i just got washed over in this wave of nostalgia.

the new Andrew Bird album, Noble Beasts - the limited 2 disc edition - showed up in the mail today, and i was looking through the artwork and liner notes, and it's incredible. i remember when i would buy a cd or a record, and take it home and put it on (or, once i got a cd player in the car, when i would rip it open in the parking lot of the record store and pour over the booklet right there while listening to it at an unreasonable volume), and i would get lost in the artwork or the lyrics.

now, i just click on a thing and there's music in my pocket. i'm a pretty green kinda guy, so i'm all for limiting physical waste whenever possible, and i'm certainly not going back to buying physical cds all the time, but this just made me so unexpectedly happy.

this is the first actual physical cd that i have bought in as long as i can remember, without straining something (and, full disclosure, i really only ordered it because i couldn't find the mp3s to buy or grab for the bonus, instrumental cd. i had already bought the main album on emusic weeks ago), but it is well worth the price of admission. the art is gorgeous, the jacket is very high quality, and the little slip cases for the cds are reminiscent of long play records. it's just a great package all around.

the "album art" stuff in itunes, and the virtual booklets are ok, but a poor substitute for something so beautiful as this. the water color edge to edge printing on the case really is a site to behold up close. the bonus music is really great too.

buy this thing!



...science!