IN REVIEW: Dan Mangan - "More or Less"

Dan Mangan's fifth album draws influence from a wide variety of sources, but perhaps none more so than family life. The father of two strips some of his arrangements back on More or Less, leaving many songs to stand on a bare frame; at times, the results feel a little slight (as in the very hushed but otherwise fine Lay Low), but more often than not this approach allows for direct, honest and starkly charming songs.

"Simple and effective" isn't the entire name of the game (although sparsely arranged tracks like Just Fear and Which Is It are very, very effective); by times, more sound creeps into the proceedings, calling to mind Radiohead at their turn-of-the-century electro-renegade best (Peaks & Valleys, Can't Not and Never Quiet wear this particular influence most plainly). Perhaps the album's most thrilling section, however, is its midpoint; Cold in the Summer rides an easy groove and a bright melody down Father John Misty Avenue, while Troubled Mind, a swift and timely rocker that's a showcase for Mangan's voice and knack for hooks, absolutely bursts from the speakers. The trifecta of near sonic perfection concludes with Fool for Waiting, a piano-punctuated ballad that's heartfelt and stunning.

Though some will no doubt hope that it had a bit more spring in its step, More or Less acts as an accurate snapshot of Canadian life; there's solitude, darkness and tension, but also hope, honesty and lots of open space. It's a genuine record, and one that should cement Dan Mangan as one of this country's most revered singer/songwriters.

November 2, 2018 • Arts & Crafts
Highlights Just Fear • Troubled Mind • Fool for Waiting

Comments

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2014: And the Winners Are...

It's been a long year, and another great one for rock n' roll. While the pop charts were overrun with barely legals obsessed with their asses, rock soldiered on undeterred even as pundits (hell, in some cases even rockers themselves) mourned the genre. Sure, rock didn't dominate the money game in 2014, but that shouldn't evoke sad nostalgia and eulogies. Even for as little perceived impact rock music made, a hell of a lot happened if people had only paid attention. From grizzled vets adding jewels to their crown (Springsteen, Petty) to new beginnings (Against Me!, Antemasque) to happy returns (Faith No More, The Tea Party) and all points in between, rock continued to thrive, evolve and thrill in 2014. Enough talk. It's winning time. Your Year in Rock winners for 2014 are...

Headstones Are Getting It Right. And By "It", I Mean "Everything".

When Headstones announced they were finally getting together for a new record (a decade since they'd released one, as the band drifted apart and Hugh Dillon's acting career began to pay dividends), they did so by letting their fans get in on the ground floor. Headstones got self-promotion right. They started accepting pledges toward the funding of the new record on October 19th at their official Pledge Music site , with pledge items ranging from $10 (digital download of album) and $5,000 (a private Headstones unplugged show for you and your friends). Within a day, they'd reached 90% of their goal; as of this writing, they sit at 283% reached. Headstones got funding right. With a planned release date of March 26 looming, something happened. They messed around and got a record deal after a subsidiary of Universal Music (who had originally signed the band back in '92) loved what they heard, and wanted to release it worldwide. The logistics of these things tend to...

SOUND BITES

Search This Blog