"official" cd-r releases

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I've noticed in recent times that a couple of "proper" releases i've purchased, invariably cd singles, are actually cd-rs and not "proper" silver pressed cds. these aren't promos either as far as i can ascertain - one assumes that they simply must have been issued in a number more limited than 500. a couple of examples include several singles on Bella Union (Laura Viers, Trespassers William, there's bound to be more) and Rainbow Quartz (the "Stay Right Here" cd single by Outrageous Cherry).

what say you about this practice? I hold this as being slightly different from labels who make it clear you're getting a handmade-to-order cd, like Severed Heads are doing (among others)..

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:18 (twenty years ago)

Plenty of tiny tiny labels do this on a regular basis, though they make it clear (usually) that yr getting a CDr. I'm all for it--it allows music that otherwise would not get released at all to be released at a reasonable price. A bonus is the often hand-made packaging.

― Ian John50n (orion), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:21 (twenty years ago)

i should clarify - i don't have any problem with cd-rs, i buy stacks of cd-r promos and small-run stuff, i guess i wonder if the labels really should be making it clear or not that the release in question is a cd-r?

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:24 (twenty years ago)

xpost

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:25 (twenty years ago)

shelflife records had a cd-r series of super-twee international pop. i liked some of it. $3 each too.

http://www.shelflife.com/catalog/

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:25 (twenty years ago)

I don't mind if they make it clear that you are getting a cdr. I have bought quiet a few of them and out of every batch I always seem to get one cdr that was burned so poorly that it will not play correctly or is unable to rip.

― svend (svend), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 03:09 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, they should make it clear it's a cdr. Last batch of Arabic things I bought included a CDR of a Syrian oudist, when I was expecting a CD. In that sort of case it doesn't bother me that much because it's pretty esoteric material. (I don't think this performer is being marketed in the west in any sort of mainstream way.)

― RS £aRue (rockist_scientist), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 03:16 (twenty years ago)

(Still, the U.S. importer could make it clear that it's a CDR.)

― RS £aRue (rockist_scientist), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 03:16 (twenty years ago)

i bought an old psych-prog album that was 'reissued by a japanese label,' which in that world seems to mean 'is a crappy blue cdr that won't play in 75% of cd players.' and no, they didn't mention it was a cd-r, because they wouldn't have gotten my $20 if i had known.

labels should always make it clear, as should distributors.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 04:03 (twenty years ago)

this happens all too often in the 60s prog & psych markets. i bought a copy of the first 'chocolate soup for diabetics' cd, not all that cheap either, and the damn thing has digital clicks all through it (fortunately i was able to successfully remove them from the audio)..

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 04:13 (twenty years ago)

I would definitely want to know if I was getting a CD-R, as my kitchen CD player won't play 'em.

But as long as it's made clear it's a fantastic way for bands to get stuff out there inexpensively.

― wombatX (wombatX), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 05:29 (twenty years ago)

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