NEW YORK — Signed to Arts & Crafts, the record label that’s home to indie darlings like Broken Social Scene, Stars and Feist, Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan plays Americana-inspired folk rock. After receiving critical acclaim in Canada, Mangan’s album, “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” was recently released in the States. The crooner’s recent discussion with Blast proved that title to be a fitting one.

BLAST: Describe your sound in 10 words or less.

DAN MANGAN: Talkative. Song. Squeaky. Strum. Gravel.

BLAST: Which three artists are your biggest influences?

DM: Currently? Radiohead, Bon Iver and M. Ward.

BLAST: What’s your favorite album of 2010 so far?

DM: Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”

BLAST: If you were going to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, which three albums would you bring with you?

DM: Radiohead’s “OK Computer,” Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” The Beatles’ “Abbey Road”

BLAST: Name a song you wish you’d written.

DM: Beck, “Nobody’s Fault But My Own”

BLAST: Name something non-musical that has inspired your songwriting.

DM: Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughter House Five”

BLAST: What was your first concert?

DM: Charlotte Diamond. She’s a Canadian children’s singer. And she was kickass.

BLAST: What’s the number one thing you can’t live without on the road?

DM: Honesty. On the stage, in the van.

BLAST: If you could ban one artist from ever making music again (or ever having made music), who would it be?

DM: Sunshine isn’t as bright without a few cloudy days.

BLAST: Which other acts are you hoping to see during CMJ Week?

DM: I heard Devotchka is playing. That’d be cool. I’ve also heard good things about “Wolf! Wolf! Gay Wolf! Tiger!” Just kidding, that band doesn’t exist. At least not to my knowledge. But man, that would be sweet.

Dan Mangan performs Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Mercury Lounge Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m. at Fontana’s, and Saturday at 2 p.m. at Piano’s.

About The Author

Elizabeth Raftery is senior editor of Blast. Follow her on Twitter.

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