Hayes Carll is done pretending, done chasing the wrong dreams for the wrong reasons. From deep-rooted insecurities and fears too long ingrained in his brain to following its “long-winded fountain of useless advice,” it’s taken time — and hard work — for him to find serenity. On his 10th studio record We’re Only Human, out last Friday on Hwy 87/Thirty Tigers, Carll digs deep into his soul to create the most personal music of his career.
These revelations, and this desire for self-reflection, comes at a tumultuous time for the 49-year-old singer-songwriter from Houston.
“Age certainly has something to do with it,” Carll says via Zoom a few weeks before the release of We’re Only Human. “So does my second marriage ending, but it was more just life and all the personal roadblocks I’ve hit over and over again, combined with the frustration from those experiences. As they say, ‘nothing changes if nothing changes.’ Life is beautiful and a blessing, but I was frustrated with my inability to enjoy — and truly appreciate — life. …It felt like something needed to change, otherwise I was wasting all these gifts I’ve been given.”
