ever. As refreshing as a drink of cold water on the desert.

LUCY ISABEL/Rambling Stranger
Writers: none listed; Producer: Jared Anderson; Publisher: none listed; LI (track)
– The title tune of Isabel’s debut album is sung in a direct folk soprano with a softly thumping backing track featuring sighing accordion and gently strummed guitar. Elsewhere on the CD, the Nashville singer-songwriter is a hooky roots rocker and a lovelorn balladeer. Quite promising.

PAT GREEN & JOE ELY/Trip Through Your Wires
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Greenhouse Music
– These Texans wail this bluesy stomper for all they are worth. Electric guitars and harmonica abound.

I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a Nashville pop/rock listening session as much as this one.

This stack of platters has it all — our reigning rock monarchs The Raconteurs and The Black Keys, a legend-among-us Peter Frampton, enchanting new pop by Amy Stroup and *repeat repeat plus blues from Whitey Johnson and Keb Mo (as well as Frampton).

Finishing in a dead heat for Disc of the Day are The Black Keys and Keb Mo. Keys drummer Patrick Carney is also present as the producer of *repeat repeat and Jessy Wilson, who finish in another tie, for the DisCovery Award.

KEB’ MO’/Oklahoma
Writers: Keb Mo/Dara Tucker; Producer: Colin Linden; Publisher: none listed; Concord
– Music City’s resident bluesman returns with this delightfully groove-soaked title tune of a new collection. The song is about hope and resilience, but makes sidelong references to Oklahoma’s troubled racial and Native American issues. The great Robert Randolph adds a delicious lap-steel solo. Other guests on the new album include Rosanne Cash (on the feminist “Put a Woman In Charge”), Taj Mahal (with whom Keb won one of his four Grammys) and Latina-Christian pop star Jaci Velasquez (on the immigrant saga “This Is My Home”). This just might be the album of his career. Unreservedly recommended.

THE CERNY BROTHERS/I Wanna Love You
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Cleveland
– The recent transplants to Nashville have a new album titled Looking For a Good Land that explores the roots-rock idiom of Mellencamp, Springsteen et al. Its lead single pumps out blue-collar rhythm and stirring, anthemic, reach-for-the-sky melody. I defy you to sit still.

THE PETER FRAMPTON BAND/I Just Wanna Make Love To You
Writers: none listed; Producers: Frampton/Chuck Ainlay; Publishers: none listed; UMe
– He’s on his farewell tour because of health issues, but the star is also breaking new ground with his first blues album and a six-week “The Peter Frampton Show” on Sirius/XM. The collection, titled All Blues, is on blue vinyl (via his website) and contains all covers. Some are quite familiar (”The Thrill Is Gone,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover”). Others not so much. This lead track and single features Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds on a sweaty, searing, slow-grind workout with, no surprise, plenty of stinging electric guitar.

DOUBLECAMP/Feel Like Me
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Doublecamp
– Consisting of Joe Neary and Jordan Burmeister, this Nashville indie-pop duo has issued this bopping, atmospheric, electro track as its first single. It’s a sunny, shiny, feel-good, upbeat, dizzy and ultimately positive love ditty. The guys were previously in a Milwaukee outfit called The Middle Ground. A promising debut.

THE BLACK KEYS/Go
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Nonesuch
– Members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have reunited after five years apart pursuing individual projects and producing others. Their new collaboration, Let’s Rock, releases on June 28. Its first advance single, “Lo/Hi,” topped Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs, Adult Alternative Songs, Rock Airplay and Alternative Songs charts. Now comes this as the second single and debut video. The ridiculously catchy track has loads of snap, crackle and pop. The video is laugh-out-loud hilarious, featuring the sourpuss boys attending the “Happy Trails Intentional Community and Spiritual Retreat” to get over the issue that they hate each other and aren’t speaking. They rock the robed hippies, but still aren’t speaking at the rural facility that advertises “Mediation, Spiritual Growth and Validated Parking.” I am told that The Black Keys will be touring again in September, with or without dialogue.

AMY STROUP/Made
Writers: none listed; Producer: Supercookies; Publishers: none listed; Milkglass (track)
– This 2019 Bonnaroo performer decided to vacation from Nashville and record in L.A. last year. The resulting Helen of Memphis album, her third, is the singer-songwriter’s pop, pop, poppiest. This drum-loopy, burbling, hooky, trance-y single appeared on the soundtrack of the recent Jennifer Lopez movie Second Act. Which is not unusual for Stroup. To date, her voice has been heard in 467 movie/TV placements, including This Is Us, Grey’s Anatomy and Despicable Me 3. Honey-dipped beats and charming vocals like this are why she gets to open for such esteemed acts as Kings of Leon, Kacey Musgraves and Ingrid Michaelson.

THE RACONTEURS/Bored and Razed
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Third Man
– The band issues its new CD, Help Us Stranger, tomorrow (6/21). Members Jack White, Brenden Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler will celebrate it with an epic world tour starting next month. Back here at home, we can bob our heads to this steamrolling rocker from the new collection. The furious drumming, screaming vocals and ferocious electric guitar are all classic elements of this group’s sound. For those of you yearning for honest-to-goodness ROCK, here is the for-real deal.

WHITEY JOHNSON/If It’s Really Gotta Be This Way
Writers: Gary Nicholson/Arthur Alexander/Donnie Fritts; Producer: Gary Nicholson; Publisher: none listed; Blue Corn (track)
– Whitey Johnson is the blues-playing alter ego of Nashville mega songwriter Gary Nicholson. His new More Days Like This collection finds him collaborating with the likes of Delbert McClinton, Colin Linden and The McCrary Sisters. This melodic, stately, lonely-sounding, heartsick tune has already been recorded by Robert Plant, among others. It features Nicholson cowriting with the late, legendary soul man Arthur Alexander (”You Better Move On,” “Anna,” “Soldier of Love”) and Muscle Shoals legend Donnie Fritts (”Breakfast In Bed,” “You’re Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning,” “We Had It All”). Moody and mellow.

*repeat repeat/Hi, I’m Waiting
Writers: none listed; Producer: Patrick Carney; Publisher: none listed; Dangerbird
– This Nashville power-pop trio has a new album titled Glazed. As you can clearly see in the music video for this fizzy, fuzzy, fine lead single, Patrick Carney of The Black Keys is drumming, as well as producing. A delectable synth/guitar/vocal combo with touches of surf, punk and new wave.

JESSY WILSON/Love & Sophistication
Writers: none listed; Producer: Patrick Carney; Publishers: none listed; Thirty Tigers
– Phase is Wilson’s debut album. But you might remember this Nashvillian from her work in the bi-racial country/rock duo The Muddy Magnolias. This haunting, dreamy, neo-soul single from the new solo CD casts an audio spell that’s hard to resist. Her soft, seductive vocal is set in an echo chamber while rhythm patterns swirl around her. Beautifully pleasing.

What country acts have timed new music for release during CMA Fest?

Well, that parade includes such familiar names as Old Dominion, Tracy Lawrence, Julie Roberts, Jake Owen, the Zac Brown Band and our Disc of the Day winner, Trisha Yearwood.

Also: Old Crow Medicine Show member Chance McCoy steps out as a solo artist to claim a DisCovery Award.

TRISHA YEARWOOD/Every Girl In This Town
Writers: Erik Dylan/Caitlyn Smith/Connie Harrington; Producer: Garth Fundis; Publishers: none listed; Gwendolyn
– Magnificent. This is one of the greatest voices, male or female, in this or any other format. The driving song soars with youthful nostalgia and optimism, and just the right spice of empowerment. Yearwood is a goddess. Play her.

JAKE OWEN/Homemade
Writers: Bobby Pinson/Drew Parker/Jared Mullins/Ben Goldsmith; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Big Loud
– It’s over produced, too processed and “busy” sounding. But the warm ode to small-town values has its heart in the right place. And he’s singing as well as ever.

JULIE ROBERTS/I Couldn’t Make You Love Me
Writers: Rudy Perez/Mark Portmann/John Bettis; Publishers: none listed; Producers: none listed; JR
– She’s always been one of our most underrated singers. On this comeback single, she unleashes admirable power and emotion. I just wish it was a country song instead of a pop ballad.

OLD DOMINION/One Man Band
Writers: none listed; Producer:none listed; Publishers: none listed; RCA
– I like the stripped-down, finger poppin’ sonics of this. The lyric is a left-field delight, a wish for companionship with a music-making metaphor. A nice job by this always dependable ensemble.

JENNY TOLMAN/High Class White Trash
Writers: Jenny Tolman/Dave Brainard; Producers: Dave Brainard; Publishers: none listed; JT
– It is one of the great mysteries of modern times: Why isn’t this gifted woman on a major label? This delightful, lightly funky, fabulously witty outing is yet another brilliant feather in her cap. The beauty-parlor video is a hoot, as is the slightly naughty lyric. Essential listening.

ZAC BROWN BAND/Someone I Used To Know
– This manages the tricky feat of managing to be both catchy and meaningful at the same time. It’s a rhythmic, cautionary tale of a young life wasted. As ever, they are unlike any other act in the country genre. Which is to be applauded.

TUCKER BEATHARD/Find Me Here
– So impressive. Acoustic, raw, vulnerable and painfully real. This ballad of dissolution and despondence cuts mighty close to the bone. This guy has the goods.

TRAVIS DENNING/Tank of Gas And A Radio Song
Writers: Travis Denning/Nathan Spicer/Shane Minor; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Mercury
– I have yet to hear a wrong note from this fellow. This thumper has a steamy, simmering, sexy vibe that’s perfect for a hot summer night. Spin it, spin it, spin it.

CHANCE MCCOY/Lonesome Pine
– Best known as a multi-instrumentalist member of Old Crow Medicine Show, McCoy reveals his solo style on this haunting, atmospheric, psych-folk meditation. It has open-air, wafting, whispery, melancholy solitude that is just dreamy.

TRACY LAWRENCE/Made In America
Writers: Tracy Lawrence/Rick Huckaby/Adam Sanders; Producers: Julian King and Tracy Lawrence; LMG
– It is stirring and uplifting and terrifically rhythmic. But it has a too-similar feeling to Toby Keith’s identically titled 2011 chart-topping single.