Hayes Carll will make his major label debut when Lost Highway Records (a Universal imprint) releases Trouble In Mind next week. With that impending milestone, I thought it might be interesting to look back on an interview I did with Hayes in November 2005.

At that time, he'd recently released Little Rock on his own Highway 87 Records and was struggling to gain FM radio airplay. We talked about the difficulties of cracking major media markets, the tremendous boost satellite radio can provide to emerging artists, plus the potential risks and rewards associated with self-releasing his music.

So take a listen and see how much has changed for Hayes in the last few years. It's a long sound file, clocking in at just under 15 minutes. And you'll have to forgive my NPR-influenced earnestness in the narrative bits. But all in all, I think it's an interesting snapshot of a nearly hour-long conversation with a fascinating artist. I hope you think so too.

You can listen using the media player embedded above or download the MP3 (13.2 MB) to listen at your leisure.

I think I've sustained my first injury after four-plus years of writing here. Both calves ache from the impossibility of keeping my feet still while listening to Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights' Hot Trottin'.

The 23-year-old Dallasite and his stellar band mash the bluesy sensitivity of John Mayer, the glam shimmer of Lenny Kravitz, and the southern-fried rock 'n roll soul of Chris Robinson. Fueled by love and lust, they rip through 10 songs ranging from the growling fuck-you of "Gypsy Woman" to the ready-made-for-a-slowdance "Sunshine." Tyler's vocals are strong throughout, and his three-piece Northern Lights simply kick ass.

Hot Trottin' is an amazingly accomplished album that belies its creators' relative youth. I'm no soothsayer, but if I were I think I'd foretell a major label deal in their future.

(4½ out of 5)

Listen: "Gypsy Woman", "The Other Side", "Sunshine", "Time for Love"

Buy: Amazon MP3, iTunes

I've yet to take a friend to a Graham Weber show and have them come away anything short of impressed. While I've managed to secure a few converts, The Door to the Morning should help flesh out the ranks of followers well beyond what's possible from this one believer.

Weber's third album and second since landing in Texas features ten songs so beautifully bracing they must have wrung the emotion out of their creator. Case in point: "Italian Lullaby," with lyrics so perfect it's better to just share a selection than to sully with a clumsy summary:

Just keep me high and I won't dwell on all the wrong I've done
And I will lie through my half-open eyes
I'm a shame to love…
But I once knew a girl who broke my neck by walking in a room
She looked just like you
Back when you looked at me with different eyes
And we fell asleep to an Italian lullaby

There's plenty more where that came from. For example, "End of the Fall":

God I wish I could go back and gather the ashes I gave
I scattered on stage
When I used to be brave
Now I curl up like a child stuck in a womb
In a pitch black room
Can't go on without you so I'll take my tears to my tomb…
I'm tired of hiding and biting my nails till they bleed
Could you come by to see
And help me to breathe

I could keep pulling quotes from each and every song, but there's more to an album than just lyrics of course. The music here is livelier than on 2005's Beggar's Blues thanks to producer Leatherbag, who also contributes electric guiar as part of a strong supporting cast that includes Eleanor Whitmore (violin), Todd Pertll (pedal steel), and Matthew Mollica (Hammond B3).

Now "lively" and "Graham Weber" may seem incompatible to those of you familiar with his adorably reticent stage presence. But there's a jaunty Wilco-esque kick to "Snow in July" and "After the Boulevard," not to mention a Guy and Susanna Clark vibe with Graham and wife Michelle on "Candle's So Close."

At his Cactus Cafe CD release show, Weber promised he was working on more upbeat material to reflect a growing contentment with adult life. I wouldn't anticipate a happy-faced transformation anytime soon. After all, heartbreak and despair are essential to folk music. But it's good to see Weber pushing his craft in new directions that can only help broaden his appeal.

(4 out of 5)

Listen: "Snow in July", "Candle's So Close", "Italian Lullaby", "End of the Fall", "King's Highway"

Buy: iTunes, CD Baby

Last weekend, I wrapped up SXSW by shunning downtown for an open house hosted by South Side Sanctuary. Nestled into a light industrial complex just off far South Congress, the Sanctuary is the new production facility for both Fat Caddy Merchandise & Design (the agency side of Fat Caddy Records) and Chin Print.

Fat Caddy head Jon Pattillo (right) showed me and my family around the facility, including demonstrations on silk-screening, typesetting, and the Sanctuary's vintage 1940's letterpress. We admired the 20-foot Johnny Cash mural painted along the back wall and picked up some fine hand-made gear before heading home.

All in all, a fine way to close out an event-filled week.

*****

Congratulations to Fat Caddy Records for a second straight Best Local Label win at the Austin Music Awards. I have some free sampler CDs featuring songs from Fat Caddy artists and beautiful packaging hand-crafted at South Side Sanctuary. Just send me an email if you'd like one of the CDs.

Track list:

• Macon Greyson, "Minnesota Weather Map" from Twentieth Century Accidents
• Austin Collins, "Bridge Street Lullaby" from Roses Are Black
• Dan Dyer, "Love Chain" from self-titled release
• Black Water Gospel, "All in All" from Conspiracy Row EP
• Brian Keane, "Forbidden" single
• The Band of Heathens, "Bumblebee" from Live from Momo's