Cory Hanson’s third solo LP, Western Cum is a high-stepping, hard-dancing, first love/heartbreak, tonight’s-the-night, future nostalgia kind of good time. It follows unpredictably upon 2021’s luminescent Pale Horse Rider, upping the heat to molten levels, six strings at a time.
Insatiably in search of greener pastures, Cory draws with vampiric glee from the madness coursing through the world outside; a spiraling shitshow that’s reawakened a compulsion in him – an old ambition, even! – to crush brutality and elegance together into a fresh set of rocks to hail down upon us, with the sound of guitars through the speakers of luxury cars. Harmony leads are just the tip of the iceberg, but be quick – the guitars like to melt everything in their path! The eight songs of Western Cum are driven by the stalwart bass of brother Casey Hanson and the drums of Evan Backer with a few passing acoustics from Cory and the intermittent spirit-moans of Tyler Nuffer’s steel guitar. The quartet, dubbed ‘Slowhand’– two guitars, bass and drums – acts as beat-making principle/phrasing device, as well as template for Cory’s layers of six-string and vocal textures.
Take “Housefly”, the first single from Western Cum. With burly riffage made of equal parts southern rock and western (Crazy Horse) style, propers are quickly established and fully extended in a succinct three minute pop song. Cory’s melodious take on a cowboy ballad recounts his failed take down of an everyday household pest, a satire brought to shuddering climax by the almost-symphonic grandeur of the guitar break. Presented with a vibrant Claymation music video by Sean McAnulty, “Housefly” welcums you to the technicolor dream house!
You ready to boogie? Western Cum arrives this June 23rd on LP/CD/CS, be ready.
