KMAG YOYO (& other American Stories) is the fourth studio album from American singer-songwriter Hayes Carll.
The album title is a military acronym for "Kiss My Ass Guys, You’re on Your Own".Horowitz, Steve (2011) "Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO & other American Stories", PopMatters, February 15, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 The album was included at no. 47 in ''Rolling Stones "50 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own"."50 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own", Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 1, 2018 It reached no. 67 on the Billboard 200."KMAG YOYO", billboard.com. Retrieved January 1, 2018
Reception PopMatters gave the album 6/10. American Songwriter gave it 4/5.Hight, Jewly (2011) "Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (and Other American Stories)", American Songwriter, March/April 2011 issue, February 22, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 Paste gave it a positive review, describing Carll's music as "simple songs that are simply grand".Basham, Tim (2011) "Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)", Paste, February 14, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 Allmusic gave it three and a half stars, calling it "a worthy addition to the ever-growing catalog of sly Texas country-rock".Ruhlmann, William "KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) Review", Allmusic. Retrieved January 1, 2018 Rolling Stone gave it the same score,Hermes, Will (2011) "Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO", Rolling Stone, February 15, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 as did The Austin Chronicle.Freeman, Doug (2011) "KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) (Lost Highway)", The Austin Chronicle, February 18, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 The Washington Post also gave it a favorable review, with Bill Friskics-Warren stating that on the album Carll is "setting some standards of his own".Friskics-Warren, Bill (2011) "Hayes Carll KMAG YOYO (& Other American stories)", The Washington Post, February 15, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 No Depression also viewed the album favorably, calling Carll "a sort of Charles Bukowski in the age of anti-depressants...a poet for thoughtful roughnecks and ne’er-do-wells".Ogdin, Dustin (2011) "Review: Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO", No Depression, February 10, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+ rating,Willman, Chris (2011) "KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)", Entertainment Weekly, February 23, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 as did The A.V. Club,Murray, Noel (2011) "[https://www.avclub.com/hayes-carll-kmag-yoyo-other-american-stories-1798167244 Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)'", The A.V. Club, February 15, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 and Robert Christgau.Christgau, Robert (2011) "Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO [Lost Highway, 2011]", RobertChrtistgau.com. Retrieved January 1, 2018 Exclaim! also gave it a positive review, calling Carll "the voice of a new generation of good ol' boys".Schneider, Jason (2011) "KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)", Exclaim!, February 15, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 New York Daily News gave it three stars out of five, Jim Farber calling Carll an "ace storyteller".Farber, Jim (2011) "Hayes Carll's latest album 'KMAG Yoyo' reveals bad decisions, drunken writing not unlike 'Trouble'", New York Daily News, February 22, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018 ''The Independents Nick Coleman called it "very good".Coleman, Nick (2011) "Album: Hayes Carll, Kmag Yoyo (Lost Highway / Humphead)", The Independent, February 20, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2018
Track listing All songs written by Hayes Carll except where noted. Stomp and Holler – 3:07 Hard Out Here – 3:32 Chances Are – 3:51 Grand Parade (Carll, John Evans) – 3:12 KMAG YOYO (Carll, Scott Davis, John Evans) – 4:19 Another Like You (featuring Cary Ann Hearst) – 3:19 The Letter – 3:24 Bye Bye Baby – 3:18 The Lovin' Cup – 3:56 Bottle In My Hand – 2:58 Grateful for Christmas – 3:54 Hide Me – 3:09
Personnel Hayes Carll – Vocals, acoustic guitar Scott Davis – Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, accordion, mandolin, background vocals Kenny Smith – Drums, percussion Ricky Ray Jackson – Pedal steel, electric guitar, banjo John Michael Schœpf – Bass, tenor guitar Brad Jones – Piano, stand up Bass Matt Mollica – Piano Bonnie Whitmore – Harmonies John Evans – Harmonies James Nixon – Background vocals Cary Ann Hearst – Vocals on "Another Like You" Corb Lund – Vocals on "Bottle in My Hand" Todd Snider – Vocals on "Bottle in My Hand"
References