• – More Roboteering EP Reviews –
    May 8, 2009

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    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.

    For (many) more reviews of Roboteering EP, click here.


  • UK..
    May 8, 2009

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    I don’t think The Broken Family Band have ever toured Canada, but I hope that they do, so all of my pals back home can see them play. Amazing band, lyrics, presence.. And the quips between songs are perhaps even more compelling. Scala – an incredible venue – really quite pleased I got the chance to play there.. It’s odd how traveling and playing music can place you in the most incredible of circumstances.. Also fantastic were Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards – excellently executed, understated and completely beautiful. And we get to do it all again in Cambridge.. What’s even better is that every gent on stage last night, all ten of them, were sweet as peaches.

    I’ve been staying on Brick Lane – a vibrant Bangladesh community. The curry is amazing, the night life eventually becomes the day life, cuisine promoters in front of every restaurant. My sleeping has been discombobulated on behalf of the 8 hour time difference, but no matter when I crash – late at night or middle of the day – I fall asleep to the same noises.

    I’ve always considered myself a city person. I thrive on urban settings or rural, remote locations. The in-between stuff has never worked. But London is something completely different. It’s has the frenzified “scattered yet meticulously administered” feel of New York, but everything is really ancient. The walls of the pubs carry hundreds of years of stories and sweat and piss and (at one time) cigarette smoke. Everyone here is either in on a secret, or pretending to be, or just visiting and admiring the 13,945,000 (wikipedia) lives unfolding daily.

    Looking excitedly forward to the rest of the shows.. Windmill Brixton with a slew of Canadians on Saturday, the formidably intimate and cozy Slaughtered Lamb on Tuesday, folky-type showcase night at Ginglik on Wednesday, and perhaps a last minute addition in Kentish Town Sunday. All this before Brighton, Liverpool, Eaglescliffe and brief stays in Oxford and Edinburgh. I have old lovely friends living in Paris with whom I am eagerly awaiting to consume dead grapes with. And the lady, she comes to join me in a few weeks. Wundaba.

    Dan


  • Sunrise over Britain..
    May 7, 2009

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  • – Guest DJ’ing on The Peak –
    May 3, 2009

    Tomorrow | Monday, May 4 | 2pm (PST) | 100.5FM (Vancouver) The Peak

    Dan will be performing live and guest DJ’ing – spinning some great Canadian music with (real host) Tamara Stanners!


  • – The Jenn and Joe Show –
    April 30, 2009

    Tomorrow, May 1st, Dan will be on air for some chat and some music at 8:45am on the Jenn And Joe Show.. Airs on 1410AM in Vancouver, or stream online here.


  • 4,828 Km..
    April 29, 2009

    roadtrip

    Ottawa to Vancouver in six days with my mom. I’m too old to worry about whether or not it’s cool to travel with one’s mom – especially since yesterday – after all, I turned 26. It worked out that she could arrange her schedule to help with the long drive. Besides, my mom rules, so I have nothing to worry about. We even visited a relative in northern Saskatchewan, living in a log cabin that is 7,000 square feet. Unbelievable.

    I’m home. I went to my favourite coffee shop today and had my favourite sandwich. I have six days of Vancouver before heading to the UK. Just in this moment, I’m wondering how to set my computer so it doesn’t see Canadian spellings (ie, colour, favourite, centre) as incorrect.

    Big bowls of sugary cereal to all the new friends made on the trip – it was the most fun Canadian tour I’ve done yet.. Some cool news creeping up soon.. Will keep posting,

    Dan


  • – Blog Mentions –
    April 29, 2009

    North by East West:
    http://www.nxew.ca/2009/04/danapalooza-mangan-v-michel-podcast.html

    Sioisa, humming softly, writes in sand, talks with hands:
    http://sioisa.wordpress.com/2009/04/28/keep-it-zipped/


  • – Concerts On Demand: Danapalooza at BC Scene –
    April 24, 2009

    CBC2 captured Dan’s concert w/ Danny Michel (and special appearance by Shane Koyczan) in Ottawa on Wednesday and there are a plethora of ways you can listen in, if you like ~

    Live to air
    Canada Live will be broadcasting the show three times over the next year, but the first of which is this Sunday, April 26th, 2009 @ 8pm (Local Time) on CBC RADIO 2 across Canada. Check out the CBC frequency guide to see where it is on your FM dial, or listen via live streaming online @ Radio 2

    Concerts On Demand
    This service is, perhaps, one of the greatest things the CBC has ever offered to the world.. Aside from this particular concert, which you can stream any time from the luxury of your own.. computer desk by clicking on THIS LINK, there are literally thousands of concerts of amazing Canadian talent that you can simply pull up at by going to the Concerts On Demand site

    Canada Live Podcast
    Every week, Canada Live dials up remarkable recordings of excellent concerts.. You can subscribe to the podcast using iTunes – it’s free. This is the link to launch the Canada Live Podcast in your iTunes.

    Bandwidth
    Alan Neal, one of the hosts of Canada Live, asked Dan to play a cover song from a random sample of 5 songs on his ipod. The song that came up was “See The Sunshine Through The Haze” by an Ottawa native band, The Urban Aesthetics. He’ll be airing Dan’s live version of the song on his program “Bandwidth“. Bandwidth is 5:05 p.m. on CBC Radio One, heard everywhere in Ontario except Toronto. People everywhere can listen at that time though by going to cbc.ca/bandwidth and clicking on “LISTEN LIVE”.


  • My oh My, DM vs. DM..
    April 24, 2009

    dmvsdmvsapphoto credit: MChen

    Something special happened a few days ago in Ottawa.. The night was a little bit magical – what a completely gracious and lovely crowd.. Many, many thanks to all involved in producing the event and those in attendance. And thanks to Danny, who is an incredible performer and songwriter, and a heckuva guy.. that’s right, he’s from “heckuva”.

    BC Scene, CBC2 “Canada Live” and the National Arts Centre hosted a concert in a church (First Baptist in Ottawa, to be exact) and we all watched our cusses for a little bit.. Danny cussed a little bit, but they can edit that shit out..

    Three other synopses of the evening:

    CBC3:
    http://radio3.cbc.ca/blogs/2009/04/Last-Nights-Gig-Danapalooza-in-Ottawa-with-Dans-Mangan-Michel

    Danny Michel:
    http://www.dannymichel.com/newsite/blog_news/Entries/2009/4/24_THE_CHURCH_OF_THE_DMS.html

    M Chen Wears:
    http://www.mchenwears.com/blog/?p=554

    Soon will post some direct info on when / how CBC will be airing the concert!

    Dan



  • – Blog Mentions –
    April 24, 2009

    Sanity Insane:
    http://sanityisinsane.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/time-to-turn-around/