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The reviews of Dan Bryk’s Pop Psychology are trickling in, but they’re pretty enthusiastic thus far:
“A strong candidate for best album of the year. Dan Bryk’s new cd is a triumph of intelligence and wit, an oasis in a world full of idiots. [50 Best Albums of 2009]” –Lucid Culture
“…a Clipse for Burt Bacharach fans, peddling witty cynicism like crack. Pop Psychology adds up to an acerbic but ultimately forgiving snapshot of the mercurial musical world Bryk inhabits. [7.4/10]” –Pitchfork
“…a treasure that few will unearth, but one that will be held tight by all that take the time to listen. I know that sounds like hyperbole, and maybe it is, but there is something precious about how Bryk sees the world that has raised him up only to drag him down.” –Hero Hill
“…each clever turn of phrase, jangly guitar, layer of odd instrumentation, and overdubbed vocal is a revelation. And with every release he continues to upgrade, update, and redefine what is possible from the simple pop song.” –songs:Illinois
 
La lucha continua. 

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Dan Bryk‘s long-delayed, tortured-epic-as-pop-record Pop Psychology is available for streaming and download at downloads.bryk.com RIGHT NOW.

And the REALLY crazy part is, thanks to either the recession, a desire for web 2.0-ness, slavish devotion to Radiohead, submission to the right brain or whatever crazy rationale(s) Mr. Bryk might have up his sleeve, he’s gone and made the entire album available for FREE for a limited time (we’d prefer to think of it as “pay what you can”, which in fact, you very easily may.)  Pop Psychology will be available on all normal download services next month, but here’s your chance to listen (and spread the word) early…

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Dan Bryk’s long-threatened Pop Psychology takes a few steps away from myth this week. In the past month, Bryk has mixed 6/11ths of the album at his Flabby Road abode, finalized the cover art and even settled on a track listing.

Bryk insists that the album, five years in the making (even accounting for some large periods of procrastination and uh, suicidal ideation) will be finished by the end of the month because “I have to return some audio gear to its rightful owners before they send people over to the house to fuck me up.”

 

Here’s the cover:

 

 

 

 

Here’s the track listing:

 

1. Treat o’ the Week
2. Discount Store
3. The Next Best Thing
4. Apologia
5. Horizons, In My Way
6. City Of…
7. I Won’t Make That Mistake Again
8. My Own Worst Enemy
9. Street Team
10. My Alleged Career
11. Whatever Doesn’t Kill You Can Still Make You Cry

Here’s everything else we know about the record (according to Bryk):

Continue reading →

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There’s a sweet new Dan Bryk review and article over at Chicago rawkzine Glorious Noise today, marking the return of the “Bryk by Bryk” pun in at least one article per bi-annum.

The article reviews Bryk’s recent NYC set, and discusses his immigration and “career” travails, the outlook for Urban Myth, and since we haven’t formally announced it here yet… Bryk’s brand new green card. (i.e.; there’s gonna be some b-r-y-k in the u-s-a…)

To sweeten the deal, there’s The Next Best Thing, an exclusive love-letter from the forthcoming Pop Psychology. Does Bryk finally bring the rock? You decide.

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Man, are we ever in love with the “-O-Rama” today!!

First, a flurry of Dan Bryk activity! The Bryk’s about to issue a cavalcade of one-off tracks while he finishes up his long-rumoured “difficult third record” Pop Psychology (which he keeps tweaking… most recently cutting some vocals at My Morning Jacket soundman Ryan Pickett’s Durham, NC studio.) While Dan was there, Pickett asked him to contribute some keys to veteran NC bluesman Skeeter Brandon‘s upcoming record.

But first, THE NEW TRACKS:
“We Don’t Care” (b/w “BecaRebecca”) is going to be the third release of PopUp Records’ Singles Club. (Their first track was Eric Mingus’ “Child As Target”, and the second was by Florida shoegazers Whirlaway, so let’s just say Bryk’s going to be in eclectic company…)

An overhauled, PG-rated version of “You Won’t Love Me For Christmas” is going to appear on Have a Holly, Raleigh Christmas” a Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa benefit CD put together by the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association. Other Raleigh-based artists who contributed tracks include the Rosebuds, Nathan Asher, Schooner and the Brantley Family Singers. CDs will be on sale October 18th.

Yet another new song called “Hang Around” is going to be on the Raleigh Hatchet‘s upcoming compilation CD, and he will be playing Hatchetfest 2006 at King’s in downtown Raleigh Friday October 27th.

PIANOFEST

The next morning he will hop a plane to Boston for the 5th Annual ALL-DAY PIANOFEST, at the Lilypad in Cambridge’s Inman Square.

This venerable event will also feature UM artist(e) Lee Feldman (and a host of others who play piano much, much better) celebrating Boston’s unique piano culture. (The non-profit Lilypad, located in a national historic building registered as Cambridge’s oldest functioning commercial structure, serves as a community clearinghouse for a variety of innovative, disparate and often underrepresented voices in music, poetry, performance and visual art. The Gallery’s annual piano festival serves as a fundraiser to help defray costs associated with maintaining the building and the Gallery’s programs. Recently, The Improper Bostonian honored the Gallery with its “most fun you’ll have looking at art” award. UM fave Greta Gertler recently raved to us about playing the Lilypad’s 7-foot grand piano.)

LIVE ON WKNC

Bryk will um, promote all this activity with a live interview with DJ SteveO on Raleigh’s WKNC Friday, October 20th. Dan will be on air sometime between 6pm and 8pm on 88.1 FM or the interweb.

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Dan Bryk has finally gotten off his considerable ass and headed back into the studio to finish TWO new releases!

The first, Pop Psychology, is a small scale concept album about his life and loves in the career of rock. Filled with the careening, mildly ambitious pop that has earned him footnotes in dissertations and dozens of screaming fans, it adds yet another handful of great pop songs to the (perhaps that should read his) canon.

The second is Forget You, an EP featuring a handful of amazing tracks from Bryk’s as-yet-untitled next album and some filler. And a lawsuit-begging sleeve that was a hilarious idea for YEARS. At least, until the cover of “Guilty Pleasures” stared at us from the counter at Starbucks last month. Oh, well.

Add to that a new CD and shows with Down By Avalon, Dan’s other band, and it’s gonna be a busy summer!