Carl Hauck – This is the future.

So Carl Hauck is the future, eh?  Not to be dramatic, but someone who knows his way around an acoustic guitar, skillfully writes songs that one can relate to and is a soon to be educator…what else would you call him?

Carl Hauck is currently a senior at the University of Illinois, and I am sure he will be strong leader of our youth one day (major – English / minor – Education), but it is his talents outside the classroom that has brought him to Slowcoustic.  This Grayslake, IL native combines a range of toned down acoustic guitar with a slight finger-picking style to his polished voice.  You get a bit of flexibility on Carl’s delivery of what I am sure are his well thought out story-lined songs.  I think his comments to myself really reflect on him and his style of songwriting;

“As a songwriter, I try to avoid confessional lyricism.  Although honesty is often cited as being a fundamental aspect of great songwriting, I consider the songs that are self-aware, that reflect a degree of psychological tension, that don’t confine themselves to a single voice, to hold more truth than those that delve blindly into extreme emotionality.”

For the sounds that might be the medium to the message here, take a listen to two tracks from his 2008 release “Counter Intelligence” to get an idea of what I am saying – “Milt the Stilt” is a solo affair with that polished delivery (performed “just a half register higher” than normal) while “Herrick, You Devil!” brings what I feel is his “real” voice out with great girl/guy harmonization (I apologize for not knowing her name, but the two mesh perfectly).  “Herrick…” is truly a gem and a current favourite with the darker feel and the ominous far off guitar that really hits the mark.

Check out upcoming performances: Pygmalion Music Festival (!!) in Champaign-Urbana (Sept. 17-20); Also, a condensed tour through the Midwest (MO, KS, IA, MN, WI, IL) with Todd Reese in November.

Sample two tracks from the “Counter Intelligence” (no pun intended) below – the album can be purchased on his website (linked above) or via iTunes.  Enjoy.

~Smansmith