British band Bloc Party have re-released their album Intimacy with the new single "One More Chance" and six live songs.The album, which was ranked No. 1 on 17 Tracks' Top Albums of 2008, is absolutely amazing, but is this re-lease really necessary?
Intimacy was initially released digitally on August 21, 2008. The physical copy fit stores October 24 with additional tracks. On May 11, 2009, the band released Intimacy Remixed which featured the entire tracklisting reworked by some of the best remixers in the industry.
All of that is fine. The digital release followed by a physical one two months later was an ingenious move. If the album is done, why wait two months to get the sleeves printed and the record out to stores? It will inevitably get leaked online anyways. Even the remix concept was great (Granted, Intimacy sounded like it was remixed already, it's the most electronic album the group has done).
This re-release is completely unnecessary though. I was hoping "One More Chance" was the first single of a forthcoming fourth album, not a tack-on to their third. And the six song live set would be a great EP, but instead it seems like an afterthought to make purchasers more excited to buy the new edition (because one new track definitely isn't enough).
I doubt this move was decided by the band, it was probably the label, eager to make a few extra bucks as their way of making money continues to fall apart around them. Just another sign of an industry in decline.
Above: The four covers of the four incarnations of "Intimacy".
0 comments:
Post a Comment