Travels with Grumpus

I said I was keeping away from the madness this year, and so far I’ve been good about that. But for old times’ sake, and because I still think he’s adorable, here’s my official Elliott announcement: ELLIOTT YAMIN’S ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN THE US YESTERDAY AND IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON I-TUNES! As usual, all the good stuff on Rickey’s blog.

Yes, I have my copy. No, I haven’t listened to it through. Yes, I like my R&B free of cheese and schmaltz. Yes, this album has both in copious amounts. Yes, despite this, he still sounds heavenly. No, I do not like his version of “Whiter Shade of Pale.” Yes, I still love him.

Glad that’s out of the way. In only tangentially related news, I was reading the Journal article on the decline in CD sales - down 7 years running, 20% this year alone - only slightly offset by the increase in digital downloads, and had to laugh out loud when I read this:

Jeff Rabhan, who manages artists and music producers including Jermaine Dupri, Kelis and Elliott Yamin, says CDs have become little more than advertisements for more-lucrative goods like concert tickets and T-shirts. “Sales are so down and so off that, as a manager, I look at a CD as part of the marketing of an artist, more than as an income stream,” says Mr. Rabhan. “It’s the vehicle that drives the tour, the merchandise, building the brand, and that’s it. There’s no money.”

Elliott Yamin. In the Wall Street Journal. Who woulda thunk?