Wand
Vertigo
Release Date: Jul 26, 2024
Genre(s): Pop/Rock
Record label: Drag City
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Album Review: Vertigo by Wand
Average, Based on 3 Critics
Based on rating 8.5/10
It's been five years since Laughing Matter, a record that charted Wand's steady evolution from high voltage garage psych warriors to purveyors of sophisticated, atmospheric art rock. In the time since, singer Cory Hanson's solo output has veered from sun-fried cosmic country to glam guitar crunch. That fearless exploration has clearly carried over to his main gig--Wand's new album, Vertigo, is alive with mysterious alchemy and limitless invention.
Based on rating 1/10
Wand return with their latest studio album since their 2019 work Laughing Matter. Over the past five years, they toured extensively in support of that album, cultivated a live record, and band leader Cory Hanson (vocals, guitar) released the phenomenal Western Cum (2023). Wand have been restored to their original form as a quartet (they were a quintet on the previous two albums), with Hanson, Evan Backer (bass), Evan Burrows (drums), and Robbie Cody (guitar).
Opinion: Excellent
Wand frontman Corey Hanson's last album, 2023's Western Cum, was a wildly entertaining romp, chock full of sizzling riffs and guitar solos. Just a year after that release comes the new Wand album, Vertigo, their studio follow-up to 2019's excellent Laughing Matter. Since then they've said farewell to keyboard player Sofia Arreguin, which means Hanson (vocals, guitar), Robert Cody (guitar), Evan Backer (bass) and Evan Burrows (drums) have had to thicken up their sound to capture the dense, exploratory feel of their earlier recordings.
'Vertigo'
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