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We have received word that the Dan Bryk (and co-writer Erin K. McGinn) song Great Adventure (from Dan Bryk Christmas Record) has been first-draft nominated to the 2006 ECHO Songwriting Prize, presented by SOCAN. The ECHO Prize is “designed to identify what’s next and what’s best in current independent music.” Last year’s winner was Propaghandi (how cool is that?) and the runner-ups were Laura Barrett, Wolf Parade, Final Fantasy and the Stills. We’re talking dark horse precedent here. But Bryk still needs to make it to the public round, when Canada gets to vote on one of the five finalists. Try not to think of it as Canadian Indie Idol.

In other Bryk news, Discount Store has been “upgraded” at the last minute, with one new song, and a secret CD-only bonus track. The street date is now July 24th.

You can listen to it for free with the nifty Reverbnation Tunepak player.

Now we’re gonna dust off a stubby, hop on the couch with a bowl of hickory sticks and watch Souvenir of Canada. Happy Canada Day!

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Dan Bryk will release a new 5-track EP Discount Store in partnership with Raleigh media collective Firefly Music.

This will be the first time UM and Firefly have formally collaborated, although Bryk sang two lines on The Tourist‘s Firefly debut CD “Not Now, Nor Ever” (a flavour the ever-guileless Tourist returned by guesting on Discount Store’s second track “Normal”).

After “hooking up”, Bryk and the Firefly music principals were impressed by their thoroughly complimentary skillz and tendencies to Mac fetishism.

The EP’s five tracks include two versions of “Discount Store”, one of which will appear on Bryk’s forthcoming long-player Pop Psychology and three new tracks that will not appear elsewhere, including a cover of the Furniture’s 1985 lost classic “I Miss You”.

Discount Store (the EP) was recorded in about eight different studios and living rooms between Toronto and the Triangle, Discount Store (the song) was mixed by Greg Wells at his Rocket Carousel Studio in LA, while everything else was mixed at Bryk’s Raleigh studio Flabby Road.

The EP features long-time collaborators (guitarist Swinghammer, vocalist Kathryn Rose, Supers/Sarah Harmer bassist Maury Lafoy) some new folks (Australian singer-songwriter Greta Gertler, English guitarist Tim Carless, Jason Collett/Feist drummer Josh Hicks) and a veritable support group of UM artists including Chris Warren, Chris Staig, Down By Avalon’s Alan Martin, and Bull City’s Jim Brantley.)

Discount Store cover and tracklisting: Continue reading →