Idolator

When you're Elvis Costello, you certainly have the luxury of doing largely whatever you please. Record an album of opera? Sure. Reissue your catalog three times? Whatever. Marry a borderline smooth jazz singer? Maybe that was a bit too far, but who am I to judge? So, in preparation for a tour with the Police this summer, Elvis Costello has a new album. With all the excitement lately over the Raconteurs and Gnarls Barkley, why not come up with a exciting new distribution method for your work? Instead, the new Costello album, the apparent tribute to New York City dining Momofuku will be available on vinyl only, with a code to download the album tucked inside the packaging. Although the Elvis Costello fanbase is somewhat likely to still own turntables, you have to wonder who at Lost Highway agreed to this move. Maybe they've just given up on actually selling things over there? [Billboard]

Today's Wall Street Journal notes that several labels have taken to re-issuing and re-packaging the same classic album numerous times, all in the hopes of convincing consumers to keep paying for records they already own. Executives claim the new editions are put out to satisfy "completists," but even we had to have to wonder just how many die-hard fans are going to shell out for the forthcoming "Deluxe Edition" of Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True—the fourth such incarnation of the record since the CD era was launched. More »