Friday, October 2, 2009

Dark Knight of the Soul

The story behind this thing is completely fascinating to me.  Legal disputes have prevented a proper release for the album, so instead a blank CD-R is being sold with all kinds of weird packaging including an undoubtedly disturbing booklet of photographs by David Lynch.  All the songs that were supposed to be on the album are available online through.... alternative channels.  The idea is that people will download these pirated songs and burn them onto the blank CD.

Complicating matters is that that the songs can be streamed legally through NPR's website.  I have no idea what kind of legal disputes allow for songs to be streamed free of charge but not sold in a physical medium.  Furthermore, I can't for the life of me figure out how the artists are getting away with selling blank CD-Rs and implying that people should commit internet piracy.

All I know is that the album is pretty great overall and has caused me to listen to a heckava lot of Vic Chesnutt over the last few days.  Also, I really enjoy the fact that David Lynch is contributing (absurdly creepy) lead vocals to a rock album in 2009.



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