Sunlit Laurel Canyon vibes with a dark undertow.
Cory Hanson originally came to attention through leading the psychedelic garage rock band Wand, but he has simultaneously led a solo career, and “I Love People” is his fourth album under his own name.
It may seem as if there is a convergence of the two streams of his music, as his latest release features all his Wand bandmates. It was also noticeable that the most recent Wand release, 2024’s “Vertigo”, has a markedly more pop-influenced direction, compared to their more grungy, experimental earlier albums.
“I Love People” further embraces pure songwriting and more organic-sounding songs. Opener ‘Bird on a Swing’ is absolutely sumptuous; a truly memorable melody, fine playing and singing, augmented by a swooning backing vocal chorus. It is a phenomenal start to the record, and if it catches your ear, the tracks that follow are likely to please just as much. ‘Lou Reed’ could have been cut by its eponymous title character, in one of his more reflective moments. It’s a touching tribute.
‘Final Frontier’ opens with some beautiful and delicate close harmony singing, with Hanson sounding a bit like an old western singer. The lyrics tell a different story, with somewhat twisted and dark reflections on humanity… “It’s good to be God, cos when the shit hits the fan / you can go on believing that you don’t exist…it’s the final frontier / cash your chips before they run out – you know they’ll run out”.
In fact, a lot of the songs on the record are built on similar frameworks … the iron fist inside a velvet glove, the bitterest pills wrapped in the sweetest delicacies. Hanson’s vocals are smooth and easy on the ear, the playing is uniformly excellent, and the melodies are things of dappled sunlight. It’s just, make sure you’re ready for the underlying mood to be more David Lynch than Disney. If you like a bit of sour to temper the sweet, this is likely to be a hugely entertaining and fascinating collection to dive into.
I cannot wait to hear this !!!