I’ve always known that Dan Mangan was a pirate.

In his Polaris Prize shortlisted Nice, Nice, Very Nice, the Vancouver folk singer tried to hide his true identity with a gravelly voice and gang vocals that convinced most his true home was in a bar overlooking crashing waves. But it obviously wasn’t a coincidence that the last song on that epic record was called “Set the Sails,” because in Oh Fortune, Mangan has done exactly that.

Within a minute of the first track, listeners are convinced without a doubt that the swashbuckling life is what the brilliant songwriter has always hoped for. Gorgeous strings are paired with brass, flutes and Mangan’s signature but refined voice to paint a picture within the listener’s mind that they are no longer on land.

From there, the album only grows in complexity and magnitude. “Post-War Blues” is an upbeat, guitar-led track that clearly takes a stab at the military-industry complex with wit and lyrical savvy. In later songs, he tampers with a sound comparable to Mumford & Sons, which works terrifically (see “Leaves, Trees, Forest” and “Jeopardy” for examples).

Mangan’s voice has obviously benefited from the Arts & Crafts treatment, but there’s no question that the man is wisely directing his sizable sound into unchartered waters. Gone are the gang vocals, but even more brass and woodwinds have taken its place. With that fuller and more expansive sound, a Polaris Prize is certainly within reach.