The week in hard to find things, apparently - one set of easy to find US releases and a couple of albums that aren't technically out in the US make it difficult for us music lovers to get our hands on these things. I really don't get why, in this day, the labels do things like making releases available only in certain markets.
I remember years ago stumbling upon import releases that I'd only read about in magazines. Before the internet, my only hope of finding this stuff was that my local indie store or, maybe, Tower Records would manage to get in one copy at an extra-exorbitant price. And I'd grab 'em whenever I saw these things because it was unlikely that a US release would happen anytime soon, if ever. Of course, the internet made those experiences redundant - Amazon stocks almost everything, and if they don't, the artist's own website will surely direct you to their own shop where you can get what you can't easily find. Not to mention good old downloading, for those of us without a conscience.
But here's the thing: people do still want to buy CDs and own them. And they want to be able to find and buy them easily - at good prices. I, and I'm sure many others, really figured that the internet would permanently put to rest the days of imports because, frankly, it was a stupid notion. One release for all the world makes a lot more sense than multiple versions all over the place and at different times. But here I am telling you in 2006 that exactly that is going on - more music is being released like it's 1992 again and there's no telling that these albums are going to see release in the US. Only today people have that other option that the labels hate. They only encourage it with behavior like this. People are going to find a way to get the music they want, and if you make it even slightly difficult for them, they're going to take the path of least resistance. That said, maybe with at least one of these I can steer a few sales back toward the band . . .
The Tragically Hip - World Container: If you ask me, the Hip's management, label, someone in charge made a major mistake with this album. They've allowed it to be released everywhere but the US this week while the US release date hangs in limbo - there is absolutely no information to be found about when or even if this great Canadian quartet's latest album will be released in the states. In the meantime, US fans will do exactly as I did - purchase the album through Canadian means, such as the officially sanctioned Maple Music. Very frustrating indeed.
Article comments
1 - Niraj