Where January tumbles into February: the time of year when the Celtic Connections
deepening funds keeps Glasgow Americana folks warm and the London centric world
feasts on a glut of touring artists. Yet keeping the spirit of the provinces
glowing was a sold out gathering in the back room of an East Midlands pub, and
a Texas singer-songwriter of the highest pedigree spilling out his poetic soul.
The first good news is that Hayes Carll has consigned to history any
indifference to touring the UK. Following this, is the first hand report that he
has never sounded better, with the added bonus of new material taking shape. While
his previous touring companions have often played a significant part in past
shows, there was no diminishment of a solo Hayes Carll dominating the stage.
Perhaps, the intense focus further contributed to the success of the gig.
Midway through the set, Hayes segued two of his finest
songs, bridged only by the assertion that his good friend Ray Wylie Hubbard
once commented that the problem with irony is that not everyone gets it. Few in
this informed Nottingham audience would have failed to grasp the irony of ‘She Left Me for Jesus’ and even fewer not
suitably moved by its predecessor, the magnificent ‘Beaumont’ and a prime example of the Hayes Carll ‘A’ game. The
guitar riffs accompanying this classic tale of South Texas missed love are purely
mesmeric and a major reason for any live airing being a golden gig moment.
Although far from a prolific studio artist (only four albums
in the locker since 2005), we were treated to four new songs, which will make
their way into the recorded world in good time. The only sneak preview we will allow
is – think of Hayes at his best and you are in the right territory. It would be
wrong to say that these trumped the familiar material because classic penned
tunes like ‘Bad Liver and a Broken Heart’,
‘Sake of the Song’ and ‘Wish I Hadn’t Stayed So Long’ have
certainly set a high barrier for its successors to follow. However, this is not
a challenge that Hayes has found insurmountable in the past.
Themes of lamented encounters; trails of hope and regret,
and an acute ability to tap into life’s poignant moments are littered across
his material. However, there was still a reminder of external success including
the Grammy nominated ‘Chances Are’
(courtesy of Lee Ann Womack) and Kenny Chesney giving a mainstream country
sheen to the heart breaking tale in ‘Jesus
and Elvis’.
The atmosphere was given a tempo boost as the finale approached
with faultless performances of ‘Kmag Yoyo’
and ‘Stomp and Holler’. Surprisingly,
the songs from the most recent album, 2016’s LOVERS AND LEAVERS, were generally
sparse on the the ground with ‘Good While
it Lasted’ being one of its occasional dips into. No surprisingly, probably
the finest of the four releases in TROUBLE IN MIND proved popular pickings. ‘Wild as Turkey’ from this album opened
the show; the ever-excellent Ray Wylie Hubbard co-penned ‘Drunken Poet’s Dream’ sounded its usual supreme self and ‘I Got a Gig’ had its usual story
attached, but this time post rather than pre-song. This last piece harks back
to early days as a fledgling performing songwriter in Crystal Beach Texas. While
the lion escapade was missed out, we had an extended gambit on the offers made
to lure back lost punters, though the success of '25¢ chicken wings and Hayes Carll' was not exactly established.
The hour and half spent on stage this evening
was a priceless exhibition. The aura generated; songs savoured and tuneful picking from his trusted stringed accomplice kept the audience enthralled.
Unfortunately, Nottingham was solely left to wave the flag for gigs outside
London and Glasgow on this trip, but tours are becoming more frequent, and the
incentive of promoting a new album will surely engineer a return visit soon.
Opening for Hayes at this show was a singer-songwriter from
South Wales by the name of Christopher Rees. Clearly influenced by a mature
country sound, he successfully tapped into the sentimentality of a classic
Nashville song. Honing in on staple ground and topics, he paid particular attention
to the structure of songs that have trod the Broadway sidewalk for decades. A
fitting support slot that set the scene for the main event, and subsequently a peerless
performance from Hayes Carll.
It is now a decade since Hayes strolled onto the Glee Club
stage in Birmingham to the glorious tone of ‘Beaumont’ for the perfect introduction. There will be many satisfied
fans of quintessential American song writing music across the UK if the presence
over here is stepped up in the next decade. The replication of this Nottingham
renewal is certainly a desired legacy. In this multi accessible digital age,
nothing could surpass the frozen moment of being there. It was an honour and a privilege
to be present.
www.hayescarll.com