New York – Vancouver-based Dan Mangan is about to release his fourth studio album, and the compilation is a breathtaking, full-bodied marvel. On his latest, Mangan maintains the hard-hitting alt-folk instrumentalism that peppered his previous work, and deepens with precision the philosophy-tinged lyricism his fans have come to expect.
But this record is astoundingly experimentalist for Mangan, and stands as a marked departure from his discography. A pronounced evolution such as this is rare, and Mangan’s polished product will leave you equal parts meditative and impressed.
The album, Club Meds, is actually credited as Dan Mangan + Blacksmith, the reason being that on his latest, Mangan synched up with Blacksmith members John Walsh, Gordon Grdina, Kenton Loewen, JP Carter, Jesse Zubot and Tyson Naylor. But it’s Mangan’s voice in the lead, and it’s his singular songwriting that bolsters and defines the album in full.
Mangan, a two-time JUNO award winner, issued his previous album in 2011 via Arts & Crafts. Oh Fortune was a stunner of a record, and hinted at the orchestral arrangements that appear on Mangan’s latest, also on Arts & Crafts.
From a compositional standpoint, it’s no surprise that Mangan’s hit another home run on Club Meds. Layered harmonies, gentle and intricate percussion and intimate instrumental breakdowns have graced Mangan’s songwriting since the start. But on Club Meds, Mangan’s exploration compounds to incorporate unexpected sound effects, instrumental wanderings and augmentations that transform the record into a Meta listening experience.
The first single from this album to surface was “Vessel,” which was written for the film “Hector and the Search for Happiness.” This cut opens with an unhurried piano melody, but quickly escalates in melodic and instrumental complexity, and bold percussion and slow building vocalizing propels the track to unforeseen peaks. The album’s second single, “Mouthpiece,” follows “Vessel” sequentially in the track list, but steers the work’s flow in a darker direction. On “Mouthpiece,” Mangan gets into the grit of bleaker emotional contours and, armed with Thoreauvian resolve, combats resignation to the mundane.
“XVI,” one of the record’s sleeper standouts, is a waltz in which Mangan relies most heavily on his vocalizing. Here, Mangan’s singing takes center stage and is the principle element that carries the track through to completion. The violins, percussion and electric guitar that round out the cut seem only to complement Mangan’s inimitable voice, and not, as is usually the case, the reverse. Similarly, on the title track, Mangan plays with time signatures and distortions in ways that turn the record upside-down and mangle notions of logic in all the right ways. Again, Mangan’s more flexible with his vocalizing on “Club Med,” modifying the strength of delivery as the track jumps from one gorgeous melody to the next.
The record concludes on “New Skies,” where horn sections and a slow thumping beat march the track triumphantly through the weightiest of sonic landscapes. Mangan takes his exit with nearly 30 full seconds of un-placeable sound bytes, recalling the alluring and masterful dissidence of Wilco’s experimentalism.
In full, Club Meds is not an album to graze over, nor is it a record to be played just once. Rather, its complexity and gravity deepen with each listen. And what’s more, Club Meds is sure to be remembered as a record that defined a turning point for Mangan, in which the artist shook the shackles of former constraints and exposed all he’s truly capable of.
To catch Dan Mangan ’s gravitas in action, head here for tour dates, which begin in Canada, seep stateside in March and jump the pond in April.
Liz Rowley
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