Commentary: Saddle Creek Sell New Cursive Album for $1

MP3 - "From the Hips" - Cursive

Here at N&UR headquarters, we are always monitoring new ways artists and labels are releasing their albums. Saddle Creek is currently pre-releasing the digital version of Cursive's new album, Mama I'm Swollen. Today, it costs $1. Tomorrow it will be $2. Wednesday, $3 and so on and so forth until the album's actual release on March 10. Pre-ordering a physical copy also gets you instant MP3s plus cool packaging - the CD features a 19x14 fold out poster featuring hand written lyrics by Tim Kasher, while the draws of the LP include 180 gram colored vinyl, CD, gatefold jacket, and a 15 page booklet. Both include a download card for bonus music and videos. This is how to release an album especially for a label with a recognizable brand name and a band with a loyal following. I like cheap digital downloads, and at $1 and $2, why try and download it for free? In college, my friends and I loved Cursive and had more disposable income - we would have been totally into the CD or vinyl packages.

This is something for artists and labels to think about it. Have your album available at the traditional digital outlets, but think about making a cheap option available for the curious stream. Then create some incentive for someone to purchase the physical copy - a fancy vinyl package is probably does not make financial sense for a young band or label, but there is still a lot that can be done in terms of making an attractive package. Look out for your fans and they will look out for. Be fan friendly, and you will make new friends.

While we are on the subject of Saddle Creek, I noticed the label just added their entire catalog to Emusic, so go back and download some of the classics - Cursive's Burst and Bloom, The Good Life's Black Out, The Faint's Danse Macabre and many, many more.

[Via MBV]

Bonus Tracks:
MP3 - "The Recluse" - Cursive
MP3 - "The Great Decay" - Cursive