What the heck, let’s all get wasted.
Dierks Bentley got so bent that he can’t remember anything. Toby Keith is endorsing weed. Adrian Johnston celebrates “Adult Beverages.” Parker Howard is boozing it up. I’m feeling kinda dizzy, just from listening.
Of the non substance-abuse singles here, Lee Brice has the Disc of the Day. Jordan Davis earns our DisCovery Award.
MARK McKINNEY/Rainey Day Money
Writers: Mark McKinney; Producer: Eric KcKinney/Mark McKinney; Publishers: none listed; MM
– Laid back and mellow, this flows along like a slow summer day. “I’d rather run out of money than run out of time,” he sings in defense of spending his savings on vacation time.
BRETT YOUNG/Like I Loved You
Writers: Brett Young/Jesse Lee; Producer: Dann Huff; Publishers: Super Big/Caliville/Big Machine/Purple Cape/Honey Lee/ole, ASCAP/BMI; BMLG (track)
– His singing voice is especially expressive and engaging on this accusatory address to a lover who’s left him. This guy has some soul.
PARKER WILLINGHAM/You Get Me Every Time
Writers: Parker Willingham/Kate Hart/Paula Hallmark; Producer: Kate Hart; Publishers: CCM Songwriters S Group/Composer Club, no performance rights listed; Apple Row (track)
– Promising. He sings strongly and writes with tightness, economy and finesse. An impressive debut.
DIERKS BENTLEY/What The Hell Did I Say
Writers: Copperman/Kear/Tompkins; Producer: Ross Copperman; Publishers: EMI Blackwood/Songs By Red Room/Year of the Dog/Champagne Whiskey/Round Hill/Big Loud/Play Animal, BMI/ASCAP; Capitol (track)
– He called her drunk late at night. Now she digs him, but he can’t remember what he said to her. The rocking, busy track with its electric-guitar roaring underscores his confusion.
ADRIAN JOHNSTON/Adult Beverages
Writers: Johnston/Zac Maloy; Producer: Zac Maloy; Publisher: none listed; ASCAP; Just Another Blonde
– The song has a rather simplistic melody and the production is minimal. So it’s up to her wildly enthusiastic vocal performance to “sell” it.
LEE BRICE/Boy
Writers: Jon Nite/Nicolle Galyon; Producers: Brice/Jon Stone/Kyle Jacobs/Dan Frizsell; Publishers: none listed, BMI; Curb (CDX)
– Advice from someone older and wiser. He sees himself in the youngster, so every line has the ring of emotional truth. This man has repeatedly demonstrated his talent for finding extraordinary lyrics, and he has done it again here. Applause from this corner.
JACKIE LEE/Getting Over You
Writers: Jackie Lee/Paul DiGiovanni/Brent Anderson; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Clemmer Time/Chill N Hustle/Wixen/New House of Sea Gayle/ClearBox Rights, BMI/ASCAP, BBR (track)
– His pleading, intense tenor works best on the choruses of this somewhat ordinary heartbreak lament.
TOBY KEITH/Wacky Tobaccy
Writers: Toby Keith/Scotty Emerick; Producer: Toby Keith/Bobby Pinson; Publishers: none listed; Show Dog
– It’s a snappy blues rocker with plenty of lyrical appeal, to put it mildly. Fire one up and tap your toes.
PARKER HOWARD/It Ain’t A Party (Til Something Gets Broken)
Writers: Jeffery Lynn Batson/Will Nance/Stephen Joseph Williams; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Hi-Value/Over the Monster/Wilburns, ASCAP; PH
– It’s a rollicking rocker with a solid backbeat. It’s definitely a good time. The only disconcerting thing is that his tenor is so high that he sounds too young to be singing about drinking, smoking and ogling leather skirts.
JORDAN DAVIS/Singles You Up
Writers: Davis/Steven Dale Jones/Justin Ebach; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Publishers: none listed; MCA (CDX)
-It is structured like an r&b song, and production isn’t very “country” either. He has a pleasant, brushed-velvet vocal quality that is mixed up, front and center, in the crunchy instrumental environment. Listenable. Worth your spins.
About the Author
Robert K. Oermann is a longtime contributor to MusicRow. He is a respected music critic, author and historian.View Author Profile
