Holy cow! I am seriously reeling right now after reading on Dave Allen’s blog about Of Montreal’s new release strategy for their upcoming record and then reading more about it on Polyvinyl’s website. Rather than have me go on and on about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, they’ve got a dandy summary about it on the Polyvinyl site right now. Here it is:
As reported by Paste Magazine.com of Montreal and Polyvinyl Records are pleased to announce the groundbreaking Skeletal Lamping Collection. The collection marks a first in album packaging and design, with seven different packaging formats to choose from when purchasing the forthcoming of Montreal album.
Digital downloading has brought about an unfortunate situation. From the consumer standpoint, with your purchase, you only receive at best a thumbnail sized image of the album. From the retail standpoint, sales are lost to a faceless server in the middle of nowhere.
The release of Skeletal Lamping is a paradigm shift. The goal is to expand the perception of music packaging beyond traditional flat, square artwork and to bring consumers back to record stores to get it. The album exists in seven different packaging formats: CD, LP, T-shirt, tote bag, button set, paper lantern, and wall decal set. Each item in the Skeletal Lamping Collection includes both the digital album and its unique packaging of the album art.
This is truly a brilliant, revolutionary concept in my mind and I’m really looking forward to hear of the success they have with this. I mean, why not sell the electronic version of the record with something more novel and tangible to really add some value and make the record buying experience unique again. Hmm… Polyvinyl might just be on to something special here.
Here’s the first single from Of Montreal’s much anticipated and possibly revolutionary new record, Skeletal Lamping:
