This week’s column abounds with newcomers.

But it’s a veteran star, Mary Chapin Carpenter, who easily walks off with the Disc of the Day award.

As I said, there is no shortage of claimants for the DisCovery Award. All making their bows in DisClaimer are Dave Insley, The Darlins and our winning Two Way Crossing. I love the way the male and female voices interact in that band.

I’d have given the honor to Thomas Michael Riley, who is also new in this column. But according to his website, he has 10 albums and has already won plenty of honors in Texas. So that would seem weird. But I do like him a whole lot.

KENT BLAZY/Footsteps Of Dylan
Writer: Kent Blazy, Producer: Kent Blazy, Publisher: none listed; KB (track)
– Singer-songwriter Kent Blazy has two new collections. One, titled Me & Garth, contains his versions of songs that the superstar popularized (”Somewhere Other Than the Night,” “Ain’t Going Down,” “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” etc.). The other is called New Songs From Old Guitars. It includes this ode to a man who revolutionized American songwriting. Fittingly, it begins as an acoustic-guitar tune then shifts gears into a wailing rocker. Throughout, Blazy’s voice is urgent and passionate. Recommended.

DEREK HOKE/Southern Moon
Writers: Derek Hoke/Dexter Green; Producer: Dexter Green; Publishers: Slow Hoke/Made With Black Ink, BMI/ASCAP; Little Hollywood
– He has an attractive tenor voice, and the track has a bluesy, swampy vibe shot though with organ and harmonica passages. This is the title tune of a Nashville-recorded collection that is all self-penned. Hoke’s live shows are dandy, too.

THE DARLINS/Crush
Writers: Jude Toy/Erinn Bates; Producer: Buddy Hyatt; Publishers: none listed, BMI/SESAC; The Darlins (track)
– This female duo has a sensuous sound on this slow burning track. A resonator guitar weaves through the arrangement as they languidly drawl their desire in harmony. Feverish.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER/Map Of My Heart
Writer: Mary Chapin Carpenter; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publishers: Why Walk, ASCAP; Lambent Light
-I love the brisk, crisp texture of this lightly rocking performance. Carpenter sounds like “the Everly Sisters” as the rhythm section throbs relentlessly and the electric guitar gooses the track with some deep twang. It goes without saying that her lyrics are totally evocative. Brilliant work. The forthcoming (May 6) album that contains this will be titled The Things That We Are Made Of. Get this now on her website for an advance taste.

TWO WAY CROSSING/Deja Vu
Writers: Jenny Marvin/Ryan Sorestad; Producers: Jay Tooke/Craig Wilson; Publishers: none listed; TWC (track)
– The title tune to this five-piece band’s six-song EP starts softly. Then everyone kicks in on harmonies and instruments, and it’s katie-bar-the-door. These kids have the goods. A celebration in sound.

ZAC BROWN/Grandma’s Garden
Writers: Skip Ewing/Donny Kees; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publishers: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose/Write On, BMI; Elektra (track)
– Producer Dave Cobb was inspired at his grandmother’s funeral in Georgia to craft a concept album called Southern Family. It boasts a bevy of talent including Jamey Johnson, Morgane & Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Brandy Clark and Jason Isbell. Along with John Paul White’s performance of “Simple Song,” Brown’s track is a centerpiece, since it directly addresses lessons passed through the generations. Lee Ann Womack supplies a lovely harmony vocal. Sweet and touching. The whole album is a gem.

DAVE INSLEY/Just The Way That I Am
Writers: Dave Insley; Producer: Dave Insley; Publisher: none listed; Dir (track)
– The rootsy, ragged title tune of Insley’s Austin album twangs in all the right places. He’s not the world’s strongest singer, but there’s sincerity in every note. Guests on the album include Kelly Willis, Redd Volkaert and Dale Watson. If you’re headed for the Texas capital, you’ll find Insley and his Careless Smokers holding forth at The White Horse every Saturday night.

DARWIN MACON/This Ain’t The Love
Writers: Darwin Macon/Brad Ward; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Lil Red Caboose, BMI; DM
– The tempo is so sluggish that it’s the aural equivalent of walking through molasses.

TED RUSSELL KAMP/Life On The River
Writers: Ted Russell Kamp/Kirsten Proffit; Producer: Ted Russell Kamp; Publishers: Steady Teddy, ASCAP/BMI; Pomo (track)
– Bass player Kamp has worked as a sideman for everyone from Shooter Jennings to Wilson Phillips. But his self-penned albums are gradually bringing him the solo spotlight he deserves. His baritone vocal on this lead-off track of his CD Flying Solo is wonderfully resonant. As a songwriter, he knows just where to put the hooks. You recording artists out there should start plundering his songs pronto.

THOMAS MICHAEL RILEY/Ten Toes Up
Writers: Thomas Michael Riley; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Thomas Michael, BMI; TMR
– It’s a lively country rocker with an electric guitar answering each of his wry vocal lines. I’m completely smitten with this. Send me more, more, more of his true-Texas music.

It’s high time we did some tidying up around here.

Several of these indie acts have been in the to-be-listened-to pile of platters for weeks. They’re usually pushed aside by major-label artists, but today they’re in the spotlight.

The Disc of the Day belongs to Chuck Wicks.

But the real news du jour is in the DisCovery Award department. We have three winners — a female, a male and a group. The female DisCovery is power voiced Jessie G. Our male winner is jaunty Tim Elliott. The group DisCovery is the sister act Southern Halo. Congratulations, one and all.

DIANA UPTON HILL/Southern Gentlemen
Writers: Georgia Thomas Edgeworth/Robin Grant; Producer: Bryan White: Publishers: Moonlight Through the Pines/Saved By the Belle, ASCAP/BMI; Third Floor
– The drums are slamming in this rocked-out mix. Indeed, she’s almost drowned out by them. Her pert soprano checks off the states of Dixie in the choruses. Which is cute.

CHUCK WICKS/She’s Gone
Writers: Chuck Wicks/Brett Tyler/Jeffery East; Producers: Chuck Wicks/Andy Dodd; Publishers: none listed; Blaster (track)
– I like the open, quiet spaces in the production. They allow his voice to crack in all the right places and draw your attention to the spare, lonely lyric. The rising intensity in the sound is cool, too. Recommended.

WILL CARTER/I Don’t Know Why
Writers: Will Carter/Jude Dyllan; Producer: Jude Dyllan; Publishers: Will Carter/Jude Dyllan, BMI; WC
– He sings well. The song does nothing for me.

SMITH & WESLEY/Sweet Life
Writers: Scott Smith; Producer: Shane Hill; Publishers: Dream Walkin’, ASCAP; Garage Door
– Twin-guitar Southern rock with bro-country lyrics. It conspicuously lacks a melody.

CLARE DUNN/Tuxedo
Writers: Clare Dunn/Ben West/Brett James; Producers: Clare Dunn/Ben West; Publishers: BMG Gold/Leer Jet 87/BMG Platinum/For the Kids Platinum/Legitimate Effort/WB/Songs of Brett, BMI/ASCAP; MCA (CDX)
– Country quasi-rap in the verses. Big-voice choruses. The echo on her alto puts her right in your face. Inventive songwriting and innovative production touches.

TIM ELLIOTT/Boom
Writers: Tim Elliott/Bob Moffatt/Clint Moffatt/Chris Womack; Producer: Kent Wells; Publishers: Boggs River/Chase the Music/Reynsong, ASCAP/BMI; BRE (CDX)
– Very clever. He counts down the numbers until the lovin’ starts. The production burbles along at a percolating pace, and his voice has a youthful innocence. Endearing.

KELLEY SALLEE SNEAD/Always A Stranger
Writers: Snead/Frederick/Sallee Snead; Producers: Doak Snead/Tony Garber; Publisher: Doak Snead, BMI; KSS (track)
– Veteran songwriter Doak Snead’s wife has a form of Parkinson’s that has taken away her ability to sing. He and co-producer Tony Garber have compiled the best of her song demos, fully produced masters, work tapes and home recordings to make the album Roses & Tumbleweeds: A Retrospective. She is a fine vocalist, equally at home on ballads and uptempo fare. The CD is available on iTunes, CDBaby and Amazon.

SOUTHERN HALO/Little White Dress
Writers: Natalie Morris/Cat Gravitt/Gerald O’Brien; Producers: Cat Cravitt/Gerald O’Brien; Publishers: Southern Halo/Razor and Tie/Ink Pen Mama, BMI/SESAC; Southern Halo
– This is a trio of singing sisters who harmonize like angels. The song is as catchy as all get out, with a solid backbeat, cool guitars and a wedding-day chorus to die for. Super listening.

JESSIE G/Drop A Line
Writers: Jessie Goergen/Joshua Withenshaw/Davis Branch; Producers: Gretchen Wilson/Jessie G; Publishers: Straight Off the Boat/Home Is a Time Not a Place, ASCAP/BMI; JG (track)
– Gretchen Wilson is behind the board for this minor-key, bluesy stomper. The singer has firepower to spare. A left-field winner.

RODEO GYPSY/Southern Proof
Writers: Bridgette Powell/Dustin Sciaraffo/Jonathan Robinson; Producer: Sam Tate; Publishers: Tuf Monkey, BMI/ASCAP; BAM (track)
– Rodeo Gypsy is a trio comprised of Bridgette Powell, Dustin Sciaraffo and Becca Cummins. Their debut outing is an acoustic ditty with stark bongo-dobro-guitar-bass accompaniment. The harmonies are dandy. The lyric is of the Dixie-proud variety. It might not be the most commercial thing I’ve ever heard, but it certainly is pleasant listening.

Americana alert: Some of the genre’s top names are in today’s overview of current product — Buddy Miller, The Kennedys, Kate Campbell and Sierra Hull, for instance.

As good as their efforts are, the Disc of the Day unquestionably belongs to the divine Gretchen Peters.

The busker-style, good-time jazz of Woody Pines earns him a DisCovery Award. Cool billing. Cool music.

GRETCHEN PETERS/On A Bus To St. Cloud
Writers: Gretchen Peters; Producers:Doug Lancio, Gretchen Peters & Barry Walsh; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tunes/Purple Crayon, ASCAP: Scarlet Letter
-This Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member simply does not know how to make a sub-par recording. Her new one is even more breathtaking than usual. Titled The Essential Gretchen Peters, it is a double CD that is both a retrospective of her past work and a collection of formerly unreleased performances. The first CD includes this heart-stopping new rendition of a prayer-at-midnight tune previously popularized by Trisha Yearwood. Other highlights include the songwriter’s demo of “The Chill of an Early Fall,” an acoustic arrangement of “Independence Day,” her own versions of “The Secret of Life” and “If Heaven,” a Bryan Adams duet on “When You Love Someone” and a trio rendition of “Wild Horses” featuring Matraca Berg and Suzy Bogguss. Not to mention “When You Are Old,” “Blackbirds,” “Sunday Morning” and “When You Wish Upon a Star.” The woman is a goddess, people.

STONE CUPID/The Cardinal
Writer: Julie Christensen; Producers: Julie Christensen & Jeff Turmes; Publisher: Stone Cupid, BMI; Stone Cupid
-Stone Cupid is a five-piece East Nashville band that’s a vehicle for the songs of its leader, Julie Christensen. The CD’s title tune is a fascinating, dark slab of rock balladry with shuddering electric guitar and vocals that wail and snarl. Her punk roots are showing. Other writers on the collection include David Olney, Kevin Gordon and Leonard Cohen.

DAVID G. SMITH/First Love
Writer: none listed; Producer: Blue Miller; Publisher: none listed; DGS (track)
-This Nashville Americana veteran can always be counted on for excellent song craftsmanship. The new CD’s title tune is a hushed, aching meditation on a dying love. To put it bluntly, it’s a devastating minor masterpiece of grief. Elsewhere on the CD, you’ll find “In the Silence,” a ballad that tackles the tragedy of Alzheimer’s. The album’s cast includes such greats as Keb Mo, Jelly Roll Johnson, Mary Gauthier and Buddy Mondlock. Heartily recommended.

KATE CAMPBELL/Greensboro
Writers: none listed; Producer: Kate Campbell; Publisher: none listed; Large River (track)
-Campbell’s latest is titled The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1). These are simple, living-room recordings, but her singular talent makes them eloquently listenable. Paul Simon’s “America,” Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” and Skynyrd’s “Freebird” are here in unvarnished folk arrangements. Of her original songs, this portrait of the Civil Rights era stands out prominently. Lend her your ears, she’ll steal them away. I remain a committed fan.

WOODY PINES/Black Rat Swing
Writer: Ernest Lawlars; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Muddy Roots
-Bopping, boogie swinging, with deft guitar picking, slapped bass and spare percussion. These viper jazzbos are utterly charming, in a jaunty, busker kinda way.

SIERRA HULL/Weighted Mind
Writers: none listed; Producer Bela Fleck; Publishers: none listed; Rounder (track)
-The title tune of the mandolin virtuoso’s new CD has a choppy avant-garde rhythm and an unusual atonal melody. Her straightforward soprano singing keeps the jazzy outing grounded. Adventurous listening.

BUDDY MILLER & NIKKI LANE/Just Someone I Used To Know
Writer: Jack Clement; Producer: Buddy Miller; Publishers: Glad/Songs of PolyGram, BMI, New West (track)
–Cayamo Sessions at Sea is billed as by “Buddy Miller and Friends.” His duet partners on the collection of classic country tunes include Lee Ann Womack, Kacey Musgraves, Lucinda Williams, Elizabeth Cook, Kris Kristofferson and Richard Thompson. He tackles this vintage Porter & Dolly hit with Nikki Lane, but his harmony vocal sounds a little tentative and unconfident to these ears.

TAMMY JONES ROBINETTE & THE DRIVE/To Be A Kid Again
Writer: Tammy Jones Robinette; Producer: Mark Fain; Publishers: MJ&8, BMI; Rural Rhythm
-Enchanting, with a vocal performance straight from Southern Appalachia. The band includes such instrumental luminaries as Sam Bush, Rob Ickes, Ron Block and Aubrey Haynie, and you’ll find vocal support from the likes of Dale Ann Bradley, Jamie Dailey and Jimmy Fortune. Country with a bluegrass bent.

JIMMY AND THE MUSTANGS/Roll The Dice
Writer: Jimmy Haddox; Producers: Jimmy Haddox & Mark Youngersmith; Publishers: Mad Horse, ASCAP; JH (track)
-This roots rock ‘n’ roll band kicks off its Another Round CD with this horn-punctuated blues romp with more than a little rockabilly punch. Jitterbug music.

PETE KENNEDY/Union Square
Writer: Pete Kennedy; Producer: Pete Kennedy; Publisher: Parade of Echoes, BMI; The Kennedys
-Pete and his wife Maura comprise the enduring, 20th-anniversary Americana act The Kennedys. In the past year, they’ve issued a bonanza of music. There’s their group project, West (enthusiastically reviewed in this column last April) plus Maura’s highly recommended solo set titled Villanelle and, most recently, his song-cycle, extended love letter to New York City, Heart of Gotham. Pete leads his collection with this country rocker. It crackles to life with his soulful, hoarse vocal accompanied by jangling electric guitar and driving drumming (Pete plays all the instruments on the CD). By mid-song, you’re completely hooked. This set is a keeper.

 

We’ll be up to our necks in country music in the weeks to come, what with CRS and all, so now seems like a good time to remind ourselves what a vibrant and thriving pop/rock scene we have as well.

So thriving, in fact, that I’m playing catch-up. Most of these records came out last year. But I’m just getting around to the riches of Mikky Ekko, Ingrid Michaelson, Brooke Waggoner and The Dead Weather. The Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor singles are new, but their parent CDs are also last year’s.

Speaking of The Dead Weather, it strikes me that Music City just might be the new capital of mainstream, guitar-based rock. With most of the pop world fixated on hip-hop or EDM sounds, Nashville is home to The Black Keys/The Arcs, Jack White/The Dead Weather, Kings of Leon, Paramore, Clear Plastic Masks, Parachute, Cage the Elephant, The Features and The Wild Feathers. Rock bands all.

And speaking of Taylor Swift, she proves once again why she’s the princess of pop by earning a Disc of the Day prize with “Out of the Woods.”

As for Mikky Ekko (a.k.a. John Stephen Sudduth), he’d be the DisCovery Award winner if he hadn’t been Grammy-nominated before he had his own CD. So the honor goes instead to the also gifted Anderson East.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT/Mess Around
Writers: Cage The Elephant; Producer: Dan Auerbach; Publisher: Sony/ATV; BMI; RCA (track)
-Thumping and raucous. Kinda garage-y and lotsa fun. This captures how frothing and energetic these guys are on stage. After the band moved from Bowling Green to Nashville, it switched producers. Black Keys honcho Auerbach gave them a sound more raw and less polished, but the Elephants are still very, very tuneful.

THE DEAD WEATHER/I Feel Love
Writers: Fertita/Mosshart; Producer: Jack White III; Publisher: Sleeping Disorder/Kobalt/Domino, BMI; Third Man (track)
– Ferociously rocking. Frontwoman Alison Mosshart has a natural vocal wail that sounds born to be in this band. Lead guitarist Dean Fertita grinds away on a repeated riff that bores into the brain.

MIKKY EKKO/Smile
Writers: Mikky Ekko/Jim Eliot/Greg Kurstin/Dennis Herring; Producers: Elof Lolv & Mikky Ekko; Publishers: Good Kings/Sony-ATV/Jim Eliot/Kurstin/EMI April/Sakana, BMI/PRS/ASCAP; RCA (track)
– This native Nashvillian first attracted my attention when he sang “Stay,” a Grammy-nominated 2012 duet with Rihanna. His debut solo CD, Time, is highlighted by this airy, echoey, celestial-sounding ditty. His sky-high pop tenor delivery aches in a lyric that says things are lousy, so you might as well smile in your misery. Highly listenable. Heartily recommended.

TAYLOR SWIFT/Out of the Woods
Writers: Taylor Swift/Jack Antonoff; Producers: Jack Antonoff/Taylor Swift; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree/Taylor Swift/Ducky Donath, BMI; Big Machine (track)
– Finally. My favorite melody on the 1989 album is now its sixth single. Swift closed concerts with this all last year, and I’ve always believed that it belongs on pop radio. The dark, rumbling rhythm contrasts with its bright, high vocals brilliantly. Get up and shake your money maker.

THE ARCS/Fools Gold
Writers: Dan Auerbach/Leon Michels/Richard Swift; Producers: Dan Auerbach/Leon Michels/Richard Swift; Publishers: Hour Box/Wixen/EMI Blackwood/DANCECONTESTWINNER/Secretly Canadian, BMI/ASCAP; Columbia (track)
-This is Dan Auerbach’s side project away from The Black Keys. Like his other group, this one has more than a little blues-rock in its DNA. There is lots of fizzy, fuzzy guitar scuzz here and a dark, haunted vibe that veers almost into psychedelia. The CD is aptly titled Yours Dreamily.

MEGHAN TRAINOR & JOHN LEGEND/Like I’m Gonna Lose You
Writers: Meghan Trainor/Justin Weaver/Caitlin Smith; Producers: Chris Gelbuda/Meghan Trainor; Publishers: Year of the Dog/WB/Music of the Corn/Cornman, ASCAP; Epic (track)
– Artists who launch their careers with a novelty song like “All About That Bass” often turn out to be one-hit wonders. Trainor scored a surprising second time with the just-as-catchy “Lips Are Movin.’” This time out, she slows it down and harmonizes in a soul groove with John Legend. Deliciously hooky.

INGRID MICHAELSON/Time Machine
Writers: Ingrid Michaelson/Busbee/Trent Dabbs/Barry Dean; Producer: Jacquire King; Publishers: Breakable Girls/BMG Platinum/Hello I Love You/Jam Writers Group/BMG Rights Management/Ready Set/Incognito Street, ASCAP/BMI; Cabin 224 (track)
– This indie pop favorite came to Music City to record her fifth album, Lights Out. The lady writes terrifically melodic songs and sings them with blue-eyed soul phrasing. This single/video is a stomper that wishes she could go back in time and warn herself about what a jerk he’ll turn out to be. Michaelson’s albums are always events worth buying, and this is her best one yet. She co-stars in a streamed concert with Cyndi Lauper and Kelsea Ballerini this evening (Thursday) on Skyville Live. It should be quite a show.

STEVE FORBERT/Compromise
Writer: Steve Forbert; Producer: Steve Forbert; Publisher: Songs of Heathercom; SESAC; Rock Ridge (track)
-It has been awhile since we’ve heard from this esteemed singer-songwriter. The title tune of his current album has a chiming, delicate track backing his characteristic soulfully strangulated, slightly hoarse vocal. His harmonica solo is a dandy too. The band features such notables as Kami Lyle, Joey Spampinato and Anthony Crawford.

ANDERSON EAST/Devil In Me
Writers: Anderson East/Mark Stephen Jones/Aaron Raitiere; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publishers: Farmland/Mark Stephen Jones/One Tooth, BMI; Elektra (track)
– East is in the gossip columns as Miranda Lambert’s new squeeze. They ought to be writing about his smoldering, soul-drenched, gospel-inflected vocal talent. This track from his Delilah debut CD proceeds at a stately pace and is embellished by soul-sister harmonies and bright brass blasts. This man is the real deal.

BROOKE WAGGONER/Ovenbird
Writer: Brooke Waggoner; Producer: Brooke Waggoner; Publisher: Brooke Waggoner, BMI; Swoon Moon
-I have long been in this Nashville charmer’s corner. Her current CD is called Sweven and features this wooshy, electronica soundscape wherein she warbles like a wraith wandering through soft mist. Dreamy. Hypnotic.