NEW RELEASE: Mail Songs: Volume 2
April 22nd, 2011We are very excited to present Volume Two of the obscure Mail Songs series. This volume features a complete live radio performance recorded in October 2004 at WBCN Studios in Boston, MA. Ernie Kim accompanies us band on drums. These are pretty solid live versions of the songs and it offers a good peak into what we sounded like if you caught one of shows with Ernie around that time.
Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Platform 9 and 3/4
3. Wizard Chess
4. Fluffy
5. the Foil
6. Save Ginny Weasley
7. the Human Hosepipe
These songs are faithfully reproduced in mono 8 kbps/11.025 kHz MPEG audio format sourced from the original broadcast. They are neatly packed along with artwork and liner notes on a standard issue 3.5″ floppy disc: a total package containing 1,421,655 bytes of digital information fully reproducible by today’s home computer to simulate both image and sound.
Each copy will be accompanied by a download of the entire performance plus the accompanying interview. The download will be delivered exactly 1 year after the date of purchase in 320 kbps MPEG format.
Physical copies will be delivered by the United States Postal Service. International orders will, unfortunately, be subjected to additional packaging as a safeguard for ensured delivery.
We are offering this in a limited, numbered edition of 40 copies. Buy it here!
If you have any questions about this product, please email us. We are happy to answer them.
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UPDATE: some people have asked us why we are putting out music on a floppy disc.
I guess that’s an appropriate question. Yes, we understand that floppy discs are a rather outdated storage medium. That was pretty much the case even back in 2003 when we issued the first volume of the Mail Songs EP. But even though we probably only mailed about 20-25 copies out, somehow the files ended up on limewire and I thought it was kinda cool that something that was shared so privately between sender and recipient was eventually shared with the world.
This release of the Mail Songs holds a different meaning for me. As someone who makes their living through music, it’s been fascinating to observe changes in the way people listen to and interact with music. I grew up in a time where music needed to be sought out. Special trips were organized on weekends during high school just so we could go into Boston and do some record shopping. There were secrets waiting to be discovered. Nowadays though, nearly everything is accessible by a simple click in the iTunes store or a quick Google search. Don’t mistake this for complaining. I love that music is now so accessible and it’s a big reason why we’ve been able to celebrate a decent amount of success as a band. I’m just offering this as a context for the Mail Songs release.
Lately I’ve been struggling with how to release our music. Our digital sales far outweigh our physical sales, but I’m still hesitant to completely give up on physical media. Maybe I just like that transaction between the band and the listener. To know that we have a relationship that is more than just a click on iTunes. I like being able to say “Here is something I created and I am mailing it to you.”
So that brings us to this new edition of Mail Songs. We are presenting our music in that popular MP3 format, but it’s not something you can download. It’s only available on a totally out-of-date media and if you actually want to hear it, you’ll have to go to rather extensive lengths to try and transfer it to your own computer. Or you could just wait a year for me to send out the download. Either way though, your patience and/or tenacity is rewarded in ways that are unknown to the less dedicated Harry and the Potters fan.
I like the idea that this is not an easy thing for people to hear. It’s a secret and we’re whispering it to you. It’s a small way of keeping alive that bond between us and our audience. Even if you just get this disc in the mail and throw it in a drawer and forget about it, you will get an email from me in 1 year and, surprise, you can finally hear these songs in high(er) fidelity. I think there’s something magical about that.
Anyway, thanks for reading my weird thoughts about listening to music. Mostly I’m surprised (and flattered) that people listen to us at all. Thanks.
Paul DeGeorge
