Little Rock

Little Rock

• Hayes Carll- Little Rock

Hayes Carll is still in his 20s, yet he's already attained the whiskey-drenched, world-weary sound of someone who's battled a lifetime of demons. The Houston native employs that compressed experience to achieve near perfection on his second album, <b>Little Rock</b>, an Americana tour de force that gracefully straddles melancholic gloom and bubbly buoyancy. <P> There's not a weak song here, which is saying something considering the album's range. From the wistful lamentation of <i>Wish I Hadn't Stayed So Long</i> to the silly wordplay of <i>Down the Road Tonight</i>, Carll exhibits a deft lyrical touch across the widest possible range of human emotions. <P> And yet Carll is more than just a songwriter. His rough, thickly accented voice and exquisite acoustic guitar work are what really drive the album. <P> While Carll is the clear star, he benefits from some help along the way. <P> Guy Clark co-wrote the haunting <i>Rivertown</i>. And Clark's guitar work from <i>The Randall Knife</i> clearly inspired the similarly elegiac <i>Long Way Home</i>. <P> Ray Wylie Hubbard co-wrote the riotous <i>Chickens</i>. In the liner notes, Carll adds the following disclaimer: 'Ray and I felt that what the world really needed was a song about chickens. There is a good chance that we were wrong.' Perhaps, but the world definitely could use more songs as enjoyable as this one. <P> Guest vocals from Allison Moorer and stellar instrumental work from producer R.S. Field, Jimmy Lester, and Kenny Vaughn add depth and texture, confirming <b>Little Rock</b> as something more than just standard singer/songwriter fare. <P> Indeed, <b>Little Rock</b> is anything but ordinary. It is an energetic confirmation of Carll's status among the state's most promising young artists. <P> -This Is Texas Music, March 2005