The Unborn Capitalist From Limbo

Chronique

Over the course of three albums released in a very short time, the L.A. quartet Wand made a name for themselves as excitingly unpredictable purveyors of psychedelic music of all stripes, be it jangling pop, thrashing metal, or trippily bonkers acid rock. When word came out that their leader, Cory Hanson, was readying a solo album, it was difficult to guess what path he might take. The Unborn Capitalist from Limbo turns out to be a very pretty orchestrated folk-pop album, lushly arranged with strings and gently strummed acoustic guitars. Nick Drake, Bill Fay, and Simon & Garfunkel influences run deep, as do any number of private-press weirdos who released albums in the early '70s and promptly vanished. For a more modern reference, there's a little bit of the Moles and the solo work of Richard Davies creeping around the well-burnished edges as well. To contrast with the verdant beauty of the music, Hanson's dark lyrical outlook and wizardly vocals keep things from getting too mindful or relaxed. It's a fine balancing act of autumnal peacefulness and wintry bleakness, made even more attractive by the strength of the melodies Hanson brought to the record. Wand aren't exactly known for being tuneful; they are more about blowing minds with guitar tones and twisted dynamics. Hanson's lilting melodies here are tender and sweet, delivered with a light touch that one might not have assumed he possessed. "Garden of Delight" lives up to its title and shows off the beauty of Heather Lockie's string arrangements, while "Ordinary People" sounds like something that would have been playing in an underground bookshop in 1973 and sent half the clientele to the front counter to ask the clerk what they were hearing. Things get a little more epic in spots, like on "Replica," when Hanson is a little more insistent and the music builds around him into a tiny storm of passionate sound. Though hushed, lush, and intimate psych-folk may not have been anyone's first choice for where Hanson's path might lead next, The Unborn Capitalist from Limbo is beautiful and strange, and proves to be a trip well worth taking.

© Tim Sendra /TiVo