Search - Dan Bryk :: Dan Bryk, Asshole

Dan Bryk's attention-grabbing debut CD "Dan Bryk, Asshole" won him many fans in his native Canada. A mishmash of nearly three years of studio, home and live recordings (including his 1994 EP "Dan Bryk, Now!"), this 15-track release spans a wide range of sounds and influences. From the poisoned indie bubblegrudge of She Doesn't Mean a Thing To Me Tonight to the reggae-tinged lament Plastic Surgery, to a solo live recording of his grade nine confessional In Praise of Mark Turmell, these are catchy little pop songs whose immediate hooks reward repeated listenings with subtler and deeper meanings. Deceptively simple piano and organ-based arrangements evoke classic pop and alt.rock low-fi, striking a rare balance between disciplined songcraft and punk-pop energy. Alternately melancholy and edgy but almost always direct, Dan Bryk's awkward voice wraps itself around his songs like the sheath for a knife. Fans of his Scratchie recordings shouldn't miss out on it.