Since I can only think of two albums in the last three years that i've actually admired the musicianship component of, does this mean that even if they are doing what they claim, then they're basically as incompetent as everyone else?

As to mp3 files, bitrate's irrelevant when modern music is mastered to an overcompressed -3db range that makes it all sound flat and tiring to the ear anyway. I'll stick with vinyl, thanks.

HomefrontRadio

Have I ever, in the past four years, had the experience of hearing a record that sounded differently from the version in my collection?

or

Have I ever, in the past four years, had the experience of hearing a record and thinking something like, "Wait, where's the piano?"

Think of how many songs you've heard that were "illegally downloaded" and from how many sources they came from. Have any of your friends had this experience? The anwer, I assure you, will be no.

TheStrokes

ollie

I don't, however, think this warrants issuing any death threats.

dlab

That's like the rocket scientists who get screwed on a drug deal and call the cops to complain. Morons.

revmatty

Grand and gory old Discordia, her apple corps is strong!

KinetiQ

HUGE_Hefner

@Murk: I find large chunks of Internet music culture, particularly those surrounding leaks, to be humorless and not very, shall we say, cereberal. This experiment pricks at peoples' assumptions and may even make one or two of them think about whether or not the "leaks" they are downloading are the real deal. (Have you never been burned in that way?) It doesn't even matter if it's true, really. I think the reactions are really interesting and they say a lot about peoples' expectations for free recorded music. Namely, that they are a) high and b) out of whack.

As for Jamie Kennedy: I saw Malibu's Most Wanted in the theater and it sucked.

Maura Johnston

Murk

Murk

Why so quick to hate on a downloader when these guys could be completely full of shit?

Sniffle

walkmasterflex

AL

jordan_s

Recury

iantenna