The 33 Best Albums of 2008

He’s kind of a loser, and dim like an old truck’s headlights: When his girl leaves him for Jesus, Hayes Carll vows revenge if he sees Him around town. In a long Southern tradition, this 32-year-old Texan is just playin’ possum: His unshaven romps mix in banjo or feisty slide guitar, finding comedy and tragedy in barrooms from Beaumont to Henrietta. He’s the only Americana singer-songwriter with tour sponsorship from The Onion.
Download “Bad Liver and a Broken Heart,” “I Got a Gig,” “She Left Me for Jesus”