Being Somewhere
Arts & Crafts, 2022
9/10
The Canadian musician Dan Mangan returns with his 6th album, and it’s a call for mercy during these trying times, where his wit and timeless version of folk sounds are among the best he’s penned yet, which no easy task for the two time Juno Award Winner.
“All My People” starts the listen with Mangan’s breathy vocals and intricate acoustic guitar surrounded by much atmosphere in the warm climate, and “Fire Escape” follows with playful drumming and cautious yet adventurous textures of stylish indie-rock nods.
“Just Know It” lands in the middle and brings a cozy, piano driven album highlight that’s intimate and instantly memorable, while “All Roads” is fuller, lush and even a bit psychedelic in its careful interaction.
Closer to the end, “Wish I Was Here” brings all sorts of electro-pop flashes into the dreamy song craft, and “No Tragedy Please” exits with a particularly poetic, vulnerable finish of well timed guitar and ambient sounds.
Somewhere between indie-folk and gentle bouts of alt-rock moments, Mangan made this album in complete isolation, often sending work back and forth between the producer Drew Brown, and though the process was often challenging, it sure does make for a sonically exciting version of modern-folk that will be sure to make Mangan even more fans.