Posts Tagged ‘dan mangan’
Canadian Music Week Round-Up: Thursday
March 19th, 2010 | By: admin
Dan Mangan @ The Great Hall (Photo Credit: Michael Fil)
Sally Seltmann @ The Great Hall
Australian songstress Sally Seltmann’s first show back in Toronto since recording her newest, upcoming album Heart That’s Pounding was not entirely the warm reception that I think she was hoping for. A chatty crowd cut into Seltmann’s sugary sweet set of sunshine pop and piano heavy love songs. Even Seltmann, at one point, warned the audience that she was about to play a ‘quiet song’ and that ‘everyone should shush to listen’. Bad manners aside though, Seltmann – formerly known as New Buffalo – played a pleasant and charming show and from those who were kind enough to pay attention, we quite enjoyed it (when I wasn’t trying to chuck my cellphone at people’s heads).
MySpace (Sally Seltmann): http://www.myspace.com/sallyseltmann
- ML
Dan Mangan @ The Great Hall
Dan Mangan is simply amazing and amazingly simple. Mangan’s singer-songwriter persona is often overlooked and written off by many as ‘just another one of those guys’ but what those people are missing out on is a truly special voice, a beautiful writer and a genuinely charming man. Mangan’s set at the Arts & Crafts showcase at the Great Hall embodied everything that was great about his music – easygoing melodies, classic song arrangements laced with lush orchestral elements from time to time. All of this is fronted by one of music’s sexiest (yes, I said it) and most compelling voices out there today. At one point, during the crowd-pleasing epic “Robots” Mangan leaps off-stage to sing amongst the audience and even continues after his guitar accidentally unplugged itself. That conviction to jump into the crowd and sing and clap directly into people’s faces – that’s also what makes Dan Mangan loveable. Talented, amazing and loveable – this man has it all.
MySpace (Dan Mangan): http://www.myspace.com/danmangan
Everything All The Time @ Sneaky Dee’s
Everything All the Time, performing fourth on the bill at the Musebox showcase at Sneaky Dee’s, provided the growing crowd with their danceable synth-/soul-pop signature. Playing their full EP and a few additional tracks, the band managed to turn the upstairs-half of Sneaky Dee’s into a boisterous dance club, which is quite a feat for a Thursday night. Frontwoman Alanna Stuart graced the stage with style, swagger and outstanding vocals. Everything All the Time is one fun band you should never miss. Songs like “Lazy Days” and “I Get So Hot” are reminiscent of 80’s/90’s girl pop – delicious and sweet, always leave you feeling good and yearning for the good times.
MySpace (Everything All The Time): http://www.myspace.com/everythingallthetimeband
- CG
Parlovr @ Sneaky Dee’s
Newly signed (to Dine Alone Records) Montreal indie pop rockers Parlovr literally throws energy at the audience. From the ominous build up to their opening song “Pen To The Paper” to the various shrieks and screams between sets to the last intense strum of a guitar, fist pound on the keys or struck of the drums, Parlovr grabs your attention by the throat and doesn’t let go till the end – and sometimes even way after their set, as your walking home and humming their tunes and replaying their set in your mind. The band’s set on Thursday night at Sneaky Dee’s was just as consistently fun and energetic as the last time I had seen them and regardless of how much energy is thrown back at them – thankfully there were some that did so at Sneaky’s – they will continue to thrive and build up more throughout their set. Part Malajube, part Lovely Feathers, this band is one that’ll make you smile, dance, sing and occasionally scream, stomp and sweat; what’s not to love? Your new favourite band if they already aren’t.
MySpace (Parlovr): http://www.myspace.com/parlourmontreal
- ML
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ML – Melody Lau, CG – Carmel Garvez
The Singing Lamb’s 12 Days of Lists – Day 12: Melody’s Best Albums of 2009
December 24th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau
Green Go - Borders
Like I’ve mentioned before, music in 2009 kind of kicked 2008’s ass. Personally, it was really difficult to narrow lists down, so much so that I’ve created separate categories at the bottom, just because I didn’t find it fair to categorize some with the other. For example, putting the Dark Was the Night or Friends In Bellwoods compilations in my list just wouldn’t be fair because it’ll kick everyone else’s ass. But regardless, what I’m trying to get at was 2009 was a good year and kind of shines a light of optimism as we head into 2010. Good job, everyone! Here’s my best of 2009 (in no particular order or rank):
The Balconies – The Balconies
If you didn’t guess this one by now, you clearly don’t read this blog enough. I don’t think I’ve shut up about The Balconies’ debut album since August, when I picked it up at one of their shows. This Ottawa trio’s self-titled debut album is packed with pop-rock punch from beginning to end, arguably one of the catchiest records of the year. Definitely the most exciting new band of 2009; I can only imagine the good things that are ahead for the Balconies in 2010.
May I Suggest: “300 Pages”, “Battle Royale”, “Ghost Fever”
Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice
Dan Mangan, I find, has been a hit or miss this year – either you love him or you find him utterly boring. But what some has perceived as dull and unexciting, I see as simplistic and quite amazing. Sure, Mangan isn’t breaking ground on anything new; his acoustic singer-songwriter card is quite common among the sea of music we drown in today but there’s a reason this particular album has risen above the rest, even winning him Artist of the Year at this year’s XM Verge Music Awards. The combination of that distinctive voice (seriously, how do you not love that voice) and phenomenal songwriting is really a combo to be reckoned with; Mangan produces some of the most heart-warming, cheerful and comforting tunes of the year. If this album was a person, it would be like an old friend that you’d want to cuddle up on a couch with a cup of cocoa with and just talk for hours with.
May I Suggest: “Robots”, “Sold”, “Tina’s Glorious Comeback”
The Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Like I mentioned on my “Best Shows of ‘09” list, I wasn’t able to fully appreciate Bitte Orca on record till I saw them live in July, and again in November. But man, when I finally got into this album, I really got into it. The meticulous instrumentation, including the use of female vocalists Angel Deradoorian, Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle as the band’s secret weapon instruments, creates musical masterpieces within every song. There is something innately original about the Dirty Projectors and that’s why I love them; only this band can pull off what they pull off – a unique brand of Mariah Carey-esque vocals backed by rhythmic perfection, sharp riffs and exceptional song structures.
May I Suggest: “Remade Horizon”, “Stillness In The Move”, “Two Doves”
Green Go – Borders
Out of all the albums on this list, this was the one I probably listened to the most throughout the whole year. Ever since January, I developed a school-girl crush on Green Go and their music. Refreshingly energetic, Green Go’s music was definitely some of the most fun times I’ve had this year. Borders is chock-full of synths, beats, hooks and some of the best lyrics to scream along to, whether you’re in a car, a bar, or just your own bedroom (there are others out there who do this, right?). As I already mentioned, Green Go, hands-down, hottest band of the year and there will always be a place in my heart for these guys; words can’t even explain how happy they make me. If this album was a perfect ice-cream sundae, it would be topped with a disco ball instead of a cherry.
May I Suggest: “Put On Your Specs Boy”, “You Know You Want It”, “Ghosts Of The Future”
Jenn Grant – Echoes
Am I the only one who feels that this album is completely underrated? Jenn Grant’s second album Echoes is a beautiful collection of songs of heartbreak, captured in the moment. Not only are these songs relatable, but they literally reach over the headphones and Grant’s voice weaves a thread between herself and the listener, making it an intimate affair when you hear a song like opener “Heartbreaker”. Musically, Grant’s instrumental arrangements are impeccable, offering many layers that need multiple listens to truly appreciate and understand. Honestly, Echoes is an album that I’m shocked didn’t more lists this year. You guys are missing out.
May I Suggest: “Sailing By Silverships”, “Blue Mountains”, “Heartbreaker”
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This is the album that mainstream media and I agree on. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is just pop at its best and you can’t deny it. Regardless of your knowledge or opinion of the band prior to this album, once you’ve listen to this album, you’re immediately a converted-fan, and if not, you’d at least leave humming a melody or two. I mean, how do you not fall in love with hit singles like “Lisztomania” and “1901”? If “1901” is car commercial-worthy, its catchy shit. But don’t get me wrong, the rest of this album is just as addictive. Bon travail, Phoenix.
May I Suggest: “Lisztomania”, “1901″, “Lasso”
St. Vincent – Actor
Imagine smashing a guitar over a fairytale-esque Disney movie – the result you’d get is St. Vincent’s second album Actor. A brilliant collection of part whimsical, part intensely dark songs that only Annie Clark can master, Actor’s aesthetic reflects Clark’s signature style of heavy guitars paired with an angelic voice. Taking off from where her last album Marry Me left off, Actor is the perfect soundtrack to a twisted Disney classic of some sort and each song is hypnotic, compelling and as addictive as a poisonous apple that Snow White can’t put down.
May I Suggest: “Actor Out Of Work”, “Marrow”, “The Strangers”
Timber Timbre – Timber Timbre
Hauntingly captivating and the record of the year that got me through those dark, rainy days, Timber Timbre’s self-titled album is seriously an exquisite piece of work. Fantastically sombre, every track on this record is chillingly personal and intimate. As our guest contributor Lauren Schreiber put it, “Taylor’s talent is otherwordly…”
May I Suggest: “Demon Host”, “Magic Arrow”, “Lay Down In The Tall Grass”
Think About Life – Family
Albeit, Think About Life will always be a live-over-record band for me, Family was still a phenomenal album and definitely worthy of being one of the best albums of 2009. Bursting with oomph and energy, Think About Life’s second album is made for dancing, singing along to and yes, is occasionally mosh-pit-inducing. The main point of Think About Life’s music is to just enjoy life, live in the moment and party like a rock star and that is all you can do when you listen to Family. Combining clever samples and original melodies and instrumentation, this band pulls off some of the most entertaining tracks of the year that I never thought could be pulled off.
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Honourable Mentions:
The Wooden Sky – If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone
The Wilderness of Manitoba – Hymns of Love and Spirits
Evening Hymns – Spirit Guides
Bruce Peninsula – A Mountain Is A Mouth
Great Bloomers – Speak of Trouble
Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Young Galaxy – Invisible Republic
Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees – Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms
* Note: I didn’t include The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Hometowns and TuneYards’ BirdBrains because I consider them 2008 releases. Also, The RAA was on my “Best of ‘08” list.
Best EP of the Year: (tie) Sports The Band and Everything All The Time
Best Soundtrack of the Year: Where the Wild Things Are (by Karen O & the Kids)
Best Compilation of the Year: (tie) Dark Was the Night and Friends In Bellwoods II
Best Video of the Year: “All Yr Songs” – Diamond Rings
Best Triple Album of the Year: Joel Plaskett – Three
Best Instrumental Album of the Year: Bell Orchestre – As Seen Through Windows
(Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”)
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Till next year! Happy holidays, everyone!
xoxo
The Singing Lamb’s 12 Days of Lists – Day One: Leah’s Top 9 of 2009
December 13th, 2009 | By: Leah Robinson
Neko Case
I don’t know how the rest of you are feeling, but the arrival of December hit me like a giant sack of alarm clocks, sending all those projects and to-do lists I’d put on the back burner into a rolling boil. As I’ve been scrambling to tie up loose ends and reflect a little on the past year—honestly, I was just getting used to it being 2009—I’ve compiled the following rather self-indulgent list of the earcandy that I’ve been gnawing on for the last 365 days or so. The significance of the number 9, if you were wondering, is not great—it merely reflects an aversion I have to even numbers (and thus, top 10 lists) and I felt it was appropriate, given that we are bidding farewell to the 9th year of the new millennium.
1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
From that long ago first listen to the song “Letter from an Occupant” I was struck by the force of nature that resides in Neko Case’s chest. And even more than my addiction to the delicious sugar-pop she creates with The New Pornographers, I’ve become hooked on her solo material which, laden with animal desire and natural imagery, is delivered in a dynamic voice whose power is unmatched in music today. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Neko’s 2007 release, blew me away and honestly deserves a spot among the top records of the decade. Needless to say, Middle Cyclone was highly anticipated by all, and it did not fail to deliver. From the glorious ruckus that is “People Got A Lotta Nerve” to the naked vulnerability of its title track, Middle Cyclone alternates between making me run through the house punching and twirling through the air and breaking my heart.
2. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
As much as the lyrical content of Camera Obscura’s newest album matches Tracyanne Campbell’s love-affair with all things melancholy, it also carries the joyous sonic qualities (ahhh those horns!) that I’ve come to love from this band. It’s the bittersweet juxtaposition of the shadows of life and the joie on My Maudlin Career that glues my finger to the repeat button. A beautiful rainbow sorbet of icy-sweet flavours, every track (well, almost every track—perhaps I’ll exclude a certain song about a boy whose name starts with a J) on this album is a favourite. I mean, it even makes my three-year-old niece do some elated prancing around the room.
3. Amy Millan – Masters of the Burial
Now, I must pause to mention that there is just something about Amy Millan’s voice that I will never get over. It posesses this spark that has the power to make one die a little inside and then subsequently be revived as though by a gulp of fresh air (if you really need a specific example please refer to Millan’s breathy line, “this scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin” from Stars’ “Your Ex-lover is Dead” and you will know what I am talking about). While a fan of her first solo release Honey from the Tombs, I feel like Masters of the Burial is a much more cohesive album; the gentleness of Amy’s song-writing style and her voice are the through-line that makes even her cover songs sound like originals. Directions: Listen when in need of lullabies to soften the ears and put the mind at ease. Best when enjoyed with tea and good company. And maybe some biscotti.
4. The Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
a) Do you hear those sounds? Those are girls, singing.
b) Why isn’t this band more famous?
While their debut release floated a bit off of my radar, Bitte Orca has me head over heels for the astonishing harmonies and poppy guitar riffs that are The Dirty Projectors’ specialty. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of this band lies in how versatile they are, easily sliding from the bravado that is “Cannibal Resource” to the softer tones of Angel Deradoorian on “Two Doves”. I hereby mandate that it become part of everyone’s Saturday morning routine to blast a little of this sextet’s energetic sound through some big speakers. The world will be a better place for it.
5. Think About Life – Family
Without a doubt, Think About Life threw two of the craziest shows of my entire concert-going year. From these experiences I’ve learned that it is physically impossible to stand still while their ridiculously catchy retro-synth-dance-pop-whachamacallit tickles your eardrums. Every single track on their sophomore release, Family, screams DANCE! SING! ME-OWWW! Brought to you by a bunch of crazy geniuses from Montreal (yeah I know, something in the water), this is the album that will make even the blackest hearts love music again.
6. St. Vincent – Actor
St. Vincent a.k.a. Annie Clark a.k.a. Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens collaborator has created her own oeuvre of solo work that pairs songs of Disney-esque sweep with often times eerie reverb and mad guitar work. This style resulted in the brilliant collection of tracks that were released on her debut album Marry Me, and has spilled over onto her 2009 release of Actor. The dark imagery of Clark’s lyrics conveyed in her crystalline vocals is both chilling and addictive. I can’t tear my ears away.
7. Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer
Even though Sunset Rubdown’s latest release came in the form of an 8-song EP, this little gem deserves a place on my top shelf because, to put it simply, it is awesome. Definitely going for quality over quantity on this one, I would venture to say that this is my favourite Sunset Rubdown album, ever. Containing one of the best songs of the year and Bucky Award nominee for best lyric, “Idiot Heart”, Dragonslayer is captivating from beginning to end, capturing all the elements of Sunset Rubdown that I most love and distilling them down to one perfect little package.
8. Dark Was the Night: A Red Hot Compilation
I’ve already broken the rules once by including an EP on my list, so there’s really no harm in also throwing in a shout-out to this amazing compilation, because it deserves it. I usually enjoy compilations for compilation sake—that is, I enjoy hearing new songs from certain artists, even if they aren’t hit singles or chart-toppers. Rarely does a compilation, however, manage to combine so many (two discs full!) of great artists’ tracks and be as unbelievably cohesive as Dark Was the Night is. Bravo to the guys at The Red Hot Organization for facilitating such great musical collaboration and harnessing pop culture in the fight against AIDS. Containing new favourites including, but not limited to, Feist and Ben Gibbard’s cover of “Train Song”, Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner’s “Big Red Machine” and The National’s “So Far Around the Bend” this album is all kinds of wonderful.
For more information on the The Red Hot Organization and its endeavours, visit http://www.redhot.org/
9. Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice
From pounding back insane amounts of coffee to lubricate the creative writing process, to having intense Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em-esque robot wars in alley ways (if you have no idea what I am talking about, please refer to the latest video accompaniments to Dan’s “The Indie Queens are Waiting” and “Robots”) to winning the XM Verge Award and storming CBC Radio 3’s Bucky awards, 2009 was a busy year for Vancouver native Dan Mangan. Still on tour, Dan is traipsing across the world in support of his sophomore effort, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. This album is like an old familiar blanket: it slips comfortably around the shoulders like it’s the most natural thing in the world. It might even have some of those electric heating pads for extra warmth. The chorus of “Robots,” a true chorus in that there are many voices singing the refrain, contains undoubtedly one of the best phrases of the year: “robots need love too, they want to be loved by you……”
And there you have it—a list of albums that makes me weak in the knees. Here’s to wishing for giant helpings of snow and big sounds in the New Year. Be kind to each other.
Peace,
Leah
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Let’s Chat: Dan Mangan
October 19th, 2009 | By: Leah Robinson
Dan Mangan
The Singinglamb: So you recently played an in-store at Criminal Records and you’re on tour with Will Currie and the Country French—how’s it going?
Dan Mangan: It was great to do a show there [at Criminal Records], everybody was very respectful and it was awesome…a good time! It seems like they do an in-store at least once a week or something like that.
Yeah it’s great! I love getting a little preview of the show that’s going on that evening.
Dan: Yeah we played at the Rivoli on Friday night.
So you’re on tour with your newest record, Nice, Nice, Very Nice that came out in August and there are a lot of positive things being said about the album. You also won the XM Verge music award very recently—kind of awesome!
Dan: Yeah kind of crazy, I mean it’s amazing that things like the Verge Music Awards or Polaris Awards even exist. Just the fact that they are rewarding non-mainstream music with cash prizes is unbelievable, and nobody needs cash like musicians, I can tell you for sure. It was amazing, it was not expected and something that totally knocked my socks off, of course. It couldn’t have happened at a better time, you know, just before the tour. It’s been great with the profile shift [it’s created] and it’s really helped us along the way with getting some good crowds out.
So you’ve noticed a difference [in the audience]?
Dan: Oh yeah! I’ve done many tours of Canada playing to smaller crowds and I’d say probably about half the shows we’ve played so far [this tour] have been sold out. Just to have nice full rooms of people who’ve been anticipating the gig—we’ve met so many awesome people these past couple of weeks. There’ve been so many lovely, lovely folks who’ve come up at the gig and we’re very appreciative of it.
You have many talented people playing with you on this album, how are you translating that into the live setting?
Dan: Well actually funnily enough, nobody who was on the record is playing with me on the road. I made the record in Toronto working with John Critchley, and you know, I just pulled in—I kept asking all these people I had met previously on the road these last couple of years, if [they’d] like to be involved and if they had time—if they could work it into their schedule. And they kept saying “OK”. So it’s great being able to pull in people like Veda Hille and Justin Rutledge and Mark Berube and some of the guys from Elliot Brood and it’s awesome to have such pros working [on the record]. They come in and they lay down some really fantastic stuff. The songs have changed—there’s no question their influence morphs and changes the songs in a certain way. When it comes to the live show on this tour I really wanted to go in a different direction. I mean, we weren’t going to be able to get many of the same players that we had on the record to come on the tour because of people’s schedules and it’s a long tour. So I was able to pull in all these other players I had met and it’s a really lush kind of situation: we’ve got upright bass, and banjo and violin and keyboards and guitar, and there are no drums, which I think is a little rare. It’s been a lot of fun and I think people have been responding to it fairly well. If nothing else, we are projecting these songs in a new light from the record. That’s something that’s been important to me: I think that a record is finished—it’s done—it’s a piece of work you can never change, but the songs are going to be slightly different every single time you play them. So I’m not afraid of straying from what’s on the record in terms of the live show and I think the live show is where you have an opportunity to try to make the same songs even better. On the same level, whether it’s better or worse [doesn’t matter], it’s just different. [The tour’s] been a lot of fun, we’ve got great players and it’s a nice opportunity to play this many gigs with a bit of a unique orchestral sound.
Yes, it’s nice to go to a show and get something a bit different from what you’ve heard all along—
Dan: It’s really easy as a songwriter with an acoustic guitar to fill in all the gaps with a snare drum here and a bass there and play the songs the same way I normally would, except all of the sudden there’s a bunch of people playing along and it was important to try something a little different.
You mentioned that you recorded the album in Toronto, but you’re from Vancouver—
Dan: Yes I’m from Vancouver. I actually lived in Toronto for a little while when I was a kid so I’m familiar with it, but I live in Vancouver. It was nice, I spent about five-six weeks in Toronto actually taking the streetcar an hour every morning and an hour every night from The Beach to Parkdale. So it was an interesting experience to have that time transplanted in a new city, or a different city, and having so much time to reflect on the recording process and how everything was going. John was really good to work with and we were recording in a place called Green Door Studios. He’s kind of been around and seen a lot of things and he’s a very humble guy—the more time you spend with him the more interesting stories come out of the wood-work and he’s a very respected individual in the Toronto music scene.
So you were in Toronto to record with John and to get a bit of a different setting for the recording?
Dan: Yeah he had recently recorded with Elliot Brood and I was on tour with Elliot Brood in Australia, actually, when I was talking about needing to record a record and they suggested John and recommended him very highly. So I sent John a couple dozen demos and he gave them a lot of attention, actually, and really invested his time and energy and focus into them—I was really impressed by his dedication to the songs and trying to figure out how to make these songs as strong as possible. We spent a lot of time talking before we went into the studio…we spent a good 10 hours on the phone just talking about the songs and what kind of record we wanted to make and trying to get on the same page.
So thinking about what kind of record you wanted to make, how would you describe the difference between your first record and the new one?
Dan: It’s a lot more light-hearted I think, and it’s certainly a lot more upbeat. I think the last one was fairly slow and kind of melodic and a dark record but this one is much more—I wanted it to be a little toe tapping. It’s important to be able to try new things. I didn’t want to get boxed into the male singer-songwriter niche/label. It was important to try different sounds and pull in all kinds of different instruments and I got some friends to write some arrangements for the record. I think I made the right decision in terms of who I got to arrange them because they were really at times very unique and kind of an alternate look at horns and strings. The record turned out to be a very orchestral piece and that’s kind of what we were aiming for. I really wanted to grow from the first record and I think that my songs have gotten better over that time…they’ve matured and I’ve gotten a little more comfortable as a performer and writer. I really wanted to express that on the record and try and sonically hit a variety of sound structures and genres.
Yeah there’s definitely a difference from the first album which was more melancholy than this one—especially as seen on new tracks like “Robots”. It’s receiving a lot of attention, getting good play on CBC Radio 3 and things like that—
Dan: Yeah, they’ve been good to me. The support from the CBC has just been out of this world and everyone I’ve met or been introduced to at the CBC has just been unbelievable. I’m a huge, huge supporter of the CBC and very frustrated with a lot of cuts that they’re facing, and I think our Canadian heritage—much of it is based on the fact that we have this incredible broadcaster and I think we need to keep it around.
So in the spirit of fall and chillier weather, what are you currently listening to?
Dan: Well in the van we’ve been listening to Grizzly Bear and Sigur Ros, Wilco, and a lot of Radiohead. Being on tour is a nice time to catch up on music listening. We’re listening to a lot of the Acorn, you know, catching up on our Canadian indie—and listened to Amy Millan yesterday. It’s funny, you have these records on your computer or Ipod at home and being in the car for a long stretches has allowed me to kind of revisit them and get back in touch with them. We’ve also been listening to a lot of audio books or podcasts, you know, like spoken stuff. There’s a podcast called This American Life that we’ve gotten kind of addicted to. It’s nice on the drive to have something to focus on…time tends to pass by very quickly when you’ve got a story developing or a plot or some kind of radio journalism and it’s great for passing the drive.
And the signature Singinglamb question: if you were a singing animal, what would it be?
Dan: Hmmm, well this is probably quite unoriginal, but I’m a huge dog-loving dude. We played at the Black Sheep Inn last night—I don’t know if you’ve ever been there—but they have a pug named Lucy and I spent about half the night petting Lucy. It was a nice little chance to reconnect with my canine side.
Ah canines, so do you have a favourite type of dog?
Dan: I don’t know, I think I like labs. Labs are good pups. Although I’ve never been one for small dogs, I was quite charmed by this pug last night. But generally big dogs are my favourite.
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For more Dan Mangan,
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/danmangan
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The Singing Lamb Recommends…
October 15th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau
Dan Mangan
I officially deem Friday October 16th, Friday in-store madness. All three record stores – that is Soundscapes, Criminal Records and Sonic Boom – are holding fantastic in-store performances that’s great for the ears but even better for the wallets (i.e. FREE!). Good news: you can make it to all three! Bad news: there is no bad news; how is free music ever bad? (Don’t answer that.) Here’s a run-down of what your schedule should, and WILL look like:
5:00PM – Two Hours Traffic @ Soundscapes
East-coast pop perfection; the boys of Two Hours Traffic will be playing tunes from their latest release, Territory in what is rumoured to be an rare intimate, acoustic set. They will also be at Lee’s, headlining a show later that night with opening acts The Danks and Spiral Beach (of whom I’ll get to in two seconds…)
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/twohourstraffic
6:00PM – Dan Mangan @ Criminal Records
XM Verge Award winner for Artist of the Year – and deservingly so! Indie-folk singer-songwriter Dan Mangan may not have been on the tip of everyone’s tongues a few months ago but with prize in toll, he has definitely become the one to watch. Catch his fantastic set at Criminal Records then head down the street and catch him and Will Currie and the Country French at the Rivoli, if you can!
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/danmangan
7:00PM – Spiral Beach @ Sonic Boom
Local pop-rock darlings Spiral Beach will be rocking the basement of Sonic Boom with tracks from their new album, The Only Real Thing. They’ll also be opening for Two Hours Traffic, as previously mentioned!
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/spiralbeach
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So you’re welcome. I took the pleasure of planning out three hours of your life for you. Transportation? Bus, bike or feet – all methods work! I’ll probably be testing out the feet method so if you see a tired Lamb on the streets, give her some water or food. She’ll also accept money donations if you don’t have water/food. See you around and happy listening!