Incredible lyrics worth the listen

KMAG YOYO (And Other American Stories)
Hayes Carll
Indie
9 out-of-10

A decade ago Hayes Carll wasn't gracing too many top 10 lists or receiving accolades of critical acclaim, but he was out there somewhere in middle America playing a dusty dive bar, hollering his own brand of gritty and tender country between swigs of beer. Since its release, KMAG YOYO has garnered #1 for single of the year (Another Like You) and #6 for album of the year by American Songwriter, and #3 best country/ Americana album by Spin Magazine, and the list goes on.

The first time I heard Hayes, I immediately wondered why I wasn't listening to him my whole life. The instrumentation is very familiar, the usual acoustics, electrics, pedal steels and rhythms. The album is full of jams and riffs that Hayes and his band perfected on the road, and this translates very well onto the album. It has a convincing "Live" feel, full of passion and fire. What really sets Hayes apart from other country heroes is his uncanny ability to write a truly timeless, incredible song and the voice that brings these words to life. It's very difficult to describe Carll's voice. It's got the drawl, the twang, but there's more to it. It simply must be heard to be understood.

KMAG YOYO jumps into gritty bar-country within its first seconds. "Stomp and Holler" gets the toes tapping and blood flowing. Followed by the swaggering sing along "Hard Out Here", a song that successfully conveys how hard life on the road can be on one's soul. The album's title track "KMAG YOYO" carries the musical vibe of Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues", only jacked up on adrenaline. It tells the story of a young soldier who becomes a pentagon guinea pig; a very interesting tale. "Another Like You", my personal favorite, is sure to be a country classic. Witty, brilliant lyrics create a 'he said, she said' style song between Carll as a democrat and the amazing Cary Ann Hearst as the "Saucy young Republican", hurling insults back and forth before realizing they're meant to be together if only for a night.

At its more tender moments, KMAG YOYO is extremely sobering. "Bye Bye Baby", "Hide Me" and "Grateful for Christmas" pull at the ol' heart stings. Carll calls himself a master of "degenerate love songs", and it's a pretty fitting self-proclaimed title. The songs on KMAG YOYO seem to be a small slice looking into the lives of middle class Americans, showing how tough and lowly they are.

In my humble opinion, KMAG YOYO puts the majority (if not all) of today's Top 40 "country" to shame. Its true American grit and stories of "living two-thirds of your life on the road". If you call yourself a country fan, I encourage you to pick up this album and give it many spins in the player.

-SEAN CRAIB-PETKAU