NORMA JEAN’S CORY BRANDAN TAKES ON SOLID STATE

I haven’t personally really dug a Norma Jean album since 2005’s O God, The Aftermath, and even that release, I thought, was inferior to the band’s prior offering, Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child. But just because I’m not the biggest Norma Jean fan in the world doesn’t mean I think the artists involved aren’t entitled to have some say in how and when their work is released.

And they’re apparently pissed about Birds and Microscopes and Bottles of Elixirs and Raw Steak and a Bunch of Songs, a multi-CD collection that will combine Norma Jean’s first three releases (that would be the aforementioned Bless the Martyr and O God as well as 2006’s Redeemer) into one set. Solid State have set a November 23 release date for the compilation, but I guess Norma Jean have nothing to do with it, ’cause vocalist Cory Brandan tweeted the following message late last night:

I’d be curious to know what it is Brandan (and, presumably, the rest of the band) doesn’t like about Birds — I mean, it’s still their work, the packaging is just gonna be different — but it’s kind of a moot point. If Norma Jean don’t approve of the release, chances are they had nothing to do with its creation, which means anyone who purchases it will be getting artwork and a really bizarre album title that I’m assuming they never signed off on. And while I’m sure Solid State has a legal right to put out whatever they want… the whole thing just makes me feel icky.

Weigh in with your thoughts below.

-AR

[via The PRP]