From domination in Canada to the world lordship

On his home soil, in Canada, singer and song-writer Dan Mangan has long been considered a national star. First, this young man, whose age is disguised by an impressive-looking beard, toured alongside such big bands as The Decembrists, and The Okkervil River. Then, with the same diligence and enthusiasm, did he launch a promotion program for his second studio and first truly popular long player, Nice, Nice, Very Nice (2009). The present work was eventually nominated to Polaris Prize, Canada’s most prestigious music award. Unfortunately, in other countries Mangan has not found the same level of acclaim yet. Anyway, it may be just a matter of time. And there are big chances that it now is not far from the day Mangan conquers the international scene. His third full-length effort, Oh, Fortune, will definitely hell him do it.

Dan’s music grows faster, more complex and diversified

About As Helpful As You Can Be Without Being Any Help At All gives the listener a clear statement that Dan Mangan’s third album delivers a more stylistically diversified material than any of his other works. The record’s opener not only has a long and tough to get title, but brings in interesting arrangements. As a matter of fact, the Canadian performer started preparing his audience for that long before releasing Oh, Fortune, as he played on stage some of the CD’s tracks. One of them worth mentioning is Post-War Blues. It grabs your focus with guitar play and percussion. Generally speaking, more complex rhythms and higher tempos must take Mangan’s oldest fans aback. They are well accustomed to the special lyricism and even melancholy of his early folk material with more emphasis made automatically on the vocals and words. They should give a warmer welcome to an amazing song titled Leaves, Trees, Forest with pleasant acoustic guitar and simple and easy to learn tune.

Oh, Fortune display’s Mangan’s serious musical growth

Some of the songs off the Canadian musician’s fresh record, despite the stylistic innovations, come to please your ear all at once. Oh, Fortune stands out for an excellent chorus, and How Darwinian embraces with an atmospheric and relaxing orchestral accompaniment. Rows Of Houses also sets a too high and too festive mood for Mangan. But the song has all the chances to become one of his best music deed. On the whole, Mangan did the right thing giving his music more brightness and profoundness. His style still rests upon folk rock where there is much space allotted to a good deal of light sadness. However, Of, Fortune is designed with consideration of a wider audience than the one for which the first two records were made. The album might lack some wholeness and coherence, which means you will need more than two or three listens to form a general impression about the entire record. Still, there is certainty that the artist is eager for experiments and desires to enhance his song-writing. Oh, Fortune leaves us confident that his best works have not been released yet.

Alex Bartholomew
11.01.2012