Counter Intelligence Leaks Clever Commentary

In the wake of an eight-year administration that’s seen its fair share of criticism, Carl Hauck’s third album, Counter Intelligence, runs the inexorable risk of preaching to the converted. With lyrical activism in its heyday, musicians from Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst to the Black Eyed Peas Will.i.am have joined the ranks to speak out against issues of war and hypocrisy, with mixed results. Hauck’s third album to date, however, doesn’t attempt to proselytize, or follow meekly in the footsteps of protest heroes like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Rather, Counter Intelligence presents a refreshing perspective with all the wit and insight bred from a college English major, set to a subdued experiment with instrumentation that marks Hauck’s newest album apart from his earlier work.

This comes as a remarkable feat from the humble origins of Hauck’s album, primarily self-recorded in a University of Illinois dorm room. Hauck’s vocals, ranging from whisper soft to rich and sultry, blend well with the delicate acoustic melodies that make up the heart of Counter Intelligence. In both “Herrick, You Devil!“ and “Selfish Duet,“ the female vocals (provided by Molly Robinson and Caroline Younts, respectively) are reminiscent Damien Rice’s pairing with Lisa Hannigan. The fresh instrumentation ranges from a powerful violin accompaniment in “Selfish Duet” to a pedal-heavy piano, which makes “Herrick, You Devil!” sound as if the song itself echoes out from the belly of a baby grand.

“The Rebel,” Hauck’s ten-minute epic about the maddening journey of a soldier, rings of the playful style of Andrew Bird. With frenzied ragtime piano and harmonica, the circus of sound takes a giant gasp of breath about three minutes in, allowing Hauck to build a crescendo, with delicate acoustic guitar and bright piano accompaniment. The distant echo of a saxophone solo, from a droning to a jazzy interpretation of “America the Beautiful” suggest a statement, rather than providing any heavy-handed proclamation. With lyrics in songs like “Detail Man,” where Hauck whispers “And on our bombs we’ll paint the words/ ‘to whom this may concern,’” Counter Intelligence offers shrewd, poetic commentary, which comes as a welcome contribution not only to the dialogue of current affairs, but also to the acoustic music scene.

Enough noise. Check out Carl Hauck on MySpace.