After years of cracking down on free downloads, the music industry still keeps getting upstaged by its artists.
In the same spirit of Prince's Sunday paper album giveaway and Radiohead's name-your-price In Rainbows release, Brooklyn alt. country rockers The Damnwells have released their latest album, One Last Century, as a free download through a promotion with Paste Magazine.
In return for handing over your email address to Paste and the band, you will receive the latest dozen songs from band frontman and leader Alex Dezen, who has shed the band's original members and is now working with a collective of hipster musicians.
The album is pleasant enough - pop-oriented, country rock. Fine fare for the stereo at your local java joint or to throw on a Sunday afternoon, paper-reading, playlist. The marketing, although nowhere near as bombastic as Radiohead and Prince's efforts, is geared toward generating some excitement for the revamped band.
Quite literally, the product has become the promotion. I am guessing that it will create some attention to the group's earlier efforts, but it is surprising that Dezen hasn't come up with a tour for this album to support (instead of the traditional other way around).
The price is right for the album. Put it on with your morning coffee and wonder at this latest twist of the art becoming the tease for something not quite known.
Sign up for the free album download here.
“Closer Than We Are” by The Damnwells (mp3)
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