While getting ready for various Court appearances preparing documents to be filed, I’m not in the best environment to evaluate the ‘promo copy’ of Transatlantic’s The Whilrwind, but I am able to make the following observations:
- I happy to say that I already paid for the album and bonus disc, so I have no hesitation about enjoying this promo version nearly a month before the album comes out. It should be noted that this copy does not have the bonus material, although those of us who pre-ordered got an advance download of ‘Giant Hogweed’ and it’s just great, extra giant.
- The promo copy is separated into 12 separate tracks. That’s not supposed to be the case with this record, and I’ll be pretty disappointed if that’s how the official version turns out. The whole deal was that they were going to hit us with a 70+ minute single track. In my mind that’s exactly what they should be doing – go BIG or go home! Is it kind of a dick move that forces you to by the ‘bonus disc’? Sure, but everyone’s free to pass on the extra expense and just make themselves comfortable for over an hour every time they want to listen to any part of this new work. Personally, I admire their prodigious marketing ability
- Which brings us to the promo copy itself; they have ingeniously ‘watermarked’ it with vocal interruptions that remind the listener this is a promo copy and not the real deal. This is a great example of how to front load all your marketing and hold on tight to the finished product until the last minute. These guys know that, once it’s out there, it’s gonna get passed around like a hot potato, and that’s just the way life is right now. I’m not going to be the guy to put it on bittorrent or rapidshare, but I’m pretty sure I know exactly who will, and I don’t begrudge them that conduct. Until the artists can find a way get their fans to actually want to pay for music, the file sharing and downloads will continue. Transatlantic have done a great job – they’ve got my money, don’t they?
So, those are my thoughts for now, or my meta-thoughts. The audio reminders are annoying, but they are strategically positioned to cause minimal interruption to the flow of music. I’ll hold off on any deep thoughts and observations about the drama, the poetry and the goosebumps, but, knowing this crew, that’s coming soon with the real copy of The Whirlwind, touching down on October 27.