Hello Fiends,
Is the album format dead?
We all know that the music business is changing and that means the way musicians record and release music is changing as well. We have been hard at work on new Creature Feature material and have been throwing a few ideas around about how to finally release it the masses. In the past, bands would take a few years to record an album and release in stores, leaving a lot of dead time between new material, but now bands have the opportunity of recording music and releasing it instantly. Some people say the long format of the album is dead and releasing songs in little bursts as they are recorded is the new order of things. I could go on for hours about this, but what I really want to know is what you guys think.
Would you rather have full length albums every year or so, or would you rather get consistent 5 to 6 song EPs every four to six months as the music is recorded?
I am very interested in hearing your opinion, so please post it here as a reply to this blog and you could change the way we release our future album.
Hope all is well,
~Curtis Rx
87 Comments
Do do play most of my music on an mp3, but what happens when your computer breaks?!
I lost all my music a few weeks ago, and I was really pissed about it.
There’s nothing better than a complete album, I know that a few fans wouldnt be able to afford an EP every few months, and I prefer a completed album with awesome artwork.
I would love a hard copy of anything you make, and I’d buy it no matter what, but I really dont like buying tracks on the internet (itunes sucks).
*I do play most of my music on an mp3
Stupid typos, sorry about that.
CD’S FTW!!!!!
honestly, if you did an album then that would make it much easier to tour. either way getting new music from you would be awesome. here in northeast pennsylvania creature feature is spreading like a really potent disease!
I love getting albums. I like it when all the songs sort of fit, and then you can try something new on the next album.
Easily said, a whole album. Having to wait for new music keeps your fans on their toes. (:
I like prefer full-length albums. EPs are nice ever once and a while, but they become a tease because they only have a few songs on them, and fans expect more wonderful music from their favourite bands. And, I’m just impatient and don’t like waiting so long for new music >XP
(Today’s my Scary 16th birthday =D Just putting that out there… Lol.)
First, I will add that I, too, like to have something physical that I can hold in my hand- something beyond a burned CD which may or may not even be legal. So, in my opinion, hard copies are a must.
Second, since what you seem to mean by EP is much less the “glorified single” concept than simply a shorter album, like a half or mini album, I would probably go for that IF you were the sort to vanish in the downtime between albums, just so I know you‘re not dead. However, since you’re not that sort of person (and I‘m deeply grateful for that), I think that full-length albums are viable and will keep us satisfied. Since we’re your loyal fans, we’d wait until the end of the world for new material, anyway. As far as concept albums, I think you guys have the skill to tell a story or set a mood in a mini album, so I think the formatting decision should be based on the length and/or depth of the story you’re trying to tell. Perhaps you should go with whichever option better fits what you’re trying to do with the material. I also think that it is possible that trying to release an “EP” every five or six months could eat a lot of your time that could and perhaps should be allotted for your other projects. I, for one, am somewhat patiently waiting for a copy of 101 Ways to Die.
Third, what does Erik think of this issue? I’ve been mulling this over all day and have become quite interested in hearing his opinion.
I’d have to say I prefer the full album format, simply because not only then I have a hard copy that I can get signed if I ever see the band that released it, but it just has that feeling to it that the group has put a really concentrated effort into releasing a product for their fans.
In a discussion about this with a friend, I equated it to having a full meal vs. a bunch of snacks throughout a day. The snacks can keep you going, but you need lots more of them, at fairly regular intervals, whereas a full proper meal will keep you going for quite some time until the next one, and each one leaves you properly satisfied.
Hi,
Well you know, EP’s may be cheaper, but aren’t they easier to lose? I mean, if you have hundreds of Creature Feature EP’s you’d lose them way easier as a few full lenghts…? And will you get a lyricbook with the EP? Because I always love that from cd’s. And some artwork like our buddy Jess said.
Anyway, what would you think of THIS?
Why don’t you do this? Full lenghts and some EP’s every now and then? Maybe with some bonusses? Anyway, maybe that’s an idea?
Ps. Gotta find a way to pay with Paypal then though…
I like it StrangelilGirl. Mix it up a bit, keep people guessing. Hell, we could even have bets!
As long as the music’s awesome and the artwork is good, then I think most people will be hjappy (Aorry, have to include the awesome art, the last album’s cover was fantastic.)
Yeah, though that’s a bit like AFI did. But just keep the fans interested, or curious. Give some free previews like you did with Grave Robber At Large. Just mix it
I would rather have 1 ghoulish ablum all at one time that half a album every six months
Interesting … personally I think it is better to get a full album with all its art. The album makes me most excited, is an entire project, a piece of art, no matter what you have to buy it or download it. It reflects your effort and the clearest example of this was the last album. I repeat it is an inspiration to me. Time to time, Curtis, the good thing takes time.
Greetings from a big fan!
@ Strangelilgirl
NO MIXING!!! Geez, mixing CF would be like drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa.
Hahaha, you dont want the fans getting bored, look what happened to AFI. I swear I’ve soiled my childhood with that.
@Jess
Gees I didn’t mean mixing Grave Robber At Large, I meant like, give some previews and EP’s, and Full Lengths, just a bit of it all xD
wowowwow, u dont like AFI anymore?! No waii O.O;
@strangelilgirl
I never said I didnt like AFI!
I’m talking about the J-A-V-E-Y.
Hmm, that would be better, but the previews would have to be close to the release of the album, so they’d have fanghouls like us up at midnight, counting down the seconds to the release.
Not that excitement is a bad thing, but sleep-deprived fanghouls are even scarier than usual.
XD
@Jess
ahhh… I get it xD
Yeah, I guess your talking about me with my sleepproblems ^^;
But yes, exactly like you said it ^^
I would much rather wait a year or so for the full cd love graverobber at large btw
as much as i am itching for a new Creature Feature fix, i’d rather wait for an album.
like somebody said, pennsylvania is being flooded with fans right now.
oh, did i force a bunch of people from philly to listen?- what? no…
so a nice tour with east coast dates that i can haul a bunch of people to would be fabulous.
In a lot of ways, this is the same thing with books currently. We have eReaders and digital content galore but there’s a supreme satisfaction in the tactile experience of opening a CD case, feeling the plastic, popping it out, going through the album sleeve, enjoying the art, reading the lyrics, sliding the disc into the player. Like with books, feeling the pages, hearing the rustle as you flip them, the smell. Digital content is a must and is very important in the technologically driven world we live in today. However, in a magnificently nerdy point, watch episodes of Star Trek and take note of something. They are technology. Everything is connected, the computers are ridiculously powerful, their tools use beams of energy, etc. etc.. They still have books though. I bet you can probably find at least one instance in the original series where someone has a physical book and I guaran-damn-tee that you can find several episodes of TNG where Picard is reading physical books. There are episodes in the holodeck where they play records. And even if there’s just a giant musical database at that point, they still actually PLAY instruments.
The point I’m trying to make is that why not use both mediums? Someone mentioned an episodic style to the EPs, that would be fantastic. You could release full length albums in physical and digital form as is common these days and then you could take pre-orders on physical forms of EPs for folks who wanted a hands-on copy and release it digitally as well. You could also release other content. More videos, for example, artwork, contests. I remember you guys having t-shirt contests for a while. No matter what you finally decide, I commend you for going to your fans to find the answer. The industry could learn from you guys.
I myself hate digital only music even though I listen to almost strictly an MP3 player. I want to have that hard copy in my hands with artwork / comments / lyrics and other various things. It also makes it easier to recover lost music when your hard drive crashes (has happened). On top of all that though I love my music and wish more bands like you would put out stuff on vinyl as well as CD at least once in a while or as limited pressings. The hisses and pops would lend themselves well to the fantastic music you make and you could add them digitally yourselves but it doesn’t sound the same.
i’m a patient human plus i’m a bit of a collector of old school cd’s lol. let’s go with full album every year or so.
Hard copies of albums are most definitely better! I’ve lost all my music several times over before and it is sooo difficult and frustrating trying to get it all back. MP3′s are convenient but I always like buying Cd’s and, believe it or not, records to add to my collection. Either way I’ll get my hands on your music no matter what you do -sinister laughter-
I believe that albums are far better. Soon they’ll be extinct and we might as well collent them while we can!
MP3′s are convenient if you’re on the go, but where’s the excitement in them that you get from a new cd/album? I much prefer having the hard copy, it feels more special. And anyways, you can always stick the disc in you computer and copy the songs from there.
Sure, we’ll have to wait for the albums, but patience is a virtue.
I think an EP every few months is a great idea! I feel as though it allows for material that might not make it on an album due to disc constraints to be released when it should be, and not end up under the B-side category.
I prefer a full length album and one that is released in the CD format and not just a digital download. I like to have a physical copy with liner notes and artwork. I rip all of my CD’s to a hard drive but I want the physical copy in case my hard drive were to have issues. EP’s are nice but I think having to wait for the full album makes it that much better anyway. If you were to release songs in the digital download format then please release it in full CD quality and not a lower bit rate. It sucks listening to your music and going from a song with a higher bit rate to a lower one and having a drop in audio quality. Also include downloadable artwork. You can always give people the option to order a CD or choose the digital download option. Overall though, CD format is my preferd choice. I am also old enough to have been around before you could listen to tracks on the internet before buying them. Sometimes buying a CD was based on word of mouth or I had bought a CD based on album artwork. I could go on and on about music!
Being able to instantaneously enjoy music via downloads is nice and all, but I enjoy having something tangible to hang on to. Having the music backed up on your computer is nice, but if soemthing happens to said computer, it’s nice to still have the CD. Plus, album art is another way for the band to express themselves, or to have a developing artist do the same and build a career. I’ll buy your guys’ music no matter what your choice, but I would like to have a CD.
I think you should realise the songs as you record them cuz you music is so amazing that we need it asap to survive *nods*
Cd’s all the way. Nothing feels like when you first pop in a brand new album, and marvel at the art on the case.
I’d prefer to get a bit fo a taste of each song as it is finished (you could make it a not-very-good-but-still-listenable-mp3 and upload it on your website/myspace), so that i know what i’ll get (in a better version) on the album.
So my suggestion would be uploading your new songs frequently in low quality to keep the folks interested and letting them know what you are doing, then when you have enough new material make a nice cd out of it for the real fans.
personally i love getting full albums from shows and having that cd around for ever to enjoy.
having a fuckton of songs come out every few months take away from the anticipation of the release date
I would much prefer a full album rather than an EP every so often. I don’t have tons of money to spend on music, but when I do, it’s quality over quantity.
Personally,
I would rather have to EPs., every soo months.
That way I would have a reason to not murder my family.
‘Cause after somehow Creature Feature<3 Keeps me sane… as sane as I can be at least.
& Well, I just need more of you guys.
<33
I definitely prefer CD’s, although i do use an MP3 player.
the only problem is i listened to the greatest show unearthed so many times that it stopped playing on my CD player
.
oh well. ^_^ you guys are worth it.
i think tht it iz better to put as much work as possible in a peice of art soo… yea i would rather have a full length album than something tht iz short and worthless
in my opinion, hard copies are obligatory
i wouldnt buy from a band that solely releases its songs online for download
i also prefer albums instead of EPs because many EPs cost almost the same as an album which includes at least twice the amount of songs
also, most album artworks are a lot nicer and more elaborate than EP artworks
but im always a little disappointed when the lyrics arent printed in the booklet
at least you have them on your website
but if they were in the booklet too it would be even better
ghastly greetings from germany
Hmmmm i would go with albums, as keen as i am to hear the music
yes i’m aware that this is a late reply and probably irrelivant by now and that you may have considered the ep and release songs at a steady rate due to the fact i just took the time to download the grave robber at large track
straying from the point
anyway i would rather hear a real band than yet another mainstream band, i appreciate the rarity of creature feature and would love to see it remain brilliant
keep up the good work Curtis