Hayes Carll- The Backroom @ Collectivo Coffee, 6/16/16

photo by Will Piper

Hayes Carll filled the Backroom of Collectivo to capacity for an intimate evening of stories and songs.  The tall, lanky Texas song smith recently released his fifth album, Lovers and Leavers this past April, an album that in many ways showcases a more introspective view of the world from Carll.




Hayes Carll is a keen observer of people and the quirky uniqueness of the human experience.  He is known as a songwriter who tells vivid stories anchored in details that transport the listener into the lives of his characters.  During his ninety minute set, Carll's songs ran the gamut.  He juxtaposed earlier works from 2008's excellent Trouble In Mind release, with songs from 2011's KMAG YOYO record, and his latest work, and even found time to throw in the Corb Lund cover, "Bible on the Dash."

photo by Will Piper

Few artists cover the expansive range of topics and emotions in their songwriting as well as Carll.  Some of my favorite moments in the evening came from songs that topically live in very different places.  "Magic Kid," a new song off of Lovers and Leavers translated fantastically live with subtle nuanced percussion as Carll told the story of his young son who enjoys doing magic tricks.  Another highlight was the awkward narrative between "Katie" and "Billy" in "Girl Downtown."  A playful duet with opener Emily Gimble on "Another Like You," was also very well-done.  A more subdued version of "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart" closed the show and left Carll with a rousing standing ovation.

It is the richness and diversity of his writing that makes Carll's songs so accessible to such a wide audience.  Hayes Carll is an evolving artist, not one who tries to root his craft in one particular time and place.

selfie with the man

1. Setlist from Setlist.fm
   Play Video
2. 
   Beaumont
3. The Love That We Need
   Play Video
4. All for the Sake of the Song
   Play Video
5. Wild as a Turkey
   Play Video
6. Girl Downtown
   Play Video
7. Good While It Lasted
   Play Video
8. Bible on the Dash
   (Corb Lund cover)
   Play Video
9. Love Is so Easy
   Play Video
10. Drunken Poet's Dream
    Play Video
11. Bye Bye Baby
    Play Video
12. I Got a Gig
    Play Video
13. Chances Are
    Play Video
14. Jesus and Elvis
    Play Video
15. KMAG YOYO
    Play Video
16. Another Like You
    Play Video
17. The Magic Kid
    Play Video
18. Hard Out Here
    Play Video
19. Bad Liver and a Broken Heart