The Times They Are a-Changin'

So, I downloaded my first album yesterday. As far as I know, it's the only way to get a copy of Sixpence None the Richer's new EP, My Dear Machine. I went to noisetrade.com, referred three friends and got the album for free. While I support the forward-thinking mission of NoiseTrade -- "If artists and fans realized how they could help each other and started making direct connections, without a middleman, the whole industry would change overnight," concludes Derek Webb, singer-songwriter and NoiseTrade co-founder. "It would start a revolution." -- and I pride myself on being a "fru-gal" (I love a good deal), I completed the transaction feeling empty -- with no artwork to admire, no lyrics to read and no credits to peruse. Call me old-fashioned (I do), but I'd rather pay to get a hard copy -- something I can hold in my hands. Downloading seems so impersonal, so sterile. Change is hard. Only time will tell if I ever get the hang of this technology thing. Regardless, liking it is another matter altogether.