I seem to remember a time not too long ago, when the digital age of music was just at its dawn and people were questioning whether consumers were still going to buy physical copies of CDs or jump ship, lock stock and barrel, headlong into the online market. There were some — undoubtedly hypnotized by the wonders of Napster — who vowed never again to pay full price for an in-store product. Whether pirating MP3s of their favorite tunes, or paying for them legitimately on the (then) small number of online pay sites, it was impossible to deny there was a growing rift in the continuing feasibility of the physical album.
Even after having been converted to the dark side of the digital realm myself, though, I still make a habit of purchasing physical copies of certain standout albums to hold close to my heart. In this way, without even being fully aware of it, I’ve been compiling a list of “best-ofs” based on which albums I actually seek out in the real world. I’ve become the rare breed whose illogical need for outdated technology is helping keep the compact disc on store shelves. Thank goodness I don’t still have the same predilection toward cassette tapes.
There is a problem, however, with this particular tactic of music collection: Because of pre-release Internet leaks, some of my favourite albums of this last year aren’t even available yet to purchase at the local record store. Thus, enter the band LoveLikeFire and their full-length debut Tear Ourselves Away. I stumbled upon this San Francisco-based band a few months ago when I heard the song “From a Tower” and have since become more enthusiastic about them with every new song I hear. Tear Ourselves Away is an album I would probably place in my idiosyncratic, neurotic “best of 2009” list except for the fact that there is no physical, or even digital copy, available in North America.
For the special (read: anachronistic) type of collector I am, this causes a problem. So in light of the inability to shamelessly plug LoveLikeFire’s debut album I decided instead to sit down (at least in a digital sense) with the band’s lead singer Ann Yu in order to hash out some of this digital age record industry confusion.
“I think personally, that the digital realm is all that’s going to matter, eventually,” said Yu. “[Our] album is only available on UK iTunes at the moment but it wouldn’t surprise or even bother me if we released it digitally only in the States even. [ . . . ] The digital realm means quick, easy and immediate, and that’s where music is going in all respects.”
The digital realm is certainly convenient but, even more than just iTunes, Yu sees a new type of music culture emerging from the increasing ability to share your collection either online or otherwise.
“This past year, all I’ve done is download albums really,” Yu explains. “I haven’t been inside a proper store in a long while, and even more than that, I’ve gotten tons of new music from friends who share their collection. I think of sharing music as spreading the word about a new band and, if you like them enough, you’ll go to their show and buy a copy there. I think a fan supports bands most by buying tickets to shows.”
This also seems to be the general attitude of many recording artists of late; why worry about how fans access your art, so long as they do, and are enthusiastic enough to either support you monetarily or continue to pass it along to other people? It’s not a difficult equation: the more people listen to your music, the more support you are likely to receive as an artist. No longer do bands fear the growing online horizon, they embrace it.
As for LoveLikeFire, the band recently signed with Heist or Hit Records and has since spent much time overseas promoting the UK release of their debut album.
“We’ve always wanted to play in the UK,” says Yu. “But I never thought we’d be releasing our album there [first] and now I think people who are hearing about us for the first time sort of assume we are a British band!”
For the time being, LoveLikeFire’s lead singer was able to satiate my need for physical media by assuring that Tear Ourselves Away will, in fact, be coming to a store near you by mid-February next year. Until then, listeners can download singles “William,” “Stand in Your Shoes” and “Boredom” for the low, low price of 99 cents at the (Canadian) iTunes store. And if a few of you become as jazzed about the band as I am, Yu even hinted that they would be honoured to come up north and play some shows in Canada. All we have to do now is embrace this whole digital media thing and start sharing fast!
