Nothing could get me down on the day that Weird Al’s new album hit stores. Not even the difficult-to-open CD packaging stopped me from boppin’.
Weird Al, like many artists, has been worried about people stealing his songs. He didn’t embrace some fooey digital rights management stuff, though. He started releasing special stuff with the physical CD. Thick booklet, sure, but he’s also had movies, photos, and lyrics.
This time he’s got a Dual Disc, which is a CD on one side and a DVD on the other. Even the case is pretty cool, with a rounded edge and a li’l button to open it up.
But what’s with the clear tape they use to seal the CDs? It took me most of the train ride home to get into it. Tiny piece by tiny piece, I picked my way down, like Tom Robbins in Shawshank Redemption.
It’s been ages since I bought a CD, and I’ve had this same issue every time. In the mid-90s, I actually bought a CD opener, a special piece of plastic that pokes holes at just the right places. (My Internet was also at 28.8Kps). Where’s our innovation? Why do I still need a CD opener?
They soup up the case. They snazify the disc. But all I remember is how long it took me to open the damn thing.