Valory Music’s Justin Moore lands his first Disc of the Day prize this week.

I’m digging this kid’s singing more and more. If memory serves, he has been at the top of the charts twice now. I’m betting that “Til My Last Day” makes it a trifecta.

There’s a lot more music to recommend this week. Curb’s Rachel Holder has her finest single to date. Lionel Richie & Shania Twain are glowing together on Mercury. The Michigan duo Some Velvet Evening have a refreshing retro sound. And speaking of retro, the always dependable Chuck Mead is back and sounding as great as ever.

Our DisCovery Award goes to Logan Mize. Next week, this Big Yellow Dog songwriter will also become the debut artist on the publishing company’s new record label. Raise a glass and wish him bon voyage.

ROY SOLIS/Corpus Christi
Writer: Roy Solis/Johnny Garcia/Troy Powers; Producer: Johnny Garcia; Publisher: Avenue 1/Busy at Play/Mia’s Pub Shop, BMI/ASCAP; Avenue 1 (www.roysolismusic.com)
—Gently rolling, with some wonderfully deft guitar picking in between his softly plaintive tenor vocal phrases. Pleasantly listenable and easily programmable.

JUSTIN MOORE/Til My Last Day
Writer: Brian Dean Maher/Justin Moore/Jeremy Stover; Producer: Jeremy Stover; Publisher: Tunes of Bigger Picture/Big Music Machine/Double Barrel Ace/Super 98/EMI Apirl/Songs of Countrywood, ASCAP/BMI; Valory (track)
—He’s a bad boy who promises to change in order to prove the depth of his love. In fact, he’s vowing to love her until the day he dies. The driving, percussive production is terrific. His performance is soaked with sincerity, and the way he employs that small-town Arkansas drawl is completely endearing. This thing is going places.

SOME VELVET EVENING/Shooting the Breeze
Writer: Carrie Shepard/John Holkeboer; Producer: John Holkeboer; Publisher: none listed; SVE (track) (www.somevelvetevening.com)
—This Michigan duo is going for a retro sound here, and they nail it with charming simplicity. The nifty guitar twang and well-practiced harmony singing are both delightful. Check out their vintage, Opry-style video on the website.

LIONEL RICHIE & SHANIA TWAIN/Endless Love
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Mercury (ERG)
—The production is quite toned down from Lionel’s massively successful 1981 version with Diana Ross. But like virtually everything he’s ever written, the melody is so irresistible that you get swept away no matter what the musical surrounding. And, yes, this deserves to be a country smash.

RACHEL HOLDER/In Your Arms
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Curb (ERG)
—I was smitten with this the moment I heard it during CRS. It’s a lushly melodic power ballad with an almost hymn-like quality, and she delivers it with full fervor. Hang on for the chill-bump, upward modulation in the last chorus.

GEORGE HAMILTON IV & DARRELL McCALL/Abilene
Writer: L. Brown/G. Gibson/J. Loudermilk/A. Stanton; Producer: Justin Trevino; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose, BMI; Heart of Texas (track) (325-597-1895)
—The much-loved and durable Grand Ole Opry star traveled to the Lone Star State to record his new CD, In the Heart of Texas. He kicks it off with a reprise of his 1963 signature song that’s drenched in steel and twin fiddles. Honky-tonk great McCall takes a turn at the mic, too, but with quite a bit more vibrato.

EASTON CORBIN/Lovin’ You Is Fun
Writer: Jim Beavers/Bob DiPiero; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Beavertime/Love Monkey, BMI; Mercury (CDX)
—There’s nothing really wrong with this blandly bouncy ditty. But considering the caliber of material he’s previously released (”A Little More Country Than That,” “Roll With It,” “I Can’t Love You Back”), this has to be counted as a disappointment.

DEEANN DOMINY/Daddy Went to Prison
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Dizzee (track) (www.deeanndominy.com)
—This gal is a previous DisCovery Award winner, and I still say she deserves major-label attention. This is a distinctive, individual new songwriting voice that needs to be nurtured and encouraged.

CHUCK MEAD & JAMEY JOHNSON/You Better Treat Your Man Right
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Ramseur (track) (www.chuckmead.com)
—Back at the Quonset Hut is the second solo CD by this former BR5-49 frontman. In between them, he was the musical director for the successful Broadway musical The Million Dollar Quartet. The concept here is to return to Music Row’s very first studio and cut some straightforward country classics with his band, members of the original A-Team and some terrific guests. Jamey is a merry and lively vocal foil on this wry, Wayne Raney outing. Elsewhere, you’ll find Bobby Bare (”Hey Joe”), Elizabeth Cook (”Pickin’ Wild Mountain Berries”) and Old Crow Medicine Show (”Wabash Cannonball”). Highly recommended.

LOGAN MIZE/Rock N Roll Band
Writer: Logan Mize/Blake Chaffin; Producer: Daniel Tashian & Logan Mize; Publisher: Even the Losers/Year of the Dog/Big Yellow Dog/Music of Parallel/Amplified/Zoe and Her Friend Munkee, ASCAP/BMI; Big Yellow Dog (track) (www.loganmize.com)
—Logan’s Nobody in Nashville debut CD drops next Tuesday. His website is teasing this track as a sneak peak. It showcases his raspy, gripping delivery amid a blue-collar rock audio surrounding. He says he’s a disciple of Tom Petty, but you can also hear the hook-conscious, hillbilly influence of his uncle Billy Mize (who wrote Charlie Walker’s iconic 1960 hit “Who Will Buy the Wine”). To say the least, extremely promising. Count me in.

Everybody’s trying to introduce new artists, so do you think it might be Country Radio Seminar week or something?

More than half of the contenders in this week’s column are baby acts. But despite the plethora of newcomers, I didn’t find one that I thought deserved a DisCovery Award.

On the other hand, there were plenty of Disc of the Day contestants. So many, in fact, that I’m giving out Male, Female and Group honors. The Male Disc of the Day prize belongs to Hunter Hayes, who sounds like he has a real breakthrough single with “Wanted.” The Female is my longtime favorite Kellie Pickler with her “100 Proof.” The Duo/Group disc is unquestionably Thompson Square’s striking “Glass.”

Party on, conventioneers.

LISA MATASSA/Wouldn’t You Like to Know
Writer: Lisa Matassa/Don Rollins/Jody Gray; Producer: Jody Gray & Don Rollins; Publisher: Strike the Match/Curtis E. Flush/Smyth of Tunes/Chrysalis, BMI/ASCAP; 9 North/itiswhatitis (www.lisamatassa.com)
—The gals giggle and whisper to each other in the dance club, keeping the guys in the dark about what is going on. The production has a rocking, country-funk backbeat, and Matassa sings with plenty of oomph.

KELLIE PICKLER/100 Proof
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BNA (ERG) ()
—Their love might be soaked in sauce, but it’s the real thing. Beautifully done.

THOMPSON SQUARE/Glass
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Stoney Creek (ERG) ()
—This extremely well-written love ballad points to the fragility of romance. The harmony blend is just perfect, and the ear-tickling track ebbs and swirls. Spin this.

CLINT MARTIN/I Love Being Me
Writer: none listed; Producer: Tommy Detamore & Clint Martin; Publisher: none listed; CM (www.clintmartinband.com)
—This is a textbook example of what country rock is supposed to sound like. He sings with a down-to-earth drawl, and the band kicks butt behind him. Stinging guitar work, crisp percussion and righteous energy.

AARON LEWIS/Endless Summer
Writer: Aaron Lewis; Producer: James Stroud & Aaron Lewis; Publisher: WB/Greenfund, ASCAP; R & J (www.aaronlewismusic.com)
—He shows off confident lung power here. It’s the same old song, the one about country kids hanging out and having summer fun, but you have to wonder a little about someone who name-checks Jason Aldean and Miley Cyrus in the same lyric. I never liked Staind as a rock band, but I have to confess that with this single, its lead singer’s transition to country is complete.

KRISTEN KELLY/Ex-Old Man
Writer: Kristen Kelly/Paul Overstreet; Producer: Tony Brown & Paul Overstreet; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Scarlet Moon, BMI; Arista Nashville ()
—He was cheating on her with her best girlfriend. Then he gets tired of the girlfriend and hits on her again. No wonder she’s ticked off. Funky fun.

HUNTER HAYES/Wanted
Writer: Troy Verges/Hunter Hayes; Producer: Dann Huff & Hunter Hayes; Publisher: Songs of Universal/Songs From the Engine Room/Happy Little Man, BMI; Atlantic ()
—Not to be confused with the 1990 Alan Jackson smash with the same title, this song’s a tenor-voiced ballad wherein he wants to make her feel wanted. Hayes’ perfectly expressed vocal is a thing of wonder, and the melody is magnetic. I hear a hit.

BRAD WOLF/Too Many Mondays
Writer: Brad Wolf/Don Goodman/Sharon Resnick; Producer: Johnny Morris, Buddy Resnick & Don Goodman; Publisher: Big Hitmakers/Circle South/Little Tornadoes, BMI; Motion ()
—The blue-collar lyric is so strong that it really doesn’t matter that he sounds like he’s struggling to stay on pitch. Raucous barroom shenanigans.

CLAUDIA LEE/Hollywood Sunset
Writer: Max DiCarlo/Adam Iscove; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP; CLM 96 (www.claudialeelive.com)
—This pert blonde is featured on the CW TV series The Hart of Dixie. She’s 15 and sounds almost exactly like Taylor Swift.

LORI SMITH/What’s in it for Me
Writer: Bucky Jones/Tom Shapiro/Ron Hellard; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Universal Polygram/McBeck, BMI/ASCAP; 615 (615-776-2060)
—Not to be confused with the 1994 John Berry hit with the same title, this one’s a slow, sultry ballad pleading for lasting love. She has an interesting voice with a slight vibrato that’s particularly ear-catching when she dips into her dark alto register.

The premise sounds strong. Get a Verizon 4G LTE Android Gingerbread phone with front and rear facing cameras, an ultra sharp HD 720p display, a 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor and a pair of Beats Headphones by Dr. Dre. The HTC Rezound also promises, “Beats Audio technology for studio sound.” When the package arrived I wasted no time ripping it open to get my eyes and ears all over this baby.

My initial reaction unfortunately, was akin to the disappointment one might feel getting home from a blind date that didn’t match expectations. However, as the Rezound and I got better acquainted, I grew to respect its personality even if I wasn’t awed by its flash and sparkle. I couldn’t help thinking that if this phone had come into my life a year ago I would have fallen in love with its abilities. But ahhh, what a difference a year can make.

The Rezound’s physical characteristics made the first impression. The ultra high resolution 4.3 inch screen simply seemed small to me. I’ve been using a 4.5 inch screen and recently reviewed Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus with its 4.65 high-def window. In fairness, the Rezound’s screen is clear and sharp, but it didn’t impact my eyes the way the Samsung super amoled displays do. I never felt the WOW! factor.

I began setting up the phone to work with my Google accounts and social networks. The HTC Sense software which rides on top of the Android Gingerbread system operates easily, but to me it represents an unnecessary layer of complication. It does work smoothly, however, and I notice a few expert reviewers really seem to love it. My only setup problem was pushing the volume rocker and power/lock buttons. Clearly the designers were going for a smooth minimalist effect, but the switches are recessed deeply into the top edge and right-hand side of the phone making it difficult for my fingers to operate them. This 6.1 ounce phone sits nicely in your hand, but feels heavy. The Galaxy Nexus, even with its much bigger screen only weighs 5.1 ounces by comparison.

OK, so I wasn’t falling in love, yet…but it was the music that really attracted me to this device in the first place, so I was still filled with anticipation as I carefully unwrapped the red Dr. Dre Beats earbuds. Engadget’s Sharif Sakr enlisted the help of North London’s AMS Acoustics to scientifically measure the Beats performance. Sakr’s article sums, “The Beats Audio software isn’t complete marketing vapor, but it’s still inherently gimmicky… you could achieve a better result… simply by downloading a third-party music player that lets you play with the EQ settings yourself.”

Clearly they weren’t over the moon, but I listen to music for a living, believe I have great ears, and determined, “I’ll decide this for myself, thank you very much.” Lot’s of bravado, but ultimately, I had to agree with Mr. Sakr.

I listened to a wide variety of music with the Beats earbuds and compared the sound against my Subjekt TNT low profile headphopnes ($49.99) that fit over the ear. I listened to music recorded in analog like Steve Miller’s classic “Children Of The Future” and various Beatles tracks; then tried edgy country music like Brad Paisley’s “American Saturday Night,” and Colt Ford’s “Chicken & Biscuits.” Next I played alternative rock from The Black Keys new album El Camino. Throughout I did A/B tests comparing the Beats with the TNTs. As long as I was careful to keep the Beats tightly inserted in my ears they slightly edged out the headphones. I was using the Google music player which with Android/Gingerbread does not allow EQ adjustments. The Beats have a preset U-shape sonic curve boosting the bass and the treble. Had I been able to adjust the EQ, I feel certain that the TNTs would have equalled or surpassed Dr. Dre. And, in real world situations like running or walking, lightweight headphones remain in place over your ears while earbuds tend to slide.

Now for some of that personality which I “grew to respect.” This phone operates on Verizon’s incredible 4G LTE network which means you enjoy lightning fast data transfers and rock solid phone connections and the dual core processor in this unit drives it relentlessly fast. You’ll find it impossible to make it shudder or bog down. A year ago these specs would have placed Rezound at the top of the pile. But today, with the Galaxy Nexus offering 4G LTE and Android version 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), one has to wonder if the Rezound is still a compelling alternative. Amazon currently offers the Galaxy Nexus for $99.99 or the Rezound for $79.99 with 2-year contracts. HTC says the Rezound will get a 4.0 update, perhaps as early as March… that should make Rezound owners very happy.