Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Club Meds

Right well, first things first, what a good collection of beards in one band:

Dan Mangan Photograph: PR

Better catch up quick there, Mister Number Two From The Right.

I suppose the album itself is quite good. There's a lot of good actually inside this album. That there first song 'Offred' is quite a nice introductory song, a nice gentle easing into the darkish, moody nature of the album. 

Of course, straight after that, 'Vessel', upbeat, jaunty piano that makes me look a right fool.

'Mouthpiece' grabs your attention quick, comforting acoustic guitar strum. Loud, long shouts of "dance" and the use of the word "fuckery" is always a plus in my book. Not to mention that one bit with the two word phrases comin' at you smooth like a rowboat.
The broodiness returns with this song, making me feel more confident in my judgement.

This next song 'A Doll's House / Pavlovia', I've heard compared to Radiohead. I can't say I see it but I can relate Dan Mangan's voice to our Lord and Saviour Thom Yorke's voice in that they both sound like I shouldn't really like them, but I reckon one could melt butter and the other cuboid it back up again. Which is a compliment to both.

To save this becoming a song-by-song review which I can't be bothered to write I'll just give a summary quick here:

Pretty decent.
How many stars?
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8.