Kupek: music by Bryan Lee O'Malley

I started recording music in summer 2000. I started out very crappy and gradually have gotten somewhat better in a technical sense. I've also had help and contributions from my friend Jacob (now in Seattle), my brother Eddy who is an excellent drummer, and friends like Joel and Luke and Andrew (in Toronto) who have recorded tracks for me here and there. Lately I've been nowhere and had no help. Perhaps as a result I am becoming slow and meticulous (although probably not any better).

I'm trying to make all the tracks available for download right here on this page. These are all "legal" downloads, obviously, since I made them, I'm offering them, and I hold all the copyrights. Share at will, just as long as you don't claim them as your own creation or whatever.

You can hear a variety of sample tracks on myspace and purevolume (defunct! because I lost my password).

In 2002 and 2003 I released a bunch of music in the form of 6-7 track EPs (sold at conventions, distributed online, given to friends, etc), and this compilation collects the best of that material, as well as some re-recorded earlier tracks. The album art features a stolen image from a German company called Kupek.

01. 21 (1:41) [download]
02. On the other side of the world (3:04) [download]
03. Totally untitled (3:45) [download]
04. Desolay (4:50) [download]
05. You practically rock (3:48) [download]
06. Useless tears in teacups (5:07) [download]
07. Solitary song (3:27) [download]
08. Miranda test kitchen (3:06) [download]
09. Poster child for happiness (3:19) [download]
10. Josephine with the tangled thoughts (3:36) [download]
11. Please stop x3 (4:27) [download]
12. So you suck at life (7:15) [download]
13. Come off it (3:45) [download]
14. Shame song (3:54) [download]
15. Worry song (3:47) [download]
16. She keeps secrets (2:26) [download]
17. I-90 / How many miles to you? (3:40) [download]
18. BONUS: Born Slippy (Underworld cover) (5:00) [download]

I put this set together in October 2006, then kind of forgot about it for a while. It's a good variety of miscellaneous tracks I recorded between 2002 and early 2006, stuff that never got included on the "official" collections, covers, junk. I tried to correct the sound on everything, so it shouldn't be too offensive to your ears. Here's some more information on each track.

1. This Is Not An Excuse Because There Is No Excuse (2:31) [download]
2. You Just Don't Exist (3:13) [download]
3. Refresh Me (Demo) (2:42) [download]
4. I'll Never Be A Pilot (4:34) [download]
5. Nothing Compares 2 U (3:40) [download]
6. Song For Someone (2004 version) (3:24) [download]
7. Sleep Away This Heart Condition (Demo) (4:10) [download]
8. She's An Invalid (2:33) [download]
9. Klepto (4:26) [download]
10. Cough Drops (4:20) [download]
11. Nautical Disaster (3:53) [download]
12. Not A Song For Anyone (2004 version) (3:25) [download]
13. Still Feeling Blue (3:06) [download]
14. Sweaterweather (3:44) [download]
15. Walls (3:03) [download]
16. She's An Inventor (3:51) [download]
17. Cats (1:35) [download]

12 songs recorded on and off between spring 2005 and early 2006. Mostly shortish, easily-digestible pop songs, with a few diversions and a loose overarching concept. Lyrics are here.

The 2nd track is a cover of a Phil Elverum (the Microphones, Mount Eerie) song. I got in touch with him at some point and got him to listen to my cover and he seemed okay with it. I am his fan and did this track as a tribute to how awesome he is (and I'm not making any money from it), so I think all is well. You should definitely buy the album where the song originally appeared, The Glow Pt 2, by the Microphones.

1. Before the beginning (for Sonja) (2:38) [download]
2. Headless horseman (Microphones cover) (2:43) [download]
3. Hateful Hazel (3:31) [download]
4. In progress (2:20) [download]
5. Story of my life (3:21) [download]
6. Neither here nor there (4:38) [download]
7. I'm done (3:34) [download]
8. It's all in your head (c'mon c'mon) (2:32) [download]
9. Big deal (3:13) [download]
10. How long is your hair? (5:20) [download]
11. Born beautiful (3:11) [download]
12. Lovely (4:01) [download]

A Kupek / Faux Photos split album. Almost 2 years in the making, for whatever reason. Jacob and I each wrote six of the songs, although "Nosebleed Song" is a collaborative effort. We sent the music back and forth over the internet, which could account for some of the two-years-in-the-making, but doesn't. Also, it was mostly recorded by me, because I am a dick.

2007 NOTE: I remastered the songs, credited them to Kupek and Faux Photos to reduce some confusion, added tags (for iTunes, etc), and have made them available as direct MP3 downloads. I also added two "bonus tracks" (songs from the same sessions that were originally left off the release).

1. Faux Photos - Cavity Search (3:31) [download]
2. Kupek - Evelyn Everywhere (3:32) [download]
3. Faux Photos - Rockstar (3:08) [download]
4. Kupek & Faux Photos - Nosebleed Song (3:03) [download]
5. Kupek - Lydia Long-Ago (3:37) [download]
6. Faux Photos - Talking Too Much (2:43) [download]
7. Faux Photos - You Break My Art (4:25) [download]
8. Kupek - Antarctica Song (5:27) [download]
9. Faux Photos - My Valentine To Me (3:18) [download]
10. Kupek - Sometimes Objects (3:50) [download]
11. Faux Photos - We Are A Traveling People (5:42) [download]
12. Kupek - Are You Ready To Go? (4:06) [download]
13. BONUS: Faux Photos - Robot Song (4:26) [download]
14. BONUS: Kupek - Sleep Away This Heart Condition (4:24) [download]

This is the first Kupek album, put together after almost two years of noodling around and learning how to do stuff (write songs, sing, etc).

01. Antihistamine suite (3:12)
02. Oh (4:17)
03. She's so abstract (3:09)
04. Still life song (5:52)
05. I'm into a girl from another world (2:24)
06. Melange (3:07)
07. The moment of realization (1:54)
08. Dreaming in stereo (4:34)
09. Stars (3:15)
10. Love letter in a bottle (2:49)
11. For you in my place (10:35)
12. It's ok i'll be fine (1:13)

"This is Intolerable Bonus Tracks" includes:
13. I'm so sorry (3:25)
14. You are hurting me so bad (3:07)
15. Oh, part 2 (demo) (2:05)
16. Antihistamine suite (demo) (3:01)
17. I'm into a girl from another world (demo) (2:50)
18. Oh, part 2 (aborted album version) (2:14)
19. For you in my place (acoustic album outtake) (8:06)
20. This is intolerable (demo) (3:15)