Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind (14 tracks) +Album Reviews

Witty, fun, true Texas country

DanD | 06/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'd never heard of Hayes Carll. I mean, here in Illinois, we don't get a whole lot of info about Texas musicians, unless they sell out and go national (Pat Green, Jack Ingram, etc), or have a long-standing history of being songwriting legends (Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, etc). So when I read a review of this album in a magazine, I basically skimmed it over--until I read that Carll covered a Tom Waits tune. That stopped me. Texas country singers are known for their, um, guts...but covering a Tom Waits tune? That can make or break ya. I just had to check it out.

Well, I'm glad I did. The Waits tune is "I Don't Wanna Grow Up," and Carll certainly does a good job covering it. But, let's face it--there's a hell of a lot more. Carll's own songwriting is downright admirable: from the fun-loving (yet dark-undertoned) "Drunken Poet's Dream" to the heart-wrenching "Willing to Love Again," Carll proves that he can hold his own amongst his legendary songwriting neighbors. "She Left Me For Jesus" is of course the attention-grabbing tune here, bound to offend anyone with weak sensibilities who can't detect irony; but there's more to the album than that, too. "I Got a Gig" perfectly captures the troubled arrogant stance of a six-night-a-week musician (as Carll growls "Good Lord I hope I get paid tonight/I got a gig, baby!"); "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart" pretty much sums up the songwriter's ambition ("Doesn't anybody care about the truth anymore/I guess that's what songs are for"); and "A Lover Like You" takes playful honky-tonk jabs at the opposite sex ("I could never be friends with a lover like you").

Hayes Carll is a force to be reckoned with. He's bound for glory; maybe not commercial fame, but that's never been a good judge of talent, anyways. Carll is the real deal; he's a honky-tonk poet, and radio just isn't ready for that yet. One day, maybe. But until then, we can all sit back, listen to TROUBLE IN MIND, and realize that here, right here, is one of the new great songwriters on the country music circuit."

"She left me for Jesus" sucked me in (4.5 stars)

R. Kyle | USA | 05/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard the song and laughed so hard, I looked up the album. The first song is Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Drunken Poet's Dream." The last is a hilarious cover of "I don't want to grow up." I was sold and the tracks in the middle weren't just empty filler. "Trouble" just kept on delivering.

"Trouble in Mind" is a pretty good title for this bluesy sardonic collection of thoughtful and cynical humored country. This is Texas singer Carll's first release on a major label, Lost Highway.

My only complaint with this CD is the sound quality which is worth half a star. It's marginal in iTunes format and acceptable on my stereo. But, for the quality of the musicianship and the thought in the lyrics--I'll be looking up the rest of Carll's music very shortly.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008"

Great. His best yet and that's saying a lot

jarofdirt | nc | 04/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I loved both of Hayes' other albums. Each was unique in it's own way and in it's own way trumped the other. "Trouble In Mind" is a breath of fresh air. One of the best albums I have listened to in a couple of years now. We need more artists like Hayes. Do yourself a favor, buy this unbelievable album, you will not be disappointed if you are an Americana fan. I bought the album this morning and have listened to it three times all the way through."

Another solid release from Hayes Carll

Brad | Nashville, TN | 04/16/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is Hayes' third release, and first on now-legendary Lost Highway records. It's been a long road to get where Hayes is now, and he's earned every step along the way.

This record is a slight departure from his previous releases, but it speaks honestly of his transition from quiet solo gigs in dark bars to gigs with the full band and a larger, more earnest crowds. Where the previous albums were more introspective, this album is a coming out party of sorts, with Hayes rocking and grooving all the way. While never a problem on previous releases, you won't find a dull moment here, either.

The album starts with the solid co-write with Ray Wylie Hubbard, "Drunken Poet's Dream," a song that perfectly captures the spirit of Hayes' songwriting, before continuing in Hayes' tradition of tales of alcohol and broken dreams of love and happiness. Where others may be content to dwell in the darkness, Hayes finds beauty and spirit in these topics, bringing them to life and breathing some well-needed energy, humor, and a hint of redemption.

Trouble in Mind draws to a close with what is possibly Hayes' most personal song to date, "Willing to Love Again," a beautiful song about forgiveness and mercy, before wrapping up with Hayes' trademark tongue-in-cheek humor on "She Left Me for Jesus," possibly Hayes' boldest lyrical styling to date.

If this is your first exposure to Hayes, Trouble in Mind is a great place to start. While not capturing the fullest extent of his range, it repaves some already solid ground of his while exploring (very successfully) some new ground. For the full grasp of his talent, however, be sure to pick up his previous two works, particularly his self-released Little Rock, which is a triumph in not only quality, but also in the diversity in which he is able to master his art. For fans of contemporary country-folk and americana, Hayes Carll is an essential part of of your collection, and Trouble in Mind is no exception. Texas' secret troubador can't be contained anymore. Look for more greatness from Hayes in the years to come."

An introduction to someone I already knew

Samuel M. Rector | Arizona | 06/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just got a copy of Hayes Carll's "Trouble in Mind".

Let me state at the outset that I really wanted to find something to dislike about this album/artist. Really. I put on my cynical big boy pants and black beret and tried to poke him with the derivative mashup label (which would rightfully stick), but it seemed like he just donned it like a Wall Drug trademark and waved it at me. And it worked.

Carll is the unholy spawn of a "Country Bob" Dylan, pre-prison Steve Earll, an apolitical John Prine with a couple of fingers of Hank Williams. Roll `em all up, give `em a tax stimulus check and send them out into the south east Texas night to find a bar with generic neon beer signs and you have Hayes Carll.

Funny as hell without working too hard for it, interesting like a hand waving bar conversation between William S, Burroughs and Dolly Parton and just plain enjoyable. If you like the badboy/alt.country/Americana stuff this would be a great addition to your collection. It should come with a bottle of whiskey (of uncertain pedigree)....you know, the kind you get drunk on rather than sip.

"

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