Topic: Free Album: The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!

[beo]

this release is worth taking note of for two reasons - firstly, for the method of distribution. it's available in DRM free, LAME encoded, MP3's (192k or 320k) and also in losless FLAC formats. the 192k mp3s are absolutely free, with the idea being that if you like the album, you can pay $5 to get it in one of the higher quality formats and support this frankly awesome distribution model.

secondly, it's produced by trent reznor (who also takes music writing credits for all tracks bar two), and sounds like a hip-hop nine inch nails, with layer upon layer of intricate electronic sounds. if, like me, you're not a big hip-hop fan, don't let the genre put you off. i could write more about the music, but considering the risk free nature of investing in this album, you really should just give it a go, because the music says far more for itself than i possibly could. i will just say that it's genuinely very good and more than worth the $5.

there's a three track sample available here.

the entire album is available here.

this is the way music should be bought and sold, and as many people should get behind this as possible.

[Quemaqua]

There are elements to it that I like (just listened to the samples), but I wish those elements were played up more, as on the whole it doesn't do much for me.  I definitely wouldn't pay for it.

And I continue to disagree with your final assertion.  I like albums, not digital distribution.  I want liner notes, I want art, I want photos, I want whatever... not a bunch of files to download.  I prefer something tangible.  This isn't something my generation generally understands, however, because largely what we get with albums today is a bunch of horseshit, but I listen to a lot of music from past generations, and nothing compares to what you used to get with great jazz albums and such.

Still, I agree that it's cool that people are releasing music this way.  I doubt it's a good way to make a profit, but then, music never has been.  I think it's also cool that people believe enough in their projects to take the risk.  If I ever get off my ass and finish some final recordings for an album, I'll probably try to release it in similar fashion.

[beo]

as an alternative to the DRM'd to fuck, low bit-rate, overpriced files available on services such as itunes, this is a step in the right direction. plus the record companies and riaa don't see a fucking penny, which is nice. just for the record, it also comes with a nice high-res pdf booklet with some excellent artwork.

maybe i should of clarified - as far as digital distribution goes, this is the way it should be done. i'm still a big fan of "proper" cds, in fact, this is the first time i've ever paid for a digital distro piece of music. i just feel it deserves some support, because given the fact that we are heading further into a world dominated by digital releases, it's good to see someone do it right, when everyone else still relies on middlemen to take their massive cuts, and release substandard products. if this was regular cd price (about $20 here), i wouldn't buy it, but $5 actually justifies the lack of a tangible product.

[Quemaqua]

Apparently I agree with you completely, then.  Yeah, I think it is great as far as digital distribution goes.  Everything you said is right on the money.