Being Somewhere is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, released October 28, 2022 on Arts & Crafts Productions.Scott Lewis, "Dan Mangan announces new LP, shares single 'Just Know It'". CIND-FM, September 14, 2022.
The album was produced and recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Mangan stating that "The hard part was waiting; sometimes it took six weeks to resolve an issue that could have taken twenty minutes had we been together in a room. But Drew [Brown]'s dedication and talent cannot be understated, and this music doesn't sound like anything else I'm hearing these days."Allie Gregory, "Dan Mangan Announces New Album 'Being Somewhere'". Exclaim!, September 13, 2022.
The album was preceded by the preview singles "In Your Corner (for Scott Hutchison)", a tribute to Frightened Rabbit bandleader Scott Hutchison following his death in 2018, in April,Alex Hudson, "Dan Mangan Shares New Single 'In Your Corner (for Scott Hutchison)'". Exclaim!, April 19, 2022. and "Fire Escape", the video for which starred actor Steven Ogg as a personification of a self-critical inner voice taunting and tormenting Mangan, in July.Mike Usinger, "On Our Radar: Dan Mangan's ghostly "Fire Escape" is a powerful lifeline for anyone who's staring into the abyss". The Georgia Straight, July 20, 2022. A third preview song, "Just Know It", was released concurrently with the announcement of the album.
Awards The album received a Juno Award nomination for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2023,"Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023. and was shortlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize."Here's the 2023 Polaris Music Prize short list". CBC Music, July 13, 2023.
The video for "Fire Escape" won the Audience Award at the 2023 Prism Prize."Snotty Nose Rez Kids' 'Damn Right' wins Prism Prize for top music video". Toronto Star, July 7, 2023.
Track listing
Personnel Musicians Dan Mangan – vocals (all tracks), guitar (tracks 1–5, 7–9), percussion (1), synthesizer (1, 2, 7, 8), programming (3), piano (6) Susumu Mukai – guitar (1–3, 5, 7), percussion (1, 3), programming (1, 3, 7), bass guitar (2, 5), synthesizer (2, 5, 7) Drew Brown – programming (1–3, 5, 7–9), synthesizer (1–5, 7–9), bass guitar (5, 7) Joey Waronker – drums (2, 5, 7), percussion (2, 5, 7) Jason Falkner – guitar (2, 5); bass guitar, synthesizer (5) Dave Okumu – bass guitar (3) Thomas Bartlett – Mellotron, piano (4, 8); synthesizer (8) Kevin Drew – synthesizer (4) Ohad Benchetrit – synthesizer (4) Mary Lattimore – harp (6, 9) Gwilym Gold – piano (6) Lexx – programming (7)
Technical Drew Brown – production, mixing (all tracks); engineering (6) David Ives – mastering (all tracks), mixing (1, 4) Lexx – mixing (3, 5, 7) Darrell Thorp – mixing (6, 9) John Raham – engineering (6)
References