Post-rock is all about patience, as largely instrumental bands such as, say, Explosions in the Sky, take their time crafting soundscapes that unfold slowly into rapturous kaleidoscopes of sound.

Broken Cities takes the patience thing a step further. Inspired by Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” model and by authors who release book chapters one at a time, the band is parceling out those carefully sculpted songs one by one as part of a unique fan-funded/file-sharing pledge drive.

It works like this: fans donate money to Broken Cities, in whatever amount they want. As the donations reach certain thresholds, the band releases songs under a Creative Commons license, making them free for anyone to share or distribute. Band gets paid. Fans get music. Everyone wins.

“We believe music should be freely shared and thereby enjoyed by as many people as possible,” the Oakland duo writes on its website. “Our intention behind this release strategy is to promote a new distribution model where musicians and fans are more closely linked then ever before.”

It seems to be working: Broken Cities has so far released two songs from its album “Flux,” recently including the lush “Asty,” which builds from somber piano and slow guitar to crystalline bursts of cymbal, crashing drums and huge sprays of guitar.

Great song, great distribution concept. Broken Cities, you have our full support.

February 22, 2011 at 3:08 pm | Share |