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.
Man, I’m with you. It drives me crazy trying to fight my way into cds. I was horrified when I noticed Nintendo DS games with similar clear stuff!
The packaging that really gets me though, is the hard shrink wrap type stuff. You need a scissors to even penetrate it and then when you’re trying to pry it open you end up slicing yourself on the sharp edges.
I’ve actually ended up cutting some of the CD case before in my mad frenzy to open thing (this is normally at the point where I give up and take out a knife).
But yeah, Weird Al’s done it again. I haven’t picked up the CD/DVD yet, but I listened to most of it on Rhapsody and was laughing out loud.
I know the secrets. My brother taught me how to easily open both the shrinkwrap and the tape. Ask me sometime, and i’ll show you.