Cory Hanson

In the organizer's words:

Like a sweet spring breeze after a long, hard winter, Cory Hanson is blowing through the city again. And like the wind, "I Love People" comes from unknown climes. Ride along? As long as you're ready to find yourself wherever the wind blows - hop on!

Despite all the complications of life, Cory and the boys are happier than ever to play music in its most beautiful form for all people: fine hipsters busting their bellies at the bar, side by side with cowboys, horse riders and all the other characters for whom freedom is just another word for "nothing left to lose or do".

Anyone following Cory's two paths as a solo artist and wall member will be interested to hear: The line-up here is the same band that recorded "Vertigo" last year. That's right - Wand. They have swapped their "Masters of Unbounded Space" robes for trucker caps as they roll out riffs - sometimes crunchy, sometimes smooth - like the old studio masters of yore. Co-producer Robbie Cody is at the mixing desk, Evan Backer plays bass and arranges strings and horns, Evan Burrows is on drums and percussion, and Cory himself is on piano, guitar, vocals and songs.

Light on its feet and always dry, "I Love People" scrapes along the WTF suburban wilderness that flashed in Cory's earlier solo work "Pale Horse Rider" and "Western Cum". But here, the smoldering shadows of quiet horror from "Rider" and the comic-book gunslinger attitude of "Cum" have given way to an increasingly neutral view of life down on the ground - tinted in soft sepia colors and other nostalgic shades. Developed over several years, Cory's songs capture the spirit of the singer-songwriters of the 70s in a feedback loop, enriched with the immortal melodies of the American songbook. With golden threads and bold stabs, songs from "I Love People" emerge with an immediate impact, exuding a deep, velvety Hollywood sound - prosperity and warmth even on the darkest, coldest nights beyond reach.

Embedded in gorgeously arranged soundscapes, the "People" of "I Love People" are relatives of their torn folk ancestors. Song by song, their professions, social positions and idiosyncrasies dissolve like silk in the wind. As they play, Cory loiters behind the curtain, gently pulling at it and revealing small, silly details hidden in the middle of America's broken heart. It's not surprising - and it's not really funny either: more a dizzying mix of the two, that rush when what you think is "true" turns out to be "false" for someone else.

When maps no longer show you where you are, you're just as normal - and just as awful - as everyone else. You count down your days, in the middle of a constant hustle and bustle, while your gaze shifts invisibly to an in-between beyond the horizon. This is your freedom - and it would perhaps be sadder, perhaps more terrifying... if it wasn't so damn much fun. And though their "object" is constantly writhing, Cory and his merry companions have created a timeless still life with "I Love People" - simply by living for fun and love. Just like all of us!

Photo: Asal Shahindoust