Vancouverite Dan Mangan’s second LP is a little bit country and a little bit rock ’n’ roll and a lot better than what that suggests. The gruff-voiced singer-songwriter covers familiar ground; love, doubt and his hometown in distinct style and effectively varied instrumentation. Named after a Kurt Vonnegut poem, Nice, Nice, Very Nice actually is quite nice. Dan Mangan’s lyrics share the earnest sincerity that gave Vonnegut’s satirical weight, yet refreshingly lack the irony. The standout tracks “Robots” and “The Indie Queens Are Waiting” showcase Mangan’s skill with catchy choruses and full arrangements, while later tracks “Pine for Cedars” and “Set the Sails” are intimate and sparse. Nice, Nice, Very Nice makes a good case for the folk-rock genre in a court that is inclined to condemn it, jail it, and stop its soul-searching. Thumbs up for our Queen’s profile on the album art. (FUM, www.danmanganmusic.com) Paul Beriault