It is pathetic how few women are on the country charts these days. Meanwhile, pop radio embraces Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Lorde, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Pink, Kesha and on and on. You can’t tell me that Country listeners are any different, so why aren’t those programmers doing the same?
Let me offer some suggestions. This column is ALL female, and you’d have to be deaf to deny the latest from Rachel Holder, Jamie O’Neal, Ashton Shepherd and Rachael Turner. Not to mention our Disc of the Day winner, Kacey Musgraves. The DisCovery Award goes to The Haden Triplets, with Hailey Whitters a close second.
THE HADEN TRIPLETS/Single Girl, Married Girl
Writers: none listed; Producer: Ry Cooder; Publisher: none listed; Third Man (track)
-Their father is legendary jazz double bassist Charlie Haden, who grew up playing country music in the midwest and was once a sideman on The Ozark Jubilee. In 2008, he saluted his roots with the CD Rambling Boy, and that is where I first heard his talented offspring. The triplets’ self-titled album is out now on Jack White’s label, and it is completely addictive listening. This Carter Family classic is just one of its delights. They also cover Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, The Louvin Brothers and more. Their names are Tanya, Rachel and Petra Haden. Buy their record now.
HAILEY WHITTERS/Friday Night Laundry
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; HW (track)
-I like her drawling delivery, the working-gal lyric, the soulful backing guitar work and the girlfriend chit-chat touches. Very, very promising. Keep your ears on this newcomer. Love the six-song sampler. Send more.
JAMIE O’NEAL/Born To Run
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Shanachie (track)
-O’Neal’s Eternal CD drops next month. It’s a collection of country oldies. Based on this lead-off revival of Emmylou Harris’s 1982 toe tapper, we’re in for a treat. O’Neal’s forceful voice is stronger than ever. Check it out when she changes keys upward toward the finale. Very cool.
KRISTY COX/One Heartbreak Away
Writers: Jerry Salley/Gerald Crabb; Producer: Jerry Salley; Publishers: Universal/Brentwood Benson/Lasso the Moon/Hatchie Bottom/Capital CMG, SESAC/BMI; Pisgah Ridge
– The instrumentation is bluegrass, but her vocal is crystal-clear country. Sweet sounding: As rippling and frothy as a mountain stream.
RACHEL HOLDER/Shining Now
Writers: Bill Luther/Bob Regan; Producers: Chuck Howard/Wilbur Rimes; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/This Town/Dixie Stars/Regan, BMI/ASCAP; Curb (CDX)
-I have always loved this lady’s work. She is a for-real singer, and this time out she kicks serious butt with a frothing, churning country rocker. Go get ‘em, honey. And whoever that guy singing harmony with you is, take him on the road with ya.
EILEEN CAREY/Let It Go
Writers: Eileen Carey/Kathryn Grimm; Producer: Travis Allen Childress; Publishers: Rolleycstr/Grimm Girl, BMI; Rolleycstr (track)
– The song is okay. But the track is too busy, and her singing voice is too generic.

KACEY MUSGRAVES/Keep It To Yourself
Writers: Kacey Musgraves/Luke Laird/Shane McAnally; Producers: Kacey Musgraves/Luke Laird/Shane McAnally; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/351/Songs of Universal/Creative Nation/Twangin and Slangin/Crazy Water/Smack Songs/Little Blue Egg/Kobalt, BMI/ASCAP; Mercury Nashville
– Enchanting. The percolating production bobs and swirls around her tart/sweet vocal as she details an unraveling relationship. This woman is audio magic. Embrace her.
TORI MARTIN/Done Deal
Writers: Tori Martin/Bart Rose; Producer: Bart Rose; Publisher: none listed; Martin 3
-It’s a bluesy Southern rocker, punctuated by wailing harmonica and a searing guitar solo. The gist of the lyric is that the new boyfriend is a big liar, so she’s giving him some lip.
ASHTON SHEPHERD/Seventeen Again
Writers: Ashton Shepherd; Producers: Larry Baird/Ronnie Rodgers; Publishers: Gin Road, BMI; Pickin’ Shed (CDX)
-Very enjoyable. In this lilting ditty, she figures out how to live in the moment, like she did when she was a kid. Breezy and spring-like.
RACHEL TURNER/Meet Me In The Middle
Writers: Jeff Cohen/Nathan Chapman/Cheyenne Kimball; Producer: Zach Abend; Publisher: none listed; Rustic
-The veteran indie label Rustic is back and marking its comeback with this splendid country rocker. Turner sings with power and range, nailing even the toughest notes with confidence. The spirited production has the sass to back her up, too. This gal has the goods.

I think I hear sounds of warmer days to come. Branch & Dean, Gwen Sebastian and Eric Paslay all have tempo tunes tailored to spring and summer playlists. So does the Eli Young Band. In fact, the group’s “Dust” is the rockin’ Disc of the Day. And now for something completely — and refreshingly — different. I present for your listening pleasure, Home Free. This week’s DisCovery Award winner is Country’s first a cappella singing group. I think you will find them as delightfully listenable as I did.
RAY PRICE & MARY SARAH/Heartaches By The Number
Writers: Harlan Howard; Producer: Kent Wells/Freddy Powers; Publisher: none listed, BMI; 144e (track)
-What’s the point? Ray’s 1959 original was a perfect country record in every way. All this remake proves is that he was still singing as flawlessly as ever as he aged. Her voice, on the other hand, is utterly superfluous.
BRANCH & DEAN/Glad She’s Not An Angel
Writers: Michael Huffman/Joy Harris/Tim Curtis; Producers: Dean Scallan/Michael Huffman/Jeff Silvey; Publisher: Hori Pro, ASCAP; SSM (CDX)
-I like the moxie in the records that these guys make. While an insistent beat and relentless guitar licks pump beneath their vocals, they praise a babe with a few rough edges and some not-so-prim personality. Totally groovy.
GWEN SEBASTIAN/Annie’s New Gun
Writers: Maher/Stover/West; Producer: Lewis Newman; Publishers: West Moraine/Songs of Welk/Universal/Z-Tunes/Hits and Smashes/That’s How I Roll/MGB/Desnemoiresmusic, ASCAP; Flying Island (CDX)
-She’s pert and perky, bopping and blissful, because she doesn’t give a flip that her boyfriend left her yesterday. There are plenty more guys out there, and she’s on a merry hunt for a “new gun.”
ERIC PASLAY/Song About A Girl
Writers: Eric Pasley/Jessi Alexander/Gordie Sampson; Producer: Marshall Altman; Publishers: Cal IV/Five Stone/Party of Five/Kobalt/Bughouse/Dash8/Bug/BMG Chrysalis, ASCAP; EMI (track)
-I liked Eric’s stripped-down introduction of this minor-key gem at CRS. And I like this atmospheric-production version even better. He’s on a roll: the boy goes two for two.
JENNIFER NETTLES/Me Without You
Writers: Jennifer Nettles/Tim Owens/Derek George; Producer: Rick Rubin; Publishers: Jennifer Nettles/Pedal Down/Tejuilla/Ampolified/WB/Funky Hair, ASCAP; Mercury Nashville
-The delicate acoustic accompaniment is gently persuasive. Her forcefully direct delivery of the ballad is as sure footed as can be, and remarkably free of the molasses mannerisms of her previous vocal drawl.

HOME FREE/Wake Me Up
Writers: Tim Bergling/Michael Einziger/Aloe Blacc; Producers: Darren Rust/Home Free; Publishers: EMI Blackwood/Elementary Particle/Aloe Blacc, BMI/ASCAP; Columbia (track)
-Is country music ready for an a cappella group? I sure hope so. These five Minnesota natives won first place on TV’s The Sing Off and are now headed for a radio station near you. This wildly catchy tune (already a hit by Avicii), fabulous harmonies and beatbox propulsion send them on their way in marvelous style. Home Free’s Crazy Life CD also includes an ear-opening rearrangement of “Ring of Fire,” plus a Hunter Hayes medley of “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me,” “Wanted” and “I Want Crazy.” Essential listening.
TRACY LAWRENCE/Lie
Writers: Ruben Estevez/Brad Ramsey/Jason Massey; Producers: Flip Anderson & Tracy Lawrence; Publishers: Sweet Red Mango/Torez/Tasty Red Mango/Egg Suckin’ Dog/I-Forty/Jason Massey, BMI/ASCAP; LMG (track)
-He desperately wants to know about his ex, but can’t face the truth if she’s happy without him and has moved on with another. Hence the instruction to lie. The power ballad is very well written, and Tracy remains a terrific communicator in song. Recommended.
PAPA DON McMINN/Pick A Dream
Writers: Larry Raspberry; Producer: Don Nix; Publisher: Shifryleepole, BMI; SLG (track)
-McMinn is a Memphis blues performer and Beale Street club owner who dreamed of making a country record. Producer Nix made that dream a reality in 1989. Well, almost. Shunned by Music Row for being too r&b, the tapes were shelved for 25 years. Now dusted off and released at last, they showcase an effortlessly soulful vocalist and a band that knows its way around.
ELI YOUNG BAND/Dust
Writers: Jon Jones/James Young/Kyle Jacobs/Josh Osborne; Producers: Justin Niebank/Frank Liddell/Eli Young Band; Publishers: Agent 4T5/Young James Young/NATC/Curb Songs/Jacobsong/Wizard of Os/Songs of Black River, BMI/ASCAP; Republic Nashville
-It’s a rocker with a double-time backbeat and some wailin’ guitar work. In the lyric, she’s splitting, hitting the road, turning up the radio, cranking the windows down and leaving nothing but the title substance. Raise your hands, dance around, get dizzy and sing along.
ASHLEY ROBERTSON/Wild & Free
Writers: Ashley Robertson; Producers: John Nicholson/Ashley Robertson; Publisher: none listed; SOCAN; AR
-She has a sweetly aching delivery on this languid, torn-between-two-lovers ballad. The piano-dominated production is wonderfully sympathetic, soulful and understated. I was quite charmed by the whole thing.

When you have so many cool newcomers that it is hard to pick your award winner, that is a good day. This week marks the DisClaimer column debuts of Erica Hoyt, Leather & Lace and Chad Sullins & The Last Call Coalition. Any or all of them could be the DisCovery Award winner. With a toss of the coin, I’m giving the award to the family band, Leather & Lace.
Many of the rest of the discs reviewed here are flawed in one way or another. Miranda Lambert’s song doesn’t scan terribly well. Florida Georgia Line’s single with Luke Bryan is hardly a song at all. Maggie Rose has a terrific lyric, but can’t seem to deliver it with apt emotion. The only true piece of perfection is the Clinton Gregory/Collin Raye effort “Some Real Good People.” I’d give it some kind of song award if anybody had bothered to tell me who wrote it.
That leaves us with the disc which is offering something that’s always reliable, a grand vocalist performing classic songs. The Disc of the Day prize goes to the always classy Suzy Bogguss.
JJ LAWHORN/Good Ol’ Boys Like Us
Writer: Jonathan Lawhorn; Producer: Jeremy Stover; Publishers: EMI April/Songs of Hanover Holler/You Gotta Want It, ASCAP; Average Joe’s
-I still like his drawling accent, and this is his best written song to date. Once you get past the premise that God has a special place in Heaven for guys splattering mud in pickup trucks.
CLINTON GREGORY & COLLIN RAYE/Some Real Good People
Writer: none listed; Producers: Tammy Hyler/Larry Beaird; Publishers: none listed; Melody Roundup
-You wouldn’t think these two voices would go together, but they do. And what both men share is an appreciation for a well-written message song. Which this driving, uplifting number most certainly is. Richly deserving of massive airplay.
SUZY BOGGUSS/I Always Get Lucky With You
Writers: Merle Haggard/Gary Church/Freddy Powers/Bobby Whitson; Producers: Suzy Bogguss/Doug Crider; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Shade Tree, BMI; Loyal Duchess
-There is something about this woman’s voice that I have always found completely captivating. Her trademark lustrous warmth is all over Lucky, her just-released collection of Merle Haggard songs. She gives this 1983 George Jones hit co-written by the Hag a sweetly bluesy lilt that makes it sound brand new. This whole album is an audio gift with its emphasis on simple arrangements and pristine instrumental solos as well as its songs and their singer.
MAGGIE ROSE/Looking Back Now
Writer: Lisa Carver; Producers: Blake Chancey/James Stroud/Stephony Smith; Publishers: Sony-ATV Cross Keys/Big Alpha Writers Group, ASCAP; RPM (track)
-This tale of betrayal, murder and prison execution is pretty dang cool. Her delivery of it, however, is bafflingly “sunny.” The purse doesn’t match the shoes.
FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE & LUKE BRYAN/This Is How We Roll
Writers: Brian Kelley/Tyler Hubbard/Cole Swindell/Luke Bryan; Producer: Joey Moi; Publishers: Big Loud Mountain/Big Loud Bucks/Sony-ATV Tree/Peanut Mill, BMI; Republic Nashville
-Catchy bro country with beats to spare and a repetitive, repetitive, repetitive chorus that infects your mind.

CHAD SULLINS & THE LAST CALL COALITION/Couple 1,000 Miles
Writer: Chad Sullins; Producer: Mike McClure; Publisher: Madcor; no performance rights listed; Madcor (track)
-He sings in a macho, world-weary baritone, and the band backs him with an appropriately muscular tone. Steel, electric guitar, organ and percussion are as important here as the wandering-man lyric. The album is titled Wicked Spell, and it casts one. Very promising.
MIRANDA LAMBERT/Automatic
Writers: Miranda Lambert/Nicolle Galyon/Natalie Hemby; Producers: Frank Liddell/Chuck Ainlay/Glenn Worf; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Pink Dog/Warner-Tamerlane/EMI Blackwood/Wruckestrike, BMI; RCA
-The thrilling track churns and froths and foams all around her. Amid the excitement, Lambert yearns for a simpler time when everything wasn’t automatic. The song is somewhat word-y and hardly ever rhymes, but I guarantee you’ll hang on every line.
ERICA HOYT/Love Me For Me
Writers: Armstrong/Hoyt/Rossebo/Waters; Producers: Jon Armstrong/Ryan Rossebo; Publisher: none listed; EH (track)
-Sweet and girl-y. Well produced, well written and well sung. But you might want to double check your insulin level before listening.
KELLIE PICKLER/Closer To Nowhere
Writers: Carson Chamberlain/Wade Kirby/Phil O’Donnell; Producers: Luke Wooten/Frank Liddell; Publishers: none listed; Black River (track)
-La Pickler’s latest is a rhythmic sultry suggestion about going out, making out, acting out or just being alone together. I remain a huge fan, and this sensuous song is splendid.

LEATHER & LACE/Red
Writers: Sam Tinnesz/Jennifer Zuffinetti/Blake Bollinger/Lisa Carver; Producer: Kim Copeland; Publishers: none listed; Leather & Lace
-This is a sibling band of three brothers and a sister, so the CD is titled Family Tree. On its kick-off single, the sound is faintly menacing, minor-key, “outlaw” country rock, and the lyric has a roulette-wheel gambling romantic theme. Hot stuff.

It’s all stars, no waiting, in this week’s Country column. Most of them are in peak performance mode, so there’s a lot to like. I was particularly impressed with the new tunes from Eric Church and Keith Urban. Despite the presence of a number of superstars, a second-tier act seized the Disc of the Day prize. Gloriana is gloriously listenable. We also have a dandy audio experience from our DisCovery Award winners, The Swon Brothers.
ERIC CHURCH/Give Me Back My Hometown
Writers: Eric Church & Luke Laird; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: Sony-ATV Tree/Longer and Louder/Songs of Univesal/Creative Nation/Twangin and Slangin, BMI; EMI (CDX)
-Arguably Church’s finest vocal on a single to date. Joyce’s brilliant production starts with soft electronic burbling then kicks into a delayed-reaction thunderous stomp. Gripping listening, from start to finish.
RONNIE MILSAP/Summer Number Seventeen
Writers: Joe Hunter/Sam Hunter; Producer: Richard Landis & Rob Galbraith; Publishers: Donavan the Sloth/Bluewater/Johala, no performance rights listed; Legacy (CDX)
-An easy-listening, old-school romantic ballad, complete with sighing orchestra, a sizzling sax solo and piano triplets. Veteran Milsap is in excellent voice here.
KEITH URBAN/Cop Car
Writers: Zach Crowell/Matt Jenkins/Sam Hunt; Producers: Zach Crowell & Keith Urban; Publishers: Songs of Southside Independent/External Combustion/Who Wants to Buy My Pub/WB/Twang Tractor/Wrensong, ASCAP; Capitol Nashville
-Getting busted has never sounded more romantic. The left-of-center song totally charmed me, and Urban’s performance gives it immense warmth and personality. A winner, for sure.
GLORIANA/Best Night Ever
Writers: Hillary Lindsey/Luke Laird/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Matt Serletic; Publishers: BMG Gold/Songs of Universal/Creative Nation/Twangin’ and Slangin’/Songs of Southside Independent/Out of the Taperoom/External Combustion, BMI/ASCAP; Warner. Bros.
-Driving and propulsive, this tempo tune makes excellent use of the band’s double-threat vocalists. The song alternates from the male and female points of view as a romance is unwittingly kindled. Meanwhile, the production churns and burns up into the stratosphere. Superbly executed, all the way around.
EASTON CORBIN/Clockwork
Writers: Carson Chamberlain/Wade Kirby/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Publishers: Carson Chamberlain/Steel Wheels/Kirbtone/Big Loud Bucks/External Combustion/Out of the Taperoom/Songs of Southside Independent, BMI/ASCAP; Mercury
-The lyric is somewhat wordy. The gist of it is that she makes love to him and breaks his heart over and over again. This single sort of went in one ear and out the other without ever really engaging or captivating me.
JAKE OWEN/Beachin’
Writers: Jaren Johnston/Jon Nite/Jimmy Robbins; Producer: Joey Moi; Publishers: Sony-ATV Harmony/Texa Rae/EMI April/Jon Mark Nite/Universal/Extraordinary Alien, ASCAP; RCA
-Drowsy, dreamy summer romance for stoners everywhere.
ELI YOUNG BAND/Dust
Writers: Jon Jones/James Young/Kyle Jacobs/Josh Osborne; Producers: Justin Niebank, Frank Liddell & Eli Young Band; Publishers: Agent 415/Young James Young/Curbsongs/Jacobsong/Wizard of Os/Songs of Black River, BMI/ASCAP; Republic Nashville
-She’s sick of her life with that boy in that nowhere town, so she’s putting pedal to the metal, turning up the radio and heading for the open road. And this band has just the punching tempo accompaniment for her flight to freedom. Tap your toes and sing along.
RASCAL FLATTS/Rewind
Writers: Chris DeStafano/Ashley Gorley/Eric Paslay; Producers: Jay DeMarcus & Rascal Flatts; Publishers: EMI April/Sugar Glider/External Combustion/Out of the Taperoom/Songs of Southside Independent/Cal IV, ASCAP; Big Machine
-Sweetly romantic. He wishes he could turn back time so he can fall in love with her all over again. As usual, the trio sings with shiny-bright verve.
THE SWON BROTHERS/Later On
Writers: Ryan Hurd/Joey Hyde/Justin Wilson; Producer: Mark Bright; Publishers: Universal/Lake Allegan/Sony-ATV Tree/Magic Mustang/Big Loud Bucks, ASCAP/BMI; Arista
-I loved these guys when they competed on The Voice and was delighted when they got a recording contract. Their debut single is a sunny salute to an alluring babe that has a deliciously addictive chorus. Bopping and promising in the extreme.
TIM MCGRAW/Lookin’ For That Girl
Writers: James Slater/Chris Tompkins/Mark Irwin; Producer: Byron Gallimore & Tim McGraw; Publishers: EMI Blackwood/Jamesslatermusic/Sony-ATV/Big Loud Songs/Play Animal/Big Loud Bucks/Green Vinyl, BMI/ASCAP; Big Machine
-It is very cool sounding, even though — like a dismaying amount of today’s “Country” music — it doesn’t have much of a melody. Go with the groove.

It’s high time we took an audio stroll through Music City’s Americana scene. Where have all our female singer-songwriters gone in this town? Evidently right here. Women dominate this stack of platters with worthy discs by Kim Richey, Julie Lee, Greta Gaines and Beth Nielsen Chapman. The other outstanding singer-songwriter platter belongs to Amos Lee. But the bands carried the day. Todd Snider’s new ensemble Hard Working Americans earned our Disc of the Day honor. The sensational The Wild Feathers flew away with the DisCovery Award.
GRETA GAINES/Good Side
Writer: G. Gaines; Producers: Eric Fritsch/Greta Gaines; Publisher: Oh Happy!; BMI; Big Air (track)
-Where to begin? For those not familiar with this Nashville singer-songwriter, she is the 1992 winner of the Women’s Extreme Snowboarding World Championship, the host of MTV’s broadcasts of similar events, the 2001-2004 star of the Oxygen channel series Freeride, a soundtrack composer, an ESPN broadcaster of fly fishing events and a board member of NORML, seeking to reform marijuana laws. All the while, she’s been releasing well-received CDs. Lighthouse & The Impossible Love is her fifth collection. This track departs from her prior country-rock sound in favor of a sultry, soul-inflected, sexy, soft vocal style. Heartily recommended.
BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN/The Mighty Sky
Writers: Chapman/Alvey; Producers: Beth Nielsen Chapman/Annie Roboff; Publishers: Rock Alvey/Songs of Prismight; BMI/SESAC; BNC (track)
-Chapman is nominated for a Children’s Music Grammy Award this year for a collection of astronomy songs. As always, this Nashville pop stylist is a mistress of lovely melody making, as this celestial title tune so ably illustrates. This truly is music for children of all ages. And I don’t care how old you are, the accompanying booklet will delight you with things you never knew.
JULIE LEE/Till and Mule
Writers: Julie Lee; Producers: Julie Lee/Aaron Roche; Publisher: Still House Road; SESAC; JL (track)
-I have long been a fan of this singer-songwriter. If you’re not, you should be. Her world-class, folk-country soprano is as crystal-clear as an Appalachian brook, and her vivid songwriting is just as stellar. This echoey title ballad of her new album will make your heart tremble.
HARD WORKING AMERICANS/Down To The Well
Writers: Kevin Gordon/Colin Kendall Linden; Producers: Dave Schools/Todd Snider; Publishers: Little Bug/Bug/WB; no performance rights listed; Melvin (track)
-This group is fronted by longtime Americana hero Todd Snider. On this thumpy, hard-times tune, his trademark raspy vocal delivery is given extra potency thanks to extremely tasty guitar work (Neal Casal) and an ultra-tough rhythm section (Duane Trucks, Dave Schools, Chad Staehly). In keeping with the band name, many of the tunes have blue-collar themes.
KIM RICHEY/Thorn In My Heart
Writers: Kim Richey/Nelson Hubbard; Producer: Nelson Hubbard; Publishers: BMG Chyrsalis/Plastic Bird, BMI/PRS; Yep Rock (Track)
-Richey has returned to Music City. For which we should all shout, “Hallelujah.” The title tune of her current CD reminds you of how completely captivating her sweet-sad, world-weary style is. The harmony vocals by Will Kimbrough are equally soul-tugging. Luscious melody and infinite heartache. Buy this and every other album you see her name on.
AMOS LEE/Mountains of Sorrow
Writers: Amos Lee; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: Soma Eel; BMI; Blue Note (track)
-This Americana fave and his band came to Nashville and put themselves in the capable hands of producer Jay Joyce. The result is a “drop the needle anywhere” album. It doesn’t matter which track you choose, your ears are in for an audio delight. The performances are mostly captured live, but in the case of this loping, engaging, mournful title tune, Patty Griffin was persuaded to add vocal harmony. Other illustrious guests dropping by included Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas and Mickey Raphael. Amos plays Music City Roots tonight.
FATS KAPLIN AND KRISTI ROSE/Gold
Writers: Rose/Kaplin; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Pulp Country
-This esteemed sideman for Jack White (and many others) has a double CD. One disc is The Fatman Cometh and the other is World of Wonder, and both showcase his dazzling abilities on fiddle, mandolin, percussion, dobro, banjo, theramin and baglama, not to mention his composing skills. Kaplan’s partner Kristi Rose drops by to croon this bluesy love song on the second CD. This man’s music will enthrall you.
THE WILD FEATHERS/The Ceiling
Writers: Joel King/Taylor Burns/Ricky Young; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: Effecter/Evan Taylor Burns/Young Town Mountain; ASCAP/BMI; Warner Bros.
-The thrilling debut album by this Nashville five-piece will restore your faith in the power of roots rock. This single/video showcases the group’s pile-driving rhythm, head-to-the-sky singing, supremely hooky melodic style, ringing instrumental abilities, sublime harmony vocalizing and addictive enthusiasm. It made me spin around the room in delight. Play it again and again and again.
WILL KIMBROUGH/Sideshow Love
Writer: Will Kimbrough; Producers: Will Kimbrough/David Henry; Publishers: Will Kimbrough/Bluewater; BMI; Daphne (track)
-This universally respected Nashville singer-songwriter-guitarist has been moving more and more in an Americana direction in recent years. The title tune to his new collection is a bluesy, stripped-down outing that wryly romps in all the right ways. I remain a big, big fan.
NED VAN GO/Poor White Trash Southern Reputation Blues
Writers: Hill/Webb; Producer: Michael Webb; Publishers: Ned Hill/DoubleKick; SESAC/BMI; NVG (track)
-I’m a little late getting to these drawling Kentuckians, whose Lost in the Trouble CD dropped a few months back. This hilarious, rawking, hillbilly romp tells you everything you need to know about their irreverence, wit and spunk.