Hayes Carll and Caroline Rose compliment each other very nicely, as was evident during their show at Brooklyn’s Bell House. Both are rootsy, Americana artists with bare-bones song-writing, that work naturally well together.
Caroline Rose’s on-stage persona is unexpectedly quirky. With her soulful and raw outlook on life coming through in her music, it’s a pleasant surprise to witness her silliness and see just how down to earth she really is. She played with band mate Jer Coons, who is a multi-instrumental master, playing lap steel, tambourine and more, and singing back-up harmony. The two of them together are like a little comedy show—in the best way—telling funny stories and teasing each other between songs, making it a personal and intimate show, even in a big room like the Bell House.
It was a seated show, and the seats were filled, with lots of standers all around, but unfortunately, the room was a little noisy for Rose’s set and it wasn’t the most supportive crowd overall. She sounded fantastic nonetheless, her rich voice booming over the at times distracting bar static, singing songs like “America Religious”, “Six Foot Woman” and “I Will Not Be Afraid” off last year’s incredible record America Religious. She played a few new ones, too, that she told us will be out this fall on a new album, and gave her token thanks to mom, and dad who makes her beautiful handmade posters. It was too short a set, but enough to make fans out of those who’d never heard her music.
When Hayes Carll took the stage, he got a warm, boisterous greeting from the crowd, which was filled with a number of people who seemed to know every word to every one of his songs. Carll is lanky and tall, and wore a retro country getup—fitted bell-bottom jeans and a tight Western flannel with cowboy boots. He’s a true Texan, and he’s got that charismatic Southern charm that just can’t be taught. He opened his set the strongest with “Beaumont”, a clear audience favorite with a gorgeous melody and a chorus that’s catchy as hell. His guitarist played his acoustic as a lap steel, sliding amazing, show-stealing notes that elevated the songs to another level, and his guitarist played at least three instruments.
Next he transitioned into the twangier sounds of “Wild as a Turkey”, keeping the crowd amped up before slowing it down a bit with the pretty narrative “Rivertown”. He regaled his fans with funny stories about Ray Wylie Hubbard, as well as tales of his humble beginnings as a waiter at Red Lobster and a door-to-door vacuum salesman, reminding us that even musicians we hold in such high regard had to start somewhere.
Other highlights of the lengthy set were “The Magic Kid”, a song he wrote for his young son who dreams of being a magician, and a damn near perfect cover of Bobby Bare Jr.’s “My Baby Took My Baby Away” (from his most recent album). He also brought Caroline Rose back up for a humorous duet of “Another Like You”, which they seemed to have a blast singing together.
In theory, there’s no reason why Hayes Carll shouldn’t be a chart-topping country star. He’s got the good looks, the Southern swagger and songs filled with Lone Star beer, the army, and cheeky religious references. But his songwriting always delves deeper, and avoids the clichéd “country” tropes popular in the genre today. For this, we’re grateful. Carll has real country music cred, and he’s a damn fine storyteller and performer.
