Veterans and newcomers are in the mix this week, in equal portions.

Representing the first category are Jack Scott, T.G. Sheppard, George Jones and the enduringly awesome Don Henley.

New to the column are Mike & The Moonpies, AJ Kross, Alexandra Demetree and Backroad Anthem, all of whom show much promise. Backroad Anthem, a country band from Fayetteville, Arkansas, wins the DisCovery Award.

The Disc of the Day belongs to the red-hot Brett Eldredge.

BRETT ELDREDGE/Drunk on Your Love
Writers: Brett Eldredge/Ross Copperman; Producers: Copperman/Eldredge; Publishers: Sony-ATV Countryside/Paris Not France/EMI Blackwood/Ross Copperman, BMI; Atlantic
-I like the stacked vocal harmonies on the choruses very much. This instantly catchy thing is headed straight to the top. Take it to the bank.

ALEXANDRA DEMETREE/Outta My Head
Writers: Mark Oakley/Cherie Oakley; Producer: Bobby Huff; Publisher: MCRadio, ASCAP; SSM
-Nice work all around. The production is punchy and propulsive. The song is extremely well written. She sings like a bird in the sunshine. The key change in the bridge is super ear catching.

T.G. SHEPPARD & GEORGE JONES/It’s A Man Thing
Writers: Frank Solesby/Kelly Lang; Producer: Denny Diante; Publisher: Kelly Lang, BMI; Goldenlane (track)
-T.G.’s new CD is titled Legendary Friends & Country Duets. On it, the veteran hit maker teams up with Jerry Lee, the Oaks, Merle, Willie, Delbert, Crystal Gayle, Ricky Skaggs, Lorrie Morgan, B.J. Thomas, Mickey Gilley and even the late Conway Twitty and, here, George Jones. The departed Possum sounds surprisingly good with T.G. on this light hearted, charming ditty. Twangy, uptempo fun.

Backroad Anthem

BACKROAD ANTHEM/Torn
Writers: Thomas Archer/Jay Brunswick/Josh Bryant/Tommy Cecil/Toby Freeman/Jody Stevens/Craig Strickland; Producers: Jody Stevens/Tommy Cecil; Publishers: HoriPro, BMG, Swat, Sony/ATV; BA (track)
-Very modern and electronic sounding. The track throbs with energy, and youthful voices ring on the ultra tuneful song. Imaginative, listenable, professional and extremely commercial. Somebody sign these guys.

MIKE & THE MOONPIES/Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em
Writers: Mike Harmeler; Producers: Michael Kingcaid/Mike Harmeler; Publishers: none listed; BMI; MM (track)
-Breezy-easy, smooth country rock from the Lone Star State. Open-highway music, if a bit on the bland side.

DON HENLEY/Words Can Break Your Heart
Writers: Don Henley/Stan Lynch/Steuert Smith; Producers: Don Henley/Stan Lynch; Publishers: Wisteria/Warner-Tamerlane/Matanzas/Ratshoes/Granite, GMR/ASCAP; Capitol (track)
-The production is superbly pristine, with a heartbeat rhythm, sighing steel, chiming guitar work and echoey open spaces. The song sounds like a country classic. Henley’s vocal is, as always, a thing of perfect wonder. Goddess Trisha Yearwood shadows him in angelic harmony. You will not find a better recording on the market today than this legend’s Cass County. Buy it.

AJ KROSS/People Gonna Talk
Writers: none listed; Producers: Steffon Hmulack & Eric Torrez; Publishers: none listed; AJK
-He has a warm, inviting singing voice. The song is a solid, sturdy construction. The production builds beautifully around his performance. I like this a lot. Who is this guy?

JACK SCOTT/Tennessee Saturday Night
Writer: Billy Hughes; Producer: Olli Haavisto; Publisher: Unichappell, BMI; Blulight (track)
-You music nerds out there are going to be thrilled when I tell you that the great Jack Scott is back with his first new album in 50 years. Canada’s finest classic rock-and-roll stylist immortalized “My True Love,” “Burning Bridges,” “Leroy,” “The Way I Walk,” “Goodbye Baby,” “What In the World’s Come Over You” and more in 1958-61. Still touring on the rockabilly circuit, he went to Finland to record his Way to Survive comeback CD, which mainly consists of country chestnuts. He kicks it off with a snappy, rockabilly reworking of this 1948 Red Foley oldie. For a 79 year-old guy, he sounds pretty good.

BREELAN ANGEL/Nothing Cuts Like A Diamond
Writers: Julia Carlson/Courtney Dashe/Sarah Allison Turner; Producer: Trent Wilmon; Publishers: Red Vinyl/No Bull About It/Dixie Stars/True Bearing, BMI/ASCAP; MisBehavin’ (track)
-She tries to give the ballad a plaintive, heartbroken delivery. I was unmoved. There was something rather mannered and mechanical about it.

THE MAVERICKS/Pardon Me
Writers: Raul Malo/Alan Miller; Producers: Raul Malo/Niko Bolas; Publishers: Big Machine/Raul Malo/Miller’s Tale, BMI/ASCAP; Valory (track)
-This time out, the Mavs executive an echoey ballad of romantic anguish. Deep twang guitar and searing tenor vocals give it a glowing, simmering heat.

It must be that time of the year.

The fourth-quarter releases are dropping regularly, and country’s big stars are vying for our attention. This week, alone, we have Toby Keith, George Strait, Kip Moore, Lee Ann Womack and Dustin Lynch, plus Eric Paslay and Chris Janson on hand to solidify their newly minted successes.

Kip, Lee Ann and Chris all have superb singles, but the Disc of the Day goes to the once and future king, George Strait.

Moonlight Social is back and sounding even better than ever. Another new duo, Dave & Whitney take home the DisCovery Award.

DUSTIN LYNCH/Mind Reader
Writers: Rhett Akins/Ben Hayslip; Producer: Brett Beavers/Luke Wooten/Mickey Jack Cones; Publishers:EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), Rhettro Music (BMI) admin by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., WB Music Corp., Tar Cam Knox Music (ASCAP) admin by WB Music Corp., Thankful for This Music (ASCAP) admin by WB Music Corp.; Broken Bow (track)
-The track seems needlessly “busy,” with a little too much going on. But the song and performance are solid.

GEORGE STRAIT/Cold Beer Conversation
Writers: Al Anderson/Ben Hayslip/Jimmy Yeary; Producers: Chuck Ainlay/George Strait; Publishers:International Dog/Bucked Up/WB/Tar Can Knox/Thankful For This/EMI Blackwood/Great Day At This/Beatyville, BMI/ASCAP; MCA (track)
-Totally classy, mellow and full of gentle grace. The groove is magical. His voice is so relaxed and warm, leaning toward you like an old friend. This is a country-music masterpiece.

Dave and Whitney

DAVE & WHITNEY/Alibi
Writers: Rodney Clawson/Sarah Buxton/Jamie Moore; Producer: Dan Frizsell; Publisher: none listed; 45 (track)
-This is a feisty, frolicsome new duo hailing from rural Indiana. She has a saucy, foxy vocal delivery. He harmonizes and provides the lead electric guitar. Elsewhere on the EP, he handles some of the lead singing.

LEE ANN WOMACK/Chance Are
Writers: Hayes Carll; Producers: Frank Liddell/Chuck Ainlay/Glenn Worf; Publishers: Highway 87/BMG Chrysalis, SESAC; Sugar Hill (track)
-She pours soul all over this yearning ballad. Paul Franklin’s steel guitar sighs in poetic sympathy. Awesome listening.

MOONLIGHT SOCIAL/Rub A Little Dirt On It
Writers: Jeremy Burchard/Jennica Scott/Jo-Leah Tibury; Producers: Kelly Schoenfeld/Jeremy Burchard; Publishers: none listed; MS
-These two Texans can sure-nuff sing. This funky little thang is produced to provide plenty of space for their flawless harmonizing. I have liked this Jeremy-and-Jennica team in the past. This new single makes me positive that they deserve stardom. Somebody sign these folks up for the Big Time.

TOBY KEITH/Rum Is The Reason
Writers: Toby Keith/Scotty Emerick; Producers: Toby Keith/Mac McAnally; Publishers: Tokeco Tunes/Florida Room/BPJ, BMI; Show Dog (track)
-The mighty Toby takes a page from the Buffett Caribbean playbook and adds steel drums to this rollicking, feel-good track. “Take it home, Coral Reefers,” chuckles the singer.

ASHLEY CAMPBELL/Remembering
Writers: Ashley Campbell/Kai Welch; Producer: Julian Raymond; Publishers: WB/Chateau Banjo/Nettles and Bones, ASCAP; Dot
-Glen Campbell’s daughter marries a sad, wistful lyric to a strikingly lilting, uplifting melody. The breezy production overlays her refrain, “Daddy don’t you worry, I’ll do the remembering.” Recommended.

KIP MOORE/Running For You
Writers: Kip Moore/Troy Verges/Blair Daly; Producer: Brett James/Kip Moore; Publishers: Music of Stage Three/Songs of Cornman/Roll Through/BMG/Songs of Universal/Songs From the Engine Room/Southside Independent/Internal Combustion/Kickin’ Grids, BMI; MCA (track)
-Loaded with raspy fire and urgency. She’s leaving, but he loves her so much that he’ll be there in a heartbeat if she ever needs help. Blue-collar heartache with pounding passion. I dig this guy the most.

ERIC PASLAY/High Class
Writers: Eric Paslay/Corey Crowder/Jesse Frasure; Producer: Jesse Frasure/Marshall Altman; Publisher: WB/Five Foot Sixteen/Songs From the Rose Hotel/Rio Bravo/Telemitry, ASCAP/BMI; EMI (CDX)
-They might be a couple of rednecks, but just for tonight they’re living the upper-crust life. The track stutters relentlessly and he stays at the top of his vocal range all the way through. It kinda wears you out.

CHRIS JANSON/Power of Positive Drinkin’
Writers: Chris Janson/Mark Irwin/Chris DuBois; Producers: Brent Anderson/Chris DuBois/Chris Janson; Publishers: Red Vinyl/Buckkilla/Words & Music/House of Sea Gayle/Clearbox Rights/Green Vinyl, BMI/ASCAP; WB (CDX)
– Everything’s going wrong, so he’s headed for the neon lights to chug a bunch of beers in a row, until life looks a little more rosy. Joyously rhythmic and a merry lyric delight. Chalk up Big Hit #2 for this boy.

Photo: Joseph Llanes

Leaves are falling and the fall releases are beginning to drop, too. One thing we do not have this week is a first-timer to the column. So I have no DisCovery Award recipient.

That being the case, let’s spread the love around with our Disc of the Day award. Absolutely, for certain, that belongs to mighty voiced Craig Morgan.

But if we want to salute a baby act, save some applause for Mo Pitney, whose sophomore single is a thing of perfect wonder. And for a left-field pleasure, give a listen to the imaginative vocal arranging skills of Home Free.

RACHELE LYNAE/Quicksand
Writers: Rachele Lynae/Danick Dupelle/Patricia Conroy; Producers: Jamie O’Neal/Rachele Lynae; Publishers: Rachele Lynae/Bend That Note/Emerson Drive/Patricia Conroy, ASCAP/SOCAN; Momentum
-She’s warning her girlfriend about a guy who is big trouble while the band rumbles around her in a ruckus. After such a rocking ride, the abrupt ending might give you whiplash.

Home Free

HOME FREE & THE OAK RIDGE BOYS/Elvira
Writers: Dallas Frazier; Producers: Darren Rust/Home Free; Publishers: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose, BMI; Columbia (track)
-Home Free is the a cappella quintet that won on TV’s The Sing Off. They warble like perfectly harmonizing birds and have enormous talent for creatively re-arranging country classics like this one. If you think you’ve heard this song enough times already, trust me, you haven’t. This gives it a completely fresh sound. Elsewhere on the new Country Evolution CD are equally inventive re-workings of “9 to 5,” “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Friends in Low Places,” “Fishin’ in the Dark” and more.

REBA McENTIRE/Until They Don’t Love You
Writers: Shane McAnally/Lori McKenna/Josh Osborne; Producers: Tony Brown/Reba; Publishers: Universal/Smack Ink/Hoodie Songs/One Little Indian Creek/Songs of Black River, ASCAP/BMI; Starstruck/Nash Icon (track)
-Lots of rhythm. Not much melody.

CRAIG MORGAN/When I’m Gone
Writers: Justin Ebach/Steven Dale Jones; Publishers: Byron Gallimore/Craig Morgan; Publishers:Whispering/Word/Son of Austin, SESAC/ASCAP; Black River
– He remains one of the greatest vocalists in this city, and this powerhouse performance of a pile-driving song proves it. It’s a ferociously soaring rocker about living life to the fullest. Sing it, brother.

ABBI WALKER/Well Behaved Too Long
Writers: Abbi Walker/P. Ryan Petkoff/Rich Alvarez; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Abbi Walker, BMI; Indie
-She gives this sassy number her best, but the production is rinky-dink cheesy.

GLEN CAMPBELL/Streets of London
Writer: McTell; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Westminster, no performance rights listed; Rainman (track)
-The “new” CD by this legend is a live album recorded in England in 1990. It includes full-band rendition of his big hits, plus Paul McCartney’s “Mull of Kintyre” (featuring his stunning bagpipe playing) and this lovely, heartfelt performance of Ralph McTell’s folk song accompanying himself on simple acoustic guitar. Pure talent.

STEPHANIE URBINA JONES/Bring It Back to the Heartland
Writers: Stephanie Urbina Jones/Mark Marchetti; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Casa Del Rio/Mark Marchetti, SESAC/BMI; Casa Del Rio
-I have long been a fan of this lady’s work. Her voice is as throaty and emotive as ever on this topical single. The lyric yearns to bring the nation back to its better years when we had mom-and-pop stores, products made in the U.S.A., family farms, good jobs and the American Dream.

JOHN ANDERSON/Don’t Forget To Thank The Lord
Writers: John D. Anderson/John Rich; Producers: John Anderson/Joe Spivey; Publisher: none listed; Bayou Boys (track)
-John says not to take things for granted. Remember to thank teachers, preachers, policemen, firemen, mothers, soldiers and at the end of the day, the man upstairs. The loping rhythm, fiddle work, steel backing and guitar chops are all first rate. As is his singing, of course.

JON PARDI/Head Over Boots
Writers: Jon Pardi/Luke Laird; Producers: Bart Butler/Jon Pardi; Publishers: Golden Vault/Bill Butler/Song Factory/Songs of Universal/Creative Nation, BMI; Capitol (CDX)
-This goes down smooth and easy with its lulling, gentle rhythm and simple, smiling lyric of romance. Sweet and youthful.

Mo Pitney. Photo: Joseph Llanes

MO PITNEY/Boy and a Girl Thing
Writers: Mo Pitney/Don Sampson; Producer: Tony Brown; Publishers: Mike Curb/She’s My Darlin/House of Sea Gayle, BMI/ASCAP; Curb (CDX)
-This is ultra cool, a soft, dreamy groove that’s as comfy as a hammock on a summer afternoon. You’ll think it is understated at first, but this will definitely get under your skin and into your memory bank. The kid just might be our next big star. I wanna hear Mo.

Zac Brown Band

Judging by the sounds reviewed today, the country genre has officially gone completely pop.

Not one of these tracks could be described as “country” in any conventional sense of the term. One of them is white rap. Two of them are folk. The rest are all written and produced as Nashville pop. Which is evidently what “country music” is these days.

There are two young ladies named Emily in the mix. Emily Vance and Emily Haines are sharing the DisCovery Award.

The Disc of the Day goes to the always-listenable Zac Brown Band.

SUSAN HARTMAN/My Instinct
Writers: Susan Hartman; Producer: Eddie Gore; Publisher: Pink Scarf, ASCAP; Pink Scarf (track)
-Rollicking and rocking and highly involving, but perhaps a little too arty in production and song construction for country music. Pitch her pop.

ASHLEY GEARING/Train Track
Writers: Maren Morris/Jon Nite/Jimmy Robbins; Producers: Kenny Greenberg & Chad Cromwell; Publishers: International Dog/Words & Music/EMI April/Jon Mark Nite/Extraordinary Alien/Universal, BMI/ASCAP; Curb (CDX)
-It’s a kiss-off, but a mighty sweet and sunny sounding one. The full-bodied production and her soaring vocal are both exactly right. Recommended.

ANDY GRAMMER & ELI YOUNG BAND/Honey I’m Good
Writers: Andy Grammer/Nolan Sipe; Producer: Mike Daly; Publishers: Ladder Soul Music / S-Curve Songs (BMI), Sony/ATV / Nolan W. Sipe Music (ASCAP); S-Curve/Valory
-Bouncy and poppy. Packed with hand claps, electronic burbles, woo-hoo backing vocals, banjo and stuttering rhythms.

EMERSON DRIVE/Til The Summer’s Gone
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; TTA (ERG)
-Poor timing. This breezy, catchy, sing-along, summer-sounding song is coming out about three months too late.

THE LACS & JOSH THOMPSON/Tonight On Repeat
Writers: C. Sharpe, B. King, B. Berryhill, E. Coffman, B. Hill, J. Benson; Producers: Brock Berryhill & Evan Coffman; Publishers: Average ZJS Music Publishing (BMI), Don’t Be A Gypsy (BMI), Distinctive Third (BMI), Brothers By Fate (BMI), Joseph Benson (BMI); Average Joes
-I hate country rap.

ZAC BROWN BAND/Beautiful Drug
Writers: Zac Brown/Niko Moon; Producer: In The Arena; Publishers: Day for the Dead/Southern Ground, SESAC; No Reserve/Republic (track)
-Propulsive, driving and relentless. Hang on for the second chorus when the harmonies, rhythm, electronics and atmosphere all kick in with full force. What a rush.

SIBLING RIVALRY/Home
Writers: Butaud/Butaud/Cotten/Johnson; Producers: Shane Stevens & Neeki Bey; Publishers: none listed; SR (track)
-Singer Olivia Butaud with her acoustic guitarist older brother Mitchell Butaud on harmony vocals have a tender, touching tune about the lonely death of a homeless man. Very folkie.

EMILY HAINES/Outside In
Writers: Janine LeClair/Michael Howard/Josh Thompson; Producer: Dean Scallan; Publishers: none listed; BMI; SSM (track)
-She has a vibrato that is quite ear catching in this bluesy, minor-key little outing. Intriguing.

EMILY VANCE/Serendipity
Writers: Carolina Baldridge/Emily Vance; Producers: Zac Odom/Kenneth Mount; EV (CDX)
-Very feminine and frothy. It has a giddy, girlish quality that makes you smile.

VINCE MATTHEWS & JIM CASEY/Melva’s Wine
Writers: Vince Matthews; Producers: Shel Silverstein, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson & Jack Clement; Publishers: Universal, BMI; Delmore Recording Society (track)
-Co-producer Johnny Cash called this “the greatest contemporary American folk song I ever heard.” I don’t know if I’d go that far, but it is a nice, acoustic, sing-song-y, simple ditty. It can be found on a song cycle called The Kingston Springs Suite. It was recorded in 1972 and performed as an “opera” once in 1978, but never released until now. These are folk songs and recitations about small-town people and small-town life. Colorful songwriter Vince Matthews died in 2003 at age 63, leaving behind such gems as “Love in the Hot Afternoon” (Gene Watson), “This Is My Year for Mexico” (Crystal Gayle), “The Toast of ‘45” (Sammi Smith) and cuts by Cash, Waylon, Hank Jr., Charley Pride, Webb Pierce and Gordon Lightfoot, plus this collection. His co-writer Jim Casey saved the tapes of this conceptual curiosity.