2019 Contenders: What It Is

Scruffy Americana singers probably get more of my attention these days than any other kind of pop musician. If you look like you've just fallen off the back of a hay truck and you've got a bemused, The-World's-Gone-A-Bit-Wonky expression on your face, chances are I'm going to give your new record a try.

Hayes Carll has been on my radar for a while now, but What It Is is the first of his albums I've listened to immediately it came out.

Here he is with Alison Moorer, performing the opening track, one of those "Where've you been? Running round with other blokes?" songs that date right back to the blues. It should give you an idea of what to expect...