Electric Fetus to Launch New Download Service

The music industry may suck nowadays, but there's ample reason to hope that it's going to get better. Namely, smaller, more independent stores are embracing the new ways of doing business that, for some reason, the majors have a hard time getting behind. Specifically, Electric Fetus has, according to the Star-Trib, launched ThinkIndie, a music download service for unsigned local acts. The piece in question mainly focuses on locally beloved synth-pop trio Solid Gold, who, despite vast local success, nonetheless are label-less. Here's a taste of the lede:

When Minneapolis band Solid Gold first tried to make its music available on iTunes, the popular music-download service rejected the unsigned rockers...but starting today, local, unsigned bands will have a better shot with a music-download service that the Minneapolis music store Electric Fetus is helping launch.

The piece specifies how ThinkIndie differentiates from iTunes and similar digital competitors, when emphaszing the connection to local music, and how the expertise of the Electric Fetus staff proves itself as an asset. Read the rest of the article here.

So what do you think, readers? Are you psyched about an Electric Fetus digital store?

ThinkIndie website

(Jon Graef)

Magic Castles Announce Digital Release of "Lore of Mysticore," New Album

If the most recent post on MPLS-based neo-psychedelic quintet Magic Castles' MySpace page has shown readers anything, it's not the size of the post, but the...motion of the information ocean? While I work on my analogies, I'll point out the fact that the band announced that A) their 2008 release, The Lore of Mysticore, is now available on digital outlets, including Amazon and iTunes.

So, if, for whatever reason, listeners haven't gotten the chance to check out the reverb-heavy, self-released debut from the band, now they can. Additionally, those in the local area can eagerly anticipate the band's brand spankin' new sophomore album, titled Dreams of Dreams of Dreams (whoa) which is set to be released in May. No other details have been released, but the band's MySpace reveals that the CD release party will be at the Hexagon Bar, and will be on May 23rd.

To check out more Magic Castles, go here.

(Jon Graef)

Matador Launches Online Digital Music Store

Download: Jay Reatard - "Always Wanting More"

(Matador is) very happy to announce the newest incarnation of the Matador Store is now up and running. We embed ourselves even more comfortably in the digital age by offering digital (MP3 and FLAC) downloads in addition to a nicer, easier to navigate look and loads of other geeked-out features.

* Mp3s (256k) and FLAC (lossless) files. Can we say that they’re encoded at a higher bit rate than iTunes? Because they are.
*Sample files of everything in our digital catalog
*Digital files are fully integrated with Songbird and will put the downloads you’ve purchased directly into your Songbird “Purchased Playlist” as well as allow you to easily browse and listen to sample files.
* A download helper for both MAC and PC to improve the experience of downloading singles and albums

Holy Crap, Beavis! The Matablog post notes that this is the soft launch of their store--the full launch will be a week from tomorrow--but this is exciting news all the same. Matador might be a little late to the digital party (after all, Merge and Touch & Go got there first), but I would also imagine that they are still welcome no matter what.

Read more here.

(Jonathan Graef)

Sub Pop Creates Digital MP3 Store

Download: The Thermals - "A Pillar Of Salt"
Download: Iron and Wine - "Sodom, South Georgia"
Download: The Go! Team - "Doing It Right"

Sub Pop opened a digital download store, where you can buy music by their artists online. So far, the Go! Team, the Thermals and Iron & Wine have posted their current releases, along with about 200 other offerings from the label's catalog. Once you've bought an mp3, you can download it multiple times, so when you're computer crashes, or if you're iPod magically clears itself, you're covered. And when bonus racks are added to a record, you can download those without incurring extra costs, too! Smashing Pumpkins, eat your heart out.

The website seems to be lagging a fair bit right now, but as someone with no place to put an ever-burgeoning CD collection, I will definitely be using this service in the future.

(April Wright)