All hail the fine folks at CDX. Not only do these bi-monthly compilation discs keep us up to date on what the major labels are putting out (or aren’t, which seems to be the case lately), each one is also a smorgasbord of what the indies are offering. For me, that means the anticipation of hearing new voices. This week’s column is a sampling from that smorgasbord. Here to remind us that not everything needs to be serious is the durable Cerrito. His novelty tune is just silly enough to win the Disc of the Day prize. I have no idea who North 40 is/are. But among the many unknowns I listened to today, they were my favorites. Give ‘em a DisCovery Award.
DOUG NEWMAN & SOS RENEWAL/Gonna Give You Praise
Writers: Doug Newman; Producer: Robert Metzger; Publisher: Buddy & Billy/Sony-ATV Songs, BMI; Platinum Plus
-The track is slightly sloppy, old-time rock ‘n’ roll. The singer is righteously into it. Retro all the way.
JOE/Final Curtain Call
Writers: Gene Cash; Producer: Allen Cash; Publisher: Divison, BMI; Music Row (CDX)
-The cow is moaning in the barn. Somebody put it out to pasture.
BLACKJACK BILLY/The Booze Cruise
Writers: Noll Billings/Jeff Coplan/Chuck Jones; Producers: Jeff Coplan and Blackjack Billy; Publishers: 3rd Nineteen/Vandermont/City Angel/Ole Red Cape/Roots Three/Ole/No E No D/Big Spaces/Amplified Admin/Poppy Loppy, ASCAP/SOCAN/BMI; TTA (CDX)
-Energetic and merry, if rather melodically challenged.
KARI & BILLY/Play Me a Fiddle Song
Writers: Billy Arnold; Producers: Billy Arnold and Kari Arnold; Publisher: none listed; BMI; Applause (CDX)
-Earnest and well meaning, but thin sounding. Kari, by the way, can barely be heard. Despite the billing, this is essentially a Billy performance.
BURLY CLYDE/Living In America
Writers: Charlie Midnight/Dan Hartman; Producers; Mark Needham and Charlie Midnight; Publishers: Bay Parkway/Round Hill Works, BMI; MAN (CDX)
-That’s right: It’s the 1986 James Brown hit refashioned as a wailing country-rocker. Kinda different. Kinda cool.
CERRITO/Hot Pepper Doll
Writers: Cy Coben; Producers: Felipe De LaRosa, Bartley Pursely and Cerrito; Publisher: Delmore, ASCAP; Checo (CDX)
-This Latin bopper comes complete with staccato horn bursts as it praises the spicy culinary skills of his betrothed. They’ll be wed if his stomach can take the heat. Very cute.
NORTH 40/Hey Girl Hey
Writers: Paige Logan/Amber Rose; Producers: Leigh Reynolds and Mills Logan; Publisher: Molly Jack, BMI; Rhymetown (CDX)
-The lead singer has an attractively smokey, dramatic delivery, and she struts her way through this with moxie to spare. This is her night to rock.
JAY JOLLEY/God Save Us All From Religion
Writers: Doug Johnson, Charlie Daniels and Kim Williams; Producer: Chuck Alkazian; Publishers: Sony ATV Cross Keys/Triple Cross/Mike Curb/Sweet Radical/Wooley Swamp, BMI/ASCAP; Double J (CDX)
-“We’ve got Jews and Muslims and ten thousand flavors of Christians,” ponders the man at the bar while he watches a hypocrite preacher on TV. “We kill in God’s name.” Which leads to the title phrase.
JARED BLAKE/Countrified
Writers: Jared Blake, Skidd Mills, Carl Bell; Producer: Skidd Mills; Publishers: Hey Y’all Watch This/Skiddoo/Lucky Diamond, BMI; Skiddco (CDX)
-She’s a city sophisticate, but he’s going to change her by exposing her to honky-tonkin,’ drinking and brawling. Guess what? It works. The screaming guitar and his drawling, baritone, Southern-rock delivery must have done the trick.
LOGAN TUDEEN/Circles
Writers: Logan Tudeen/Kent Wells; Producer: Kent Wells; Publishers: Logan Tudeen/Creek Valley; BMI/ASCAP; Go Time (CDX)
-The track has a moody, bluesy tone. She has a penetrating voice, yet it sounds like she is trying a little too hard. Forceful, but not something I’d listen to again.

The guys and the gals are canceling each other out this week. Jason Cassidy and Toby Keith have the two finest new male singles, and they are equally potent. Likewise, womanly Debbie Cochran and girlish Sarah Darling both have super strong singles, although in completely different ways. That leaves room for the group Blue Sky Riders to ride to the rescue with the Disc of the Day. I know you’re probably sick of reading me rave about this trio (Kenny Loggins, Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman), but I’m not going to stop until every one of you goes out and buys the album and hears what I’m talking about. So there. Nobody wins a DisCovery Award in this edition of DisClaimer.
TRACY LAWRENCE/Footprints on the Moon
Writers: Ben Hayslip/Dallas Davidson/Rhett Akins; Producers: Flip Anderson & Tracy Lawrence; Publishers: WB/Get a Load of This/EMI Blackwood, ASCAP/BMI; LMC (CDX)
-Tempo for your summer playlist, plus an ultra-romantic lyric. Soaring sonics.
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW/Carry Me Back To Virginia
Writers: Secor/Haynes/Watson; Producer: Ted Hutt; Publishers: Blood Donor/Broken Banjo/Spirit One, BMI; ATO (CDX)
-This acoustic band is currently riding high as the co-writer of Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel.” This just-released, fiddle-tune pep-fest is for the frisky clogger in all of us. Folk flavored and earthy, it’s a tongue-tripping performance with a built-in smile.
TOBY KEITH/Drinks After Work
Writers: Natalie Hemby/Luke Laird/Barry Dean; Producer: Toby Keith; Publishers: EMI Blackwood/Wruckestrike/Songs of Universal/Creative Nation/Country Paper/Pulse Nation/Twangin and Slangin, BMI; Show Dog
-He is propositioning in the nicest way in this scampering ditty. Hey, where’s the harm in a little conversation during Happy Hour? As usual, Toby sings with enormous charm and personality.
JASON CASSIDY/Blame It On Waylon
Writers: Rhett Akins/Josh Thompson; Producers: Greg Hunt and Jason Cassidy; Publisher: none listed; JC (track)
-The production rocks righteously, and his country baritone has just the right touch of “outlaw” swagger. Already a hit in Texas, I see no reason why this stomper couldn’t have much, much wider appeal.
SARAH DARLING/Little Umbrellas
Writers: Sarah Darling/Doug Johnson/Rob Crosby; Producer: Ilya Toshinsky; Publishers: Golden Vault/Wadmalaw/Black River/Sweet Conspiracy/Offer You Can’t Refuse/Little Darling/Want a Fresh One, BMI/ASCAP; 764
-Perky, pop-y, choppy, bopping. Her lilting delivery is sweetly girlish, but the lyric is about empowerment and getting over a guy. Extremely catchy.
DEBBIE COCHRAN/When You’re Loving Me
Writer: Debbie Cochran; Producer: Kent Wells; Publisher: DMC Anniston; BMI; Go Time (track)
-Her languid, lustrous, throaty, confident, slightly bluesy delivery is enchanting. The band locks into a steady groove behind her on this seductive, mid-tempo outing. Dreamy listening.
BLUE SKY RIDERS/Feelin’ Brave
Writers: Blue Sky Riders; Producers: Peter Asher and Blue Sky Riders; Publishers: Gnossos/Connboy/Middle Girl, ASCAP/SESAC; 3 Dream (track)
-All 15 tracks on this group’s debut CD Finally Home are so uniformly superb that choosing what to issue as a single must be insanely difficult. This throbbing, tempo-shifting, harmony-drenched choice provides moments for all three vocalists to shine. Beyond fabulous.
T.J. BROSCOFF/This Is The Moment
Writer: T.J. Broscoff; Producers: Bill Green and T.J. Broscoff; Publisher: Bill Green, BMI; BGM
-His delivery of this heartbreak toe-tapper has hillbilly soul. Punchy and potent, despite the somewhat slim production values.
ASHTON SHEPHERD/This Is America
Writer: Ashton Shepherd; Producers: Ronnie Rogers and Larry Beard; Publisher: none listed; Pickin’ Shed
-Just in time for the Fourth of July comes this patriotic number about surviving hard times. It is somewhat wordy, but she sings the fire out of it nonetheless.
AARON WOODS BAND/Hangin’ By The River
Writers: Aaron Woods/Colt Larimore; Producer: Tony Pierce; Publisher: none listed, BMI; EJP
-You can’t sing, and your song about a country party is so hackneyed it gives me a headache.

This week, it’s newcomers, “Come on down!”
Making their debuts in the column are Stephanie Quayle, Sturgill Simpson, Rob Baird, Rian Greene and Madison McKenzie. Obviously, one of them is walking off with a DisCovery Award. But which one will it be?
It will be Rob Baird of Austin, Texas. He sings with dusty authenticity and has co-written an escapist road song that puts pedal to the metal.
The Disc of the Day award goes to Robin Meade & Blue Sky Riders. TV news anchor Meade has proved in the past that she has what it takes as a country singer. Her “Here For You” collaboration with the trio of Gary Burr, Kenny Loggins & Georgia Middleman is a match made in heaven.

ROBIN MEADE & BLUE SKY RIDERS/Here for You
Writer: Erik Dylan/Robin Meade/Victoria Shaw; Producer: Victoria Shaw; Publisher: Warner-Tamerlane/Songs of the Corn/Meade in America/Victoria Shaw/Do Write, BMI/ASCAP/SESAC; Meade in America (track) 
—Count on Me is the second country CD by popular HLN Morning Express TV host Meade. The collection leads off with this stirring, passionate ode to fidelity and emotional support. Meade’s sturdy alto delivery trembles with emotion and the interwoven vocal harmonies of the Blue Sky Riders send the track into the stratosphere. The collection includes seven songs co-written by the singer, as well as covers of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” and Garth Brooks’ “The Dance.”

ROB BAIRD/Dreams and Gasoline
Writer: Rob Baird/Rick Brantley; Producer: Scott Davis & Kevin Szymanski; Publisher: Tiltawhirl/Carnival/Scrambler, BMI/ASCAP; Carnival (CDX)  
—I like the urgency and passion in his voice. The country-rock track rumbles along splendidly. His composition has the irresistible forward momentum and sky-high optimism of all great road songs. A thrilling performance.
RACHELE LYNAE/Fishin’ for Something
Writer: Rachele Lynae/Hannah Bethel; Producer: Jamie O’Neal; Publisher: Rachele Lynae/Hamywyn, ASCAP/BMI; Momentum 
—Very cleverly written, featuring plenty of water, bait, fish and angling metaphors. The track rocks nicely with a punchy backbeat and cool banjo and dobro licks. The vocal performance has all the moxie you could ask for.
LIVEWIRE/Whiskey Sunday
Writer: Joe Romano/Jason Vanover; Producer: Justin Woods; Publisher: Carolina Basketball/Draw Four, ASCAP/BMI; Way Out West
—Heartache, performed with a lively tempo, vocal harmonies and a catchy tune. Highly listenable.
CLAYTON GARDNER/Something About You
Writer: Clayton Gardner/Mack Damon; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed
—He has a burnished baritone voice with a “lived in” quality that is quite attractive. The song is a romantic country-rocker that invites you dance and sing along. Well done.
STEPHANIE QUAYLE/Stand Back
Writer: Stephanie Quayle/Mindy Ellis Campbell/Mark Carson; Producer: Dale Libby; Publisher: none listed; Rebel Engine (track)
—She sings well. Not that the song is a vocal showcase of any kind. It barely has a melody. Rock energy is no substitute for craftsmanship.
STURGILL SIMPSON/Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean
Writer: Sturgill Simpson; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publisher: Pan Bowl. ASCAP; High Top Mountain (track)
—This singer-songwriter has a cool, retro style that is country, country, country. This opening track of his just-released CD borrows its rolling atmosphere from the outlaw sound of Waylon Jennings. Which is a good thing, indeed. Simpson has been opening shows for Dwight Yoakam and Junior Brown, and I’ll bet he’s darn good at it.
PHILLIP THOMAS/Summer Fun
Writer: none listed; Producer: Phillip Thomas & A.J. Vallejo; Publisher: none listed; Phillip Thomas  
—He certainly no powerhouse as a vocalist on this record. But his delivery of the lightweight, harmless ditty about being a teen at a beach party goes down easily.
RIAN GREENE/The Best I’ve Ever Had
Writer: Rian Greene; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Mountainwood, BMI; Post Oak (track) 
—This Nashville singer-songwriter has a hushed, intimate vocal style. The backing is spare, featuring jingle-jangle guitar and organ notes in a bopping, bubbling, mid-tempo arrangement.
MADISON McKENZIE/This Is My Life
Writer: Madison McKenzie; Producer: Bob Bullock; Publisher: Madi M, ASCAP; Madi M (track) 
—She has a youthful, confessional songwriting style that packs vivid details into every line. Vocally, she leans toward the breathy, pop end of the spectrum. Sonically, the ditty is airy and fluffy. Kid country.

Not one song mentions pickup trucks or beer this week. That’s because I took a break from country music and concentrated on the other side of Music City. Or should I say “sides?” In this stack of platters we find the rock of Paramore and The Features, the r&b of Lo Carter and Jonathan Winstead and the pop of Amy Grant and Courtney Jaye, among other styles.
The aforementioned Jonathan Winstead walks off with this week’s DisCovery Award. Who knew there was a quiet-storm crooner this soulful in our midst?
Because of the musical diversity, it’s apples and oranges I’m trying to compare. So there are two Disc of the Day winners. From the pop-rock column, it’s Paramore. From the gospel tradition come The McCrary Sisters, who also won with their previous disc.
MARY GAUTHIER/You Don’t Know Me
Writers: Eddy Arnold/Cindy Walker; Producer: Cheetah Chrome; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Mijac, BMI; Plowboy (track)
-Alt-folkie Gauthier has the title tune of the new Eddy Arnold tribute CD. Her drawled, behind-the-beat phrasing is accompanied by slow, shuffled drumming and a jazz clarinet solo. It has a vaguely New Orleans funeral vibe. Other participants on the eclectic collection include such non-country Nashvillians as The Bluefields, Jason Ringenberg, Melinda Doolittle, Lambchop, Bobby Bare Jr. and co-producer Cheetah Chrome, in addition to the solidly country Chuck Mead, Mandy Barnett and Chris Scruggs. Imported to Music City for the project are such rockers as Sylvain Sylvain, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ and Frank Black. Whether you like the resulting re-imaginings that this motley crew bring to Arnold’s classics or not, I promise you’ll listen, fascinated.

COURTNEY JAYE/One Way Conversation
Writers: none listed; Producer: Mike Wrucke; Publisher: none listed; CJ (track)
-This new Nashville pop princess has been showcasing the tunes from her debut CD in clubs around town during the past few weeks. Titled Love and Forgiveness, the album’s emphasis track is this stylish lament featuring her soaring, double-tracked soprano riding atop a groovy, tempo-shifting track. Tuneful and catchy.
THE FEATURES/This Disorder
Writers: Matthew Pelham; Producer: The Features; Publisher: Bug/Bughouse/Silent But Violent/This Is Daiglenetics/Ghost Riding, BMI/ASCAP; Serpents and Snakes
-This durable Nashville institution spotlights this steadily driving pop rocker on its self-titled new album. Characterized by bleating tenor singing, stomping rhythm and bright guitar bursts, it commands you to get out on the floor and shake your money maker. Hard to believe that these always-entertaining psych-rockers first appeared on our radar screens 16 years ago.
AMY GRANT/Don’t Try So Hard
Writers: Ben Glover/Amy Grant; Producer: Marshall Altman; Publisher:none listed; Capitol/Sparrow
–How Mercy Looks From Here, Grant’s first studio album in 10 years, contains a number of collaborations. Stellar guests include Carole King, Sheryl Crow, Eric Paslay, Will Hoge and Vince Gill. On this gentle, breathy, graceful pop performance, she is joined by James Taylor on a soft harmony vocal. Airy, whispered magic.
PARAMORE/Still Into You
Writers: Hayley Williams/Taylor York; Producer: Justin Meldal-Johnsen; Publisher: WB/But Father I Just Want to Sing/FBR/Hunterboro, ASCAP; Atlantic/Fueled By Ramen (track)
-The reconfigured, new edition of Paramore rocks as righteously as the old one did. Lead vocalist Hayley Williams adopts an ‘80s punk-rocking, new-wave attitude on this frothing rocker, the collection’s second single. Also check out the first one, the wildly slamming “Now.” The band remains one of Music City’s finest pop/rock ambassadors.
MARSHALL CHAPMAN/Blaze of Glory
Writers: Marshall Chapman; Producer: Michael Utley and Marshall Chapman; Publisher: none listed; TallGirl (track)
-Chapman concludes her new album with its title tune. “I never intended to make it this far….I always thought I’d go in a blaze of glory….playing rock ‘n’ roll music with my hair on fire,” she meditates over the simmering track. Don’t let her kid you with this slow-burn number, she’s still a rockin’ blueswoman at heart. In addition to her own fine tunes, the CD includes covers of “Blues Stay Away from Me” and “The Nearness of You.”
KEB MO & B.J. THOMAS/Most of All
Writers: Buddy Bule/James B. Cobb, Jr.; Producer: Kyle Lehning; Publisher: Sony-ATV, BMI; Wrinkled (track)
-Nashville’s most prominent bluesman doesn’t have a CD of his own this year. But you can hear him loud and clear on B.J. Thomas’s new collection of duets, The Living Room Sessions. The two men are soul brothers harmonizing on this lightly bopping classic. Keb Mo is especially riveting when he ad libs asides during B.J.’s vocal lines.

THE McCRARY SISTERS/Train
Writers: Ann McCrary/Tommy Sims/Calvin Smith; Producer: Tommy Sims; Publisher: none listed; BMI/ASCAP; MS (track)
-Since their last album together in 2011, the McCrarys have weathered health issues and personal woes. Their new All the Way collection contains spiritually uplifting songs like this chugging rocker that triumphs over all adversity. It practically begs you to clap hands and shout, “Hallelujah.” So do the Gary Nicholson/Tom Hambridage tune “Skin Deep,” the Bonnie Bishop/Jimmy Wallace rocker “Right Where You Are” and the sisters’ own “Hum and Moan,” “Let It Go” and “Victory.” Once again, Regina, Alfreda, Ann and Deborah prove they are Music City’s glorified, bona fide, riding-high soul sisters supreme. They’ve been hired to back everyone from Bob Dylan and Buddy Miller to Stevie Wonder and Solomon Burke. You’ll hear why on every track of this extraordinary set.
JONATHAN WINSTEAD/SexyLadyLove
Writers: none listed; Producer: Jonathan Winstead; Publisher: Winstead, SESAC; One Staj (track)
-Winstead was a winner at the last Nashville Independent Music Awards as our top male r&b vocalist. He has also developed a fan base in the U.K. His Lovestry CD includes this sensuous slow jam featuring his supple tenor riding atop a track with wah-wah guitar, throbbing bass, heartbeat drumming and “answering,” harmonizing background vocalists. Hang with him to the finale where he scat sings up into his high register. Cool in the extreme.
LO CARTER/Let Go
Writers: L. Carter/D.L. Anderson/J. Richey; Producer: Joey Richey; Publisher: Loc Over Time/Darnell Levine/Daddy’s Boy, ASCAP/BMI; Loc Over Time
-This Nashville chanteuse is a retro-soul stylist with a delectable CD titled Seasons. This lilting, jazz-inflected track has become a music video. She weaves through its melody with a feathery wafting soprano supported by a spare rhythm section and some synth work. Carter co-wrote all 10 of the collection’s tracks, including the rhythmic fan favorite, “Bill Collector.” Call her Music City’s answer to Sade.