Dan Mangan - Nice, Nice, Very Nice 4/5
"Now I don't need to re-invent the wheel," sings the raspy voiced, Vancouver-based Mangan, on his sophomore effort, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. It's that phrase that sums up the approach to a well-rounded record of melancholic tracks that rely on pretty guitars, piano and violin to compliment Mangan's rough, weathered vocals and impressive poetic talents.
"Road Regrets," and "Robots" are folk-rock charmers, that while easily the most accessible and single friendly, are only the tip of the iceberg. Much of the record is simple guitar-driven folk-rock, but the main attraction here is Mangan's lyrical talent, translating his observations into well-crafted storytelling. Like the satirical wit of "Sold," and the chilled elegance of "You Silly Git," listening to the story within Mangan's music, feels like a conversation over coffee with a good friend. Nice, Nice, Very Nice sums up the feeling of the 40-minutes of simple, sweet folk-rock.
1 comment:
Great album and thinking that might win the Polaris Music Prize.
Post a Comment