As I said in my review of Hang Cool Teddy Bear, there’s one more thing about this album I need, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, to discuss: the complete clusterfuck the various record companies (Mercury/Universal and Loud & Proud/Roadrunner) managed to make of the formats the album was released in.
If you ignore the versions that have identical content, there are five different configurations:
- The 13 track regular edition;
- The 12 track US/Walmart edition (i.e., the regular edition minus some naughty words and the I-can’t-barely-fit-my-dick-in-my-pants-song);
- The special edition, which includes a 10 track live bonus disc and the short story the album is based on;
- The iTunes edition with 2 bonus tracks and the “Los Angeloser” video;
- The super deluxe box set (including the special edition 2CD, bonus DVD, t-shirt, album art print, “Los Angeloser” sheet music and a fancy key chain).
Especially the way the failed to nail down the precise content of the super deluxe edition was frustrating. At first, the special edition would contain the album and a bonus DVD featuring an interview with Meat Loaf and producer Rob Cavallo, while the super deluxe edition would also include an exclusive live disc *. Then, they swapped the live disc and the DVD around, making the (rather pricey) box less interesting. Then, it was rumored that the DVD would contain live footage, but that was probably nothing more than a mix up. From the moment they announced the box set ’til the day it was released, the exact contents remained a mystery. Not so good.
Frankly, I was rather disappointed with the whole it’s-supposed-to-be-super-deluxe edition. From a fan’s perspective, making a box set is easy: you take the regular special edition of the album, and then you start adding stuff to that, like that DVD, a separate disc with bonus tracks like Prize Fight Lover (the non-album track released a free download), “Boneyard” (the b-side of the digital “Los Angeloser” single and one of the iTunes bonus tracks), the iTunes exclusive (a live version of “Out of the Frying Pan”), and perhaps some demos or other outtakes, and fill it out some fancy swag. What you don’t do, is leave stuff out. The box does not contain the short story. and the “Los Angeloser” video isn’t even on the DVD. Personally, I could have done without the 20 minute interview and the goodies. I’d rather have more musical content.
These shenanigans are, imo, exactly why the music business isn’t doing so well at the moment. There’s only so much crap loyal fans take before they throw the towel.
/rant.
* The Casa de Carne Live Album contains ten live soundboard recordings from the 2008 “Casa de Carne World Tour.” While I could have done without another version of “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”, “Bat Out of Hell” and especially that less then stellar “I’d Do Anything for Love,” it’s quite enjoyable.