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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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Listen to the entire album NOW and share Luke’s E-Card with your friends!

Here’s a message from Luke’s blog: 

Dear friends,

It’s just a few days until my big album launch show on Thursday night (November 6th) at The Rivoli in Toronto.



This is the only scheduled local show, and surely the only show I’ll do with a band and a string quartet for a long time, so you really don’t want to miss it.



The album comes out tomorrow (Tuesday the 4th) all over North America. Theoretically, you can buy it in any bricks and mortar record store in North America, but in reality, if you like to support your local record store (and I love you if you do), you’ll probably have to order it. Just tell the store that the album is distributed by Darla (in the States) or F.A.B. (if you’re in Canada).



If you want to order the CD online, there are many options. Our own Popsicle Webshop has the CD and LP versions of the album as well as the Come Tomorrow 45/DVD/hidden download package. Not Lame is a long-time favourite vendor of superlative pop music, as is KoolKatMusik. You can also buy the CD at the ubiquitous CD Baby, and if you’re in Japan, Apple Crumble Records and Fastcut Records both carry the CD and the Come Tomorrow 45/DVD.



If you like to click and download, every major seller of zeroes and ones carries the album, including itunes, amazon, emusic, and rhapsody, and you’ll be able to download the booklet as a PDF file as soon as lukejackson.com goes live (any day now!)



All the best,



Luke

 

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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!

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Dan Bryk’s widely-acclaimed second long-player “Lovers Leap” will finally return to record stores this fall. Currently available in its Scratchie Records Y2K form from download services like iTunes Music Store and AOL Music, the deluxe Urban Myth reissue will feature both unreleased bonus tracks and new artwork. 

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Corey Landis’s second Urban Myth release 14 Old Messages is now available from CDBaby, Amazon.com, and download retailers including the iTunes Music Store. 

 
Opening with a musically twisted answering machine message and ending with a heartrending ballad, 14 Old Messages deftly swings between extremes of regret and quiet rebellion. 

What says Smother.net? “This kid could become the next great singer/songwriter of our generation.”

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