Yes, I know. I’m not Mailo. I’m Sara; the one who tends to keep her heated opinions to herself. Well, not this week! This week, I have hijacked Mailo’s Editorial blog and am holding a gun to society’s head and pleading, “STOP PRE-RELEASING ALBUMS IN DIGITAL FORM ONLY!”
Now, I get it. It’s the 21st Century and everything is digital. I used to buy nothing but digital music via Amazon or iTunes, but with that comes the lost art of hard copy CD’s and the packaging that comes with it. I knew bands were doing this, releasing albums digitally about a month before they’re released in CD form. I didn’t really care though, until this year’s release of Ratatat’s latest album, LP4.
I had been looking forward to this release all year and when I wrote the Weekly Album Release Party announcing its release, I couldn’t wait! I counted down the hours until the day finally got here but came to a gruesome discovery when I walked into my local Best Buy: the album was in digital form only! I probably wouldn’t have minded so much a couple years ago when I was just obsessed with getting my grubby little hands on music, but I’ve gotten to the point where I really want to appreciate all of the art that goes into not only the album, but the packaging as well. It’s nice to have that collection to refer to. It’s like our generation’s vinyl’s. I mean, think about the opportunities available to artists to express themselves through something other than what’s being played from their CD’s; they get a whole other medium to express themselves and we as listeners get another medium to learn something about them.
Sure, I can wait the month-and-a-half or so until it is finally released, but then where is that magic? Where’s the thrill that comes with walking into your local record store, pulling out the cash you scrimped and saved to acquire, getting into your car, struggling with that plastic wrap and finally, struggling to no end to get that stupid ass sticker that holds the jewel case together? Where’s the joy that comes with hearing that album for the first time with your windows rolled down as you drive out of the parking lot?
We are losing something great here, people.
Please, don’t let the jewel case die.