You know how when you want to see a movie before anyone else has the chance you go on opening night at your local theater? Afterall, it’s the only place you can see it, and you’ve got to be the first… This windowed model of exlusivity is rapidly becoming a new form of early distribution for artists hoping to capitalize on an alternative way to deliver their art to fans who care intimately about a direct connection with the musicians they love. It’s also the latest distribution method used by Brian Eno and David Byrne on their latest album “Everything that Happens Will Happen Today“.

We saw this first with Radiohead’s “In Rainbows“, a pay what you want model that was overwhelmingly successful in terms of conversion (despite the fact that Radiohead refuses to give data on sales, know that this first experiment was very successful). Radiohead was followed up by NiN with a truly original offering, which saw Reznor & Co. offer their fans a variety of bunled offerings – everything from 9 free tracks to digital ownership ($5), to digital + physical ($10), to value add offers including blu ray discs and signed LPs, costing upwards of $250 for the most expensive offer. The effort by NiN was hugely successful and embraced by a music industry hungry for a new method of music delivery and discovery beyond the colluded offer of traditional radio and the impersonal presentation of traditional physical retail. Check out some great google earth screenshots here that demonstrate the global potential brought on by self-distribution and disintermediation.

As for the Eno/Byrne collaboration released this past Monday on Topspin’s platform – I would say I am pleased with the outcome, though not floored. “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts“, their 20 year old previous collaboration is the far more challenging and diverse of the two albums, infused as it is more by Byrne’s 80’s-infected instatiable pop rhythm than Eno’s more reserved and electronically (over)-produced soundscapes and sonic curiosities. That said, the album is hugely important as a defining mark towards artists owning their relationships with fans, instead of handing off their rights to corporate behemoths. To be sure, songs like “Life is Long”, and “Strange Overtones” represent Byrne and Eno at their very best. For those interested, the digital album costs $8.99. The CD and the digital album together go for $11.99. For the deluxe package, including a film about the album, it’s $69.99.

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