– Roboteering EP Reviews –
News on April 19, 2009;
I’ve got to hand it to Dan Mangan. A few years ago, when he released Postcards and Dreaming, I really didn’t think much of it — it was pleasant enough, but the whole “sensitive singer-songwriter with a guitar” thing basically made it feel as though the album was just a long-form audition to be the soundtrack to a sensitive moment on The O.C. (which was popular at the time of the album’s original release, which, as a sidenote, was a lot longer ago than it seems).
Jump ahead to the present day, though, and I have to say that his newest EP, Roboteering, really makes it sound as though his next full-length album (due out sometime later this summer) could be something to behold. He’s still a sensitive singer-songwriter type with a guitar, but, as songs like “Robots” and “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” show, he’s gotten a whole lot better at it. The melodies are more compelling (especially the dance-y “Sold”), his voice has gained a little bit of gruffness, and basically the whole thing sounds a lot more interesting by virtue of the fact it sounds a little less perfect. Whether Mangan will be able to carry the talent on display here over to that full-length is something only time will tell, but if Roboteering is any indication, I wouldn’t bet against it.
EPs are great aren’t they? Sometimes, admittedly, they can feel like a cop-out stopgap, a disappointing substitute for an album, or a glorified single, but sometimes that’s what they are. Some artists though, know how to spin the brevity of the format to their advantage, to revel in its comfortable restrictiveness. One such artist is Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, whose EP Roboteering is a between-albums release from after his Postcards and Daydreaming album from 2005 and in advance of a second full length release apparently on the way later this year.
It consists of four emininently listenable and impressive songs and one song which is rather less immediately listenable but still impressive - in the right frame of mind. That latter song is unsurprisingly left til last on the record, and because of its mixed nature we’ll get it out of the way first - it’s called “A Tragic Turn of Events” and it’s an acoustic, very lyrics-based, semi-spoken eight-and-a-half-minute poetic epic. It’s a lyrical triumph, an elegiac epitaph, a striking and affecting song about death.
Elsewhere, things are more straightforward, more accessible, but lovely. The first three tracks are the foundation for the EP, opener “Robots” being an especially enthralling slice of slightly ramshackle folk rock. Its conclusion, featuring group singing of the lines “robots need love too / they want to be loved by you” is wonderfully realised, a simple and plaintive statement about the universal need for love. Endings are a strong point for Mangan - he unveils another impressive one in the frenetic conclusion to “Sold”, probably the EP’s second best track. Completing the tracklisting are the twinkling, lo-fi duet “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” and the distorted guitars of “Till I Fall”.
This is an accomplished, well-rounded set of songs which form an often delicate, sometimes triumphant EP. It will certainly win Mangan new fans - on the basis of Roboteering, we ought to be excited about his forthcoming album.
83%
Americana UK:
“Canadian singer songwriter – taster for forthcoming album ‘Nice,Nice,Very Nice’
The first track on this EP ‘Robots’ is a glorious singalong with everything including the kitchen sink thrown in. There are handclaps, horns, rabble-rousing vocals, banjos and at its centre a great beating heart of a song that not only survives the excessive attention of the production but positively thrives.
‘The Indie Queens Are Waiting’ by contrast is a far more managed song. An aching duet with some swooning pauses and mixed way up front vocals on the bed of a strummed acoustic guitar. Wonderful.
If this is the quality of the forthcoming album then it will be immense.
We continue with an almost breathless Bright Eyes gallop of a song ‘Sold’ which demonstrates tremendous energy as its rushes towards the conclusion, all guitar, soft snare, slapped bass and banjo with a coda that’ll have you tapping your toes and thinking of ancient farmsteads and hoedowns.
‘Till I Fall’ has a Sparklehorse fuzzed guitar and a whispered vocal that speaks of plains and ancient places. It is a reworking of an old number that shows its lo-fi roots with its conclusion. The last track features a poem read by Shane Koyczan and is both intriguing and satisfying.
This is an excellent EP that could foreshadow a truly great album, one of variety, taste, invention and creativity. Bring it on.”
The Spill:
Dan Mangan gets the music biz. His recent Roboteering EP features a copyright line that sums up the state of industry: “If you acquire it for free, and you enjoy it, please come to a live show and bring a friend. If you paid for it, you should still come to a show – but know that you are exceptionally wonderful.” Serving as a precursor to his upcoming sophomore album Nice, Nice, Very Nice (to be released in August 2009), the EP is a collection of accessible yet poignant folk-pop tracks that mix Mangan’s often witty lyricism with his definitive raw vocals. The opening and closing songs demonstrate the diversity of Mangan’s abilities; whereas “Robots” is an upbeat metaphor stating that “Robots need love too,” “Tragic Turn of Events/Move Pen Move” is a haunting lament prominently featuring Shane Koyczan’s poem of the same name (“Move Pen Move”). The EP’s five tracks leave the listener in anticipation of the full-length record and thinking that he’s pretty wonderful himself.
London Tour Dates:
“Dan Mangan may not have become a household name with last year’s Postcards & Daydreaming but it is difficult to fathom anyone who heard it not being won over by his roughly hewn voice and no nonsense songwriting. If Roboteering is an indication of the direction Mangan intends to take with his sophomore album then the young songwriter is embracing his rough edges. The superb ‘Robots’ surpasses anything from his debut, a rollicking mix of handclaps, horns and a chorus of voices shouting “Robots need love too.” By contrast, ‘The Indie Queens Are Waiting’ is tender, understated and full of little observations that lesser songwriters are convinced they already possess (yes, you Damien Rice). The odd pauses and lines traded between Mangan and Veda Hille give the song the air of an overheard conversation between an insecure couple in a hipster joint. It is inexplicably heartbreaking when they ask each other “Are we cool now?” Mangan’s next move is definitely going to be worth waiting for.”
(print, no link)
The Province:
“Smart money knew he was the real deal early on. The exceptional growth in his writing and in his grizzled vocals proves it right. The crowd fave “Robots” opens the set and a spoken word/song with Shane Koyczan closes and it’s all great. Better with a band.”
(print, no link)
AWMusic:
Imperfection is a funny thing, people seem to think it a flaw and try to erase it out of their daily lives. They don’t recognize imperfection for what it is, a way of either making you human or propelling you above the crowd. Dan Mangan’s imperfection does the latter. His voice isn’t perfect but it certainly makes him stand out from the rest. It is gravely, raspy and raw yet it is these imperfections that make it interesting and give it texture and depth. There is a lot going on in that voice that is missing from some of the more technically proficient singers. I like a good voice, Dallas Green’s can bring goose-bumps, but I also like a voice that has colour and substance, that can bring the goods to a song without the superficiality that quality can often bring with it. Mangan’s voice does just that on his latest release, Roboteering, a five song EP just released on File Under Music.
This EP is the precursor to this summer’s highly anticipated sophomore release, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. Mangan’s debut album, Postcards and Daydreaming (released in 2005) , received glowing reviews and caused NME to remark, “This folk singer may be only 23, but he sings with the soul of Woody Guthrie – if Woody Guthrie had listened to Godspeed, (You Black Emperor).” They also featured him as one of Canada’s most promising acts. Mangan has been showcased at South-by-South-West, Canadian Music Week, North-by-North-East, The Great Escape in the UK, and Big Sound in the US. So it is a relief to fans to hear that after three and a half years of touring Mangan has new music available. Three of the songs off Roboteering - “Robots”, “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” and “Sold” - will also be on Nice, Nice, Very Nice when it is released in August of this year.
Stylistically the songs on Roboteering are each different but they make a cohesive whole that many bands would do well to emulate. The EP starts off with the amusingly odd “Robots”, which seems to be about growing up, or maybe it’s about having to work, or maybe it’s generally about feeling stuck in a rut - “and I spend half of my life in the customer service line, flaws in the design, a sign of the times” - who knows and who cares. You can interpret it anyway you wish which is a really nice change from the usual spoon-feeding that seems to be common in music these days. It ends with an infectious refrain complete with hand-claps, horns, banjo, a full chorus, and the admonishment that “robots need love too, they want to be loved by you”. Something we should all remember in the years to come with the threat of artificial intelligence hanging over our heads.
“The Indie Queens Are Waiting” is a quirky song with a call/answer chorus. Veda Hille offers light but poignant background vocals, a perfect counterpoint to Mangan’s often world-weary vocals, while a piano line drifts in and out like raindrops. It is reminiscent of Damien Rice/Lisa Hannigan without all the angst and overly-emotional delivery. Even the last song, the spoken-word “Tragic Turn Of Events/Move Pen Move”, is free of the overwrought emotionalism that can be over-bearing in Mr. Rice’s work, fine though it is. And really, if over-emotionalism was called for it is in this song (I have to warn you not to listen to this if you have recently lost a loved one. My mother died over 25 yrs. ago and I still found it very difficult to listen to this song) as it deals with the death of the writer’s mother and his regrets that their relationship was not all it could have been. It isn’t necessarily Mangan’s mother that is the topic of the song since it was written with poet Shane Koyczan but if you have lost anyone close to you, you will definitely identify with the sentiments. Mangan manages to convey the remorse that comes with the regret of knowing you didn’t do everything you could have while they were alive without ever manipulating you. Even in the straight retelling of the story Mangan/Koyczan manage to find humour, macabre as it is.
The arrangements for these songs is sparse, not an extra note, guitar lick, banjo pluck or hand-clap wasted. The production is also sparse and not intrusive calling all the attention to Mangan’s vocals and idiosyncratic delivery. The lyrics are, well, ironic and often quaint, and I don’t mean quaint in the old-fashioned sense but in the pleasantly odd way. All in all I loved this EP and it is well worth the four bucks it will cost you on iTunes.
Mangan is currently touring, tour dates are available on his MySpace page and also on his website, sadly none are in the Toronto area. As well as Roboteering, the upcoming Nice, Nice, Very Nice, Mangan has released Little Snitch EP, Postcards and Daydreaming all of which are available on iTunes. Postcards and Daydreaming is also available at CDBaby, Tower Records, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Allegro Music. Postcards and Roboteering are both available at Zunior. You can also become a fan and keep up with Mangan on Facebook.
CHARTattack:
Dan Mangan has released a sweet little tease to tide fans over before he releases the full-length Nice, Nice, Very Nice in August.
This precious five-track EP maintains the pretty, nostalgic feel of 2007’s Postcards And Daydreaming, but shifts slightly away from the melancholy in pursuit of something more.
“Robots” and “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” explore new lyrical territory by bridging poetic rhyming structures with gentle keyboards and horns. Veda Hille, Mark Berube and Elliott Brood’s Mark Sasso contribute vocals and supplement the genuine indie folk feel of Mangan’s music.
Closing track “Tragic Turn Of Events/Move Pen Move” is perhaps most notable. It combines poet Shane Koyczan’s spoken-word with Mangan’s music in a song that clocks in at nearly nine minutes, yet feels so beautiful and personal that time ceases to exist.
There’s an undeniable beauty in this EP that highlights the true talent of this Vancouverite, whose music is sure to resonate from coast to coast.
SoundProof:
SOUNDS LIKE: A slightly rough-at-the-edges troubadour, singing true with a golden heart and an earnest charm.
WHY/WHY NOT: Nature isn’t perfect – and it’s not supposed to be; that’s what makes it so beautiful. A voice isn’t perfect – and it’s not supposed to be; that’s what makes it so engaging. And indeed that imperfection – that slight scratch and roughness in Dan Mangan’s voice – is what makes him so appealing. Don’t think so? Imagine Leonard Cohen’s voice altered in any way. Why, it would break your heart to hear it! Not that Mr. Mangan is of this variety (but who is?), but his appeal on the Roboteering EP is quite clear. The presence of charm is quite evident, with tracks like “Robots” (yes, robots need love too, but Humans United Against Robots would beg to differ, sir), and certainly the lullaby “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” is a delight (complimented well by the voice of Veda Hille). But where Mangan truly captures one’s attention is on the distorted clap-along song “Til I Fall”, which sets the best angles of his imperfect voice to rights. If Roboteering EP is to prove a compass to Mangan’s future full LP release, it’s safe to say there’s more to be uncovered and enjoyed from this young man.
Exclaim!:
Dan Mangan dangles a tempting morsel in front of his slavering fans with Roboteering, a five-song EP containing three of the tracks from his upcoming album, Nice, Very Nice, due to be released in the summer of 2009. More upbeat than his 2005 debut (the gently pretty Postcards and Daydreaming), these five tracks reveal an unexpected side to the Vancouver-based singer-songwriter. From the wonderfully ridiculous choral arrangements on opening track “Robots,” with its horns, handclaps and absurd lyrics, to his sweetly simple and oddly phrased piano and guitar duet with Veda Hille, “The Indie Queens are Waiting,” the new songs demonstrate a theatrical sensibility that wasn’t previously apparent, proving that Mangan’s abilities extend beyond the writing of lovely acoustic folk. Mangan’s warm, gravelly voice, which sailed across oceans of sorrow on Postcards, here reveals a self-effacing humour that keeps the young songwriter firmly on the right side of maudlin this time around. It’s all great, just great. Hurry up with the rest of it, dude.
The Georgia Straight:
His 2005 debut, Postcards and Daydreaming, was strong enough to put the very youthful Mangan on the road for some four years, and this teaser from his forthcoming album Nice, Nice, Very Nice would suggest that the wheels will be turning for a few more years yet. “Robots” sees Mangan wrangling his folkie template into something approaching ever-so-slightly cracked alt-Canadiana, all wintry and reminiscent of Gord Downie’s underappreciated solo moments. Mournful brass, a sing-along blowout at the end, and Mangan’s distinctive voice, which is confident and weary beyond his years, like it’s been aged in oak, all conspire to make this track the probable hit on first listen.
A two-hander with Veda Hille called “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” and the upbeat two-step “Sold” are every bit as compelling, twisty, and imaginative, all within a fairly conventional framework of acoustic guitars, dobro, bass, and piano. In other words, Mangan manages to keep the old formula fresh. But future collectors of Manganalia (I’m totally trademarking that word) will want the two remaining tracks. “Till I Fall” has the singer returning to a 2003 demo and pouring hot magma all over it, like a postrock Mark Lanegan, and “Tragic Turn of Events/Move Pen Move” is a nine-minute epic song-poem made in collaboration with Shane Koyczan that’s at least a million times better than it looks on paper.
30Music:
Dan Mangan’s Roboteering EP does exactly what an EP of its nature is designed to do: create excitement for a forthcoming LP. Congratulations, Dan Mangan. Mission has been accomplished! LP in question is Mangan’s upcoming sophomore release, Nice, Nice, Very Nice, due out this August. Three of the five songs on Roboteering will appear on Nice, Nice, Very Nice, so…spoiler alert!
Roboteering, all things considered, is a fantastic little introduction (if you missed his debut) to the world of Dan Mangan. Mangan’s music is generally prolific and covers a vast array of feelings and styles. He has the ability to be witty (”Robots”), the right technique to be cutesy (”The Indie Queens Are Waiting”), a tendency to rock ‘n roll (”Sold”), a reflective personality disposition (”Till I Fall”), and the smarts to merge spoken word with singability on the eight-and-a-half minute closer (”Tragic Turn of Events / Move Pen Move”).
Phew! That’s quite a bit of ground covered in just five songs, but it flows nicely (think Jim Bryson tubing down the Red River with a bottle of rum).
Other than that, there’s not a whole lot to say about Dan Mangan’s Roboteering EP. It does what it does and does it well. We’ll save the in-depth analysis for when the full-length is released. Or we’ll forget about Mangan by then and turn this entire thing into a British tabloid.
Hey Mate,
Good to See Roboteering is getting some good reviews and coverage. Have fun in the UK.
Matt