Album leaks are an inevitable reality in indie rock these days (as anyone who ripped through Dear Science for the last three weeks can attest). Most bands react indignantly or apathetically, but Canadian rockers The Dears have introduced another approach: actually promoting the album leak.
Here’s a message they posted on their MySpace account this weekend:
email between a friend of ours and us:
On 15-Sep-08, at 8:17 AM, ******* **** wrote:
It's out there.
On 15-Sep-08, at 8:15 AM, Murray Lightburn wrote:
i heard.
On 15-Sep-08, at 8:15 AM, ******* **** wrote:
Your album leaked this morning.
-----------------------------------------------
So there you have it, friends: our new album and finest work to date, still not due for several weeks, is out there. While we are 100% appreciative that people care enough, The Dears are still pretty old-school. This was not exactly our intention and to be honest, even though it's kind of cool, we can't help feeling a little bit devastated. We were always aware of the inevitability, as we are living in the modern age. In fact, we don't expect anyone to empathize at all. Nevertheless, you now have these options:
a.) download it now.
b.) wait and buy it later.
c.) both.
If we may have any say in the matter, whatever option you choose, we truly hope you enjoy it. We are excited and terrified all at once. Please give it a proper listen, maybe at least four times to start because it is pretty massive, intricate, layered. Much love, much care, and about 16 hours a day for so many, many weeks (months?) went into the making and delivery of it. We work hard for our patrons. In addition, we are not even certain of the quality of the files out there are like but we do know that the official version (out on OCT 20/21 worldwide) is of the utmost quality, mastered by the great Bob Ludwig. The sleeve and lyric book in the packaged version are also very cool so we really do trust that you'll pick it up when it is released formally.
Eternally Grateful,
THE DEARS
PS... Hope to see you...
As Lil Wayne showed, leaks aren’t necessarily a bad thing (unless your album is awful), and embracing the fact that people are so excited by your album that they want it in advance of the release date is a good thing. It should really hurt the band’s feelings if people opt to download it months after it’s released. To me, this seems like the most rational way to respond to an album leak; acknowledge it’s out there, say it’s good, encourage people to buy it after they have a listen, and don’t admonish them if they just download it and don’t buy it. They probably weren’t going to anyways. [via Techdirt]
The album in question is Missiles, out on October 21 via Arts & Crafts.
