Cory Hanson
Cory Hanson delivers a rare combination: clever arrangements and emotional heft. ‘I Love People’ feels like a continuation of 2023’s Western Cum, conjuring up dusty roads and shimmering horizons with rolling country-rock and mature piano ballads. Nailing this many styles is tough, but Hanson’s surefooted songwriting weaves the disparate elements into a vivid, unapologetically American tapestry with an almost magical precision.
Taken from his new album, I Love People (July 25th, Drag City), Cory Hanson’s latest single turns to the “bard of the Big Rotten Apple”, Lou Reed. He sings – “You were a prince and a fighter / and you were a tai chi master,” to form a tender elegy for Reed, an artist known for his wit, laughter, and affection for humanity.
Cory Hanson’s new single “Bird on a Swing” offers a more reflective, sepia-toned sound from past works. Featuring the same core band from Wand’s Vertigo album, the track blends ’70s singer-songwriter influences with lush, Hollywood’esque production. Along with it’s poignant lyrics (“I gave it all up to the empire”), it highlights a shift towards an “impartial view of life on the ground.”