We are ash and we are books, coffee-stained and overlooked

[venta]

Every so often I enthuse wildly at people to try and get them to listen to The Indelicates, who really are bloody marvellous. And they've got a new album out now. So really, you should pop along and have a look. The album is very varied in style, so I'd say listen to the lot, but if you want a couple of recommended tracks, I'd try Sympathy for the Devil (which isn't a cover) and Ill.

You can listen to the tracks I linked above in their "audio preview" section - full quality, full length preview. In fact, you can listen to all the tracks on the album. And, if you want to download the album, you can choose what to pay for it. Including nothing.

While many bands have been complaining bitterly about the state of the music industry, and making pathetic whimpering noises which could only be pacified with a parliamentary Act of very dubious nature, The Indelicates decided that the world was changing and they'd just have to change with it.

So they've set up their own label, and released their second album on an In Rainbows-a-like business model. Anyone who wants can put themselves on the label, and upload stuff to be made available to the public in the same way.

I downloaded the album the day it came out, and I paid for it because I'm a big fan of their music. It's very possible that I'm unrepresentative, and this venture of theirs is hopelessly ideological and ultimately doomed. However, I admire them for trying. They are people who Do Something instead of complaining that Something Must Be Done, and I think that's worth supporting.

Warning: I know there's a least one person on my friends list who will have issues with the album cover. It's called Songs for Swinging Lovers, and features the band's frontpersons swinging from a gallows. Not very realistically, but: approach with caution if such things bother you.

Comments

[venta.livejournal.com]

I'd prefer to wait for the physical release, because I also like actual stuff, but was fearing that poor download sales might lead to lack of finance for CDs :)

[lnr]

I notice they have a donate button at the top of their webpage, so have sent them 50p and a note saying I'm looking forward to the physical album :)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Ooh, not a bad idea!