Cory Hanson I Love People

Critic's Take

In his wry, precisely observant voice Tim Clarke singles out the musical highs on I Love People, notably the gorgeous opener “Bird on a Swing” and the sizzling moments in “Bad Miracles” - songs that show Hanson’s tasteful guitar and affectionate pastiche. Clarke frames the record as a pivot toward breezy country-rock and syrupy piano-and-strings ballads, even as it deploys comic, sometimes uncomfortable sketches of American life. If you are searching for the best songs on I Love People, Clarke points you toward “Bird on a Swing” and the guitar-fired flourish on “Bad Miracles”, while warning that other choices, like “Santa Claus Is Coming Back to Town”, tip into schmaltz. The review reads like a recommendation wrapped in skepticism: admiring craft and moments of genuine beauty, but unsettled by the record’s over-the-top, uneasy humor.

Key Points

• The best song is "Bird on a Swing" for its gorgeous opener status and tasteful guitar work.
• The album’s core strengths are its craft in pastiche, melodic country-rock arrangements, and darkly comic character vignettes.

Themes

Critic's Take

In his peculiarly deadpan register, Cory Hanson reshapes I Love People into a 70s-soft-rock confessional where the best songs - namely “Joker” and “Bird on a Swing” - do the heaviest lifting. Hanson uses smoothed-out horns and strings to dress stories of exhaustion and wry observation, so when “Joker” closes with that lonely sax and “Bird on a Swing” concludes "that’s the cost of being free," the record crystallizes its mission. The title track “I Love People” is anthemic and oddly touching, and later moments like “Texas Weather” still soar, giving the album its clearest moments of warmth and clarity.

Key Points

• “Joker” is the album's best track because it condenses Hanson’s detached delivery, countrypolitan motifs and a memorable sax that exemplify the record.
• The album’s core strengths are its 70s soft-rock arrangements, wry lyrical narratives, and the tension between nostalgic sound and contemporary unease.

Themes

Critic's Take

In a voice that is both poetic and assured, Cory Hanson’s I Love People finds its best songs in intimate storytelling pieces like “Bad Miracles” and “Old Policeman”, where stripped-down piano lifts Hanson’s vocals into something cathedral-sized. The record’s title track and the twangy closer “On The Rocks” supply sweeping production and punchy horns that widen the album’s palette, making clear why listeners search for the best tracks on I Love People. If you want to know the best songs on I Love People, start with those piano-led moments and then let the title track’s bravado and “On The Rocks”’s glittering guitars reveal Hanson’s range and craftsmanship.

Key Points

• The best song is "Bad Miracles" because its stripped-down piano and raw longing crystallize Hanson’s strengths.
• The album’s core strengths are poetic storytelling, cinematic piano moments, and tasteful, expansive production.

Themes

Critic's Take

Cory Hanson wears a pastoral veneer on I Love People, but the best tracks - like “Bird On A Swing” and “I Love People” - quietly smuggle cruelty and mischief into gorgeous arrangements. Sam Richards' tone is admiring and wry, noting how the music is exquisitely arranged even as Hanson skewers the myth of the open road. He singles out “Lou Reed” as ravishing and sincere, a moment where cheese becomes transcendent, while closer “On The Rocks” delivers a savage, haunting final verdict. The result is an album whose best songs pair immaculate craft with sharp, often unsettling observations about people and place.

Key Points

• The best song balances immaculate arrangement with sharp misanthropic insight, exemplified by "Bird On A Swing".
• The album's core strength is immaculate, controlled arrangements that conceal unsettling, witty critiques of the American dream.

Themes

Critic's Take

Pairing Laurel Canyon splendor with a surreal perspective, Cory Hanson sculpts his best songs into uncanny portraits on I Love People. The sparkling, country-gold “Bird on a Swing” bursts open the record with jaunty saloon arrangements while the title track “I Love People” slips into a glandhanding sway that reveals darker truths. Hanson’s ironic melodies let standouts like “Bad Miracles” and “Texas Weather” rise beyond pastiche into something lived-in and unsettling, which is why listeners asking "best songs on I Love People" will be pointed first to those tracks. The result is a superb pastiche of contemporary Americana that rewards close listening.

Key Points

• The best song, "Bird on a Swing," stands out for its sparkling, full-band arrangement and jaunty saloon opening.
• The album's strengths are its surreal, darkly comic portraits and polished, Harvest-like production that balance irony and melody.

Themes