by marty

In mining the fertile and renewable resource of broken relationships, wounded lovers and honky-tonk bars, Texas troubadour Hayes Carll has created one of the better albums of 2008.

“Trouble In Mind,” the major label debut for Carll, veers past the cliches, which have plagued the honky-tonk genre for years, and delivers an enjoyable and sardonic look at a life spent listing at the foot rail.

The album’s final track, “She Left Me For Jesus,”  provides a hilarious and ironic story of a hellion who has lost his girl to the son of God.

Accompanied by a steady Texas boogie, Carll sings out in the chorus:

She left me for Jesus

And that just ain’t fair

She says, “That’s he perfect.”

How could I compare

She says, “I should find him.”

And I’ll know peace at last

But if I ever find Jesus

I’m kicking his ass

It is these satirical lines and other clever turns of phrase that have resulted in “She Left Me For Jesus” being nominated for Song of the Year and the album as Album of the Year by the Americana Music Association.  Fellow nominees include the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss paring, Levon Helm and James McMurtry.  Carll is in well-deserved company.

Download: She Left_Me_For_Jesus.mp3 by Hayes Carll

(iTunes) (Amazon)

Often compared to the quirky country of Todd Snider, Carll is a bit more gritty in his tales of love amongst the whiskey bottles.  This is best exemplified with the first album track, “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” which Carll co-wrote with fellow troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard.

The song introduces the paramour as a woman who “likes to lay naked and be gazed upon.” Carll then paints an image that contains far more than the gin-soaked words.

Wine bottles scattered like last night’s clothes

Cigarette papers and dominoes

She laughs for a minute about the shape I’m in

Says, “You be the sinner honey and I’ll be the sin.”

Download: Drunken Poet’s Dream by Hayes Carll

(iTunes) (Amazon)

Carll will be headlining WMNF’s 3rd Annual Americana Fest at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa.  There will not be a better time for those looking for authentic music filled with longing, regret and humor. 

Carll cut his performing chops at the Texas gulf community of Crystal Beach playing six nights a week to castoffs, meth addicts and runaways.  He has hilariously recounted the tale of those early days in an animation on the superb FunnyOrDie.com website.  It is provided below.