fashionista_35

For nigh unto the past two weeks, I've had in my possession East of Angel Town, Peter Cincotti's third studio release.

Technically, it's not supposed to be released in this country until February '08. Well, actually, it was supposed to have been released something like this past March. Then June. Then August. Then October. Then, those of us with preorders were rudely informed that the U.S. release was being delayed until February. Ooh, but lucky us, it's being released in Europe. It's no big deal for me to order imports-- I have way too many artists that I enjoy who are far more popular in Europe and Asia than the States, so I often have to get their releases as imports. Not the Hoff, however, for any Smart Bitches who might be reading.

Anyhow, I ordered the import, it landed on my doorstep, and for nigh unto two weeks, it's sat on my desk, waiting for me to download it into my computer or take it with me in my car or just basically, listen to the damn thing. The furthest I've gotten is to take off the plastic wrap and idly thumb through the liner notes, which took about thirty seconds.

It's weird, I've been looking forward to this CD for nearly two years, but I just have very little interest or desire to listen to it right now. For one thing, I'm familiar with most of the songs on it-- I've been hearing him play them in concert for the last two years. Seriously, I was at the Living Room set where he introduced most of the new material. That was in December of '05. I know he'd been recording early versions of them even before that. I was really, really excited by the songs then. I'm still excited by them. Hell, I used "Cinderella Beautiful" off the preview EP on the soundtrack for the Carmen story.

But I just can't bring myself to listen to the new CD. I think part of it has to do with the runaround that Warner Brothers Records and by extension, Peter's management, has been giving the long time followers of Peter's music. I understand Peter's desire to go with a much bigger label and the hopes that his career would follow a similar trajectory to the Third-rate, regional airport lounge lizard, except benefitted by his considerable talent. I get that Peter wanted to move in a different direction and spread his wings musically a bit more than staying with Concord might have allowed him, but in retrospect, I'm wondering if going with such a behemoth as Warner was the best move. This CD has been hung up by delay after delay, despite the fact that it's been done for the better part of a year and now he's canceling concerts in the U.S. in favor of touring in Europe where the CD has already been released, so it makes sense, but still...

I don't hold it against him and God knows, I want to see him succeed, if only because there are just so many talentless hacks out there succeeding on a fairly large scale and I want someone with genuine drive and talent to rise above the swill that's being shoved down the listening public's throat. I guess, too, I also feel a certain measure of solidarity with him--we've very much shared the same boat, Peter and I. The delays, the being held to the whims of a larger corporation, the wanting so desperately to do things your way and with your vision and being told, "No, wait, what if you do it like this?" and knowing that it's not quite right-- that it's not you, but having to make the decision whether or not to try, knowing if you do, you might be selling out a little and if you don't, you might have your integrity, but will in all likelihood lose an opportunity that'll go to one of the many thousands waiting to pounce and take your place.

Publishing and music are remarkably similar in that there are a whole lot more pissy idiots in charge than there are intelligent folk and the artist is the one most often caught in the middle, being jerked around by the whims of people who really aren't aware of what's going on in the real world.

It doesn't really explain why I'm reluctant to listen to the CD-- all I know is that I feel a faint sense of anger towards the music company for the hoops they're making longtime listeners jump through. And I'm annoyed that they're getting even a piece of my money for the hoops jumping, but at the same time, I don't want to punish Peter for the sins of the company-- after all, if he doesn't sell well in the U.S., it only reinforces their decision to not release here.

It would've been so much easier if he'd just gone totally indie and sold the bitches out of the trunk of a car as he toured around the country-- go completely Old School.

Hopefully, I'll get around to listening before the U.S. release.