Album Review: What It Is by Hayes Carll

Some guys are better at being a regular guy than others, and more than 16 years into his career as a singer/songwriter, Hayes Carll may well be the most regular of all guys with guitars in America. Carll is just smart enough to tell his stories with a clear and articulate lyrical voice, his music is pleasing but as unpretentious as it gets, and his vocal style makes him sound like a fortunate version of the guy sitting next to you at the bar, chasing some bourbon with a draft. While Carll emerged from the Texas singer/songwriter community that brought us the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, at his best he feels a bit more like he's half Todd Snider and half John Prine, well acquainted with the funny and the challenging sides of ordinary lives, and that's the formula that comes across on 2019's What It Is.

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