First things first, this wasn't meant to be as late as it is, but a busy day at work and a mind-mashing episode of Doctor Who have bumped it back in the schedule a little bit, tie in the hangover and... Well, you get the picture.
So the epic Glasto 60 Day Challenge reaches only its fourth day, and I have finally found an album that I am more than happy to heap praise on, and may have also just found the first artist that I'm planning on seeing at the festival, thanks to this little soiree into the music world.
Dan Mangan, for me, is in the same vein as yesterday's offering Tame Impala, I'd heard of him, but had never heard anything by him. I'd like to think that I might have at some point if it wasn't for this whole challenge, but there is a very real possiblilty that I wouldn't have, which justifies what Rachel and myself are doing, and proves (and if it's only to me, that's fine), that when I came up with this idea, I was onto a winner.
So, Mr Mangan, where to start? I think mentioning that the Canadian singer-songwriter is only the same age as me is as good a place as any. For a singer to have such maturity in his voice, if not always in his lyrics, at such an age is a magnificent thing, and I'm sure its a subject that we'll discuss further down the line, as I have the list of albums, and know full well that Laura Marling is on there.
The album itself is very much in the alternative folkpop genre that has become so popular recently in the music world. Whether Mumford & Sons gave a new lease of life to the genre is debatable, as the band generally polorise opinion these days, but a world with Dan Mangan in it is a much better world to live in.
Folk may be slightly inaccurate actually for the opening song on here, Road Regrets, as lively guitars and drums accompany Dan while he engages us from the start, and a female backing joins him on the chorus. Lovely stuff. The backing on choruses continues throughout the album actually, and everytime it adds something to the sound, it's a great addition to every song that features it.
I won't give you a track-by-track breakdown here, I don't think that many people enjoying something that just ploughs over everything that happens across an album, but I will say that there is very little here not to enjoy. Track four, Sold, is a jaunty, fast-paced folk song with a fantastic chorus that builds and builds, before giving the illusion that the track is finished, and relaunching into its fun melodies, accompanied by Mangan's excellent voice. If I was to say that the last 30 seconds of this song has someone clapping the beat, you may start to understand how much fun it is.
The fun doesn't continue throughout the album though (although Some People is a fantastic jolly up that makes my mind picture a barndance, clasping arms and dancing in circles). As well as jolly, Mangan is equally adept at emotion, and can conjure up a love song as well as most people. Fair Verona is a fine example, and featuring brass instruments can only make a song more romantic (horns that is, I don't suppose it works with a trombone). Other tracks feature delightful violins, and a simplistic take to percussion really feels at home here. Snare drums are replaced with bongos, and everything sounds exceptionally gentle, yet crafted to perfection with it.
I'm sad to leave this album behind actually, as we haven't fared so well in the challenge so far, and this has definitely been the pick of the bunch so far, hopefully we will throw up some more gems in the next 56 days, I'm pretty sure we will.
So... There you have it. Thank you Dan Mangan, I can't praise you enough for this quite brilliant album, and I will certainly be coming to see you at Glastonbury after hearing this. You're right, it is very nice.
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