Ryan's Dan Mangan Review

Reviewing works of art can be a tricky business. It’s not like, for example, reviewing garden tools. If you’re looking at a hose you’ve basically got one question to ask yourself - does it effectively transport water from the spigot to where you need it to go? With artistic works, though, half the writing that’s ever been done on them has been focused on what art what it should do - is it entertainment? A soul pouring itself out to others? Is it a sign of self-actualization, or just another business?

I’ve never met Dan Mangan, but if Nice, Nice, Very Nice is any indication, I’d be willing to bet that he’s a man who believes that art is a tool of memory. That’s the feeling I got from listening to the album, at least; collectively they tell the story of someone who’s been away from home far too long, but who’s afraid to come home because he’s worried that either he’s changed, or home has. So he’s writing down all of his experiences, warts and all, to make sure he won’t forget them by the time he’s gotten old enough to appreciate them. And that’s all it is - this is not an album that tries to impress you with fancy instrumentation or complex key changes, or even trying to get you to pay attention with snappy hooks or singalong choruses. Instead it just sits there, existing on it’s own terms,a chronicle of its singer’s experiences. And while it may be cliche to say it, sometimes that’s enough.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’m a fan of meaningful lyrics, and this week was a big treat for me on that front. Mangan’s lyrics seem reminiscent of the Weakerthans in their more intimate moments. When I first listened to “You Silly Git” or “Some People’, for example, it seemed almost like I shouldn’t be there - like I was intruding on someone’s private conversation. Eventually, though, you realize that you are welcome there - Mangan recorded and published the album, after all, so he must be okay with sharing it with you. That simple, unassuming lyrical honesty is at the same time quaint and refreshing, and makes a strong case for Nice, Nice, Very Nice as a Polaris heavyweight.

For Dan Mangan, though, I get the feeling winning would just be one more memory to right a song about.