the Crimea - freebie album download / tour dates
14-05-2007

THE CRIMEA GIVE AWAY THEIR NEW ALBUM
plus tour dates

London, May 2007

Acclaimed London based band The Crimea, have announced unprecedented plans to release their hugely anticipated second album, ‘Secrets of the Witching Hour’, as a free download in May 2007.



Deliberately dodging the music industry merry-go-round and its rapidly dimming lights, the band have seized control of their own destiny by taking the bold decision to make their staggering new album available online to everyone, everywhere, completely free-of-charge. Although a CD version of ‘Secrets of the Witching Hour’ will still be for sale in record stores for those fans who would prefer to have a physical format version of the album. The Crimea hope that the vast majority of music lovers will download the album free-of-charge from the internet, the physical version will be released in June through their own label, ‘Free, Two, One’.



By harnessing the all-encompassing, global reach of the internet The Crimea aim to radically boost their live audiences and merchandise sales as a result of music fans increased exposure to their new album to form the basis of a brave, innovative new business model that places the emphasis back squarely on artistic development and control. Additional income will also be achieved from google ads on the bands download page. In an age where the wider music industry is foraging desperately for unanswered questions to declining sales, The Crimea have proposed an alternative route to a destination long since forgotten – artistic integrity and longevity. ‘Secrets of the Witching Hour’ will, The Crimea hope, stand as a lasting tribute to an audacious commercial and artistic move that they hope will inspire other artists to think beyond the traditional record company model.



Recorded in East London, Norfolk and Latvia, ‘Secrets of the Witching Hour’ is an album as broad in geographic scope as it is sweeping melodies. Produced and mixed by the band themselves and ably assisted by Richard Jackson (The Automatic), Dave Allen (The Cure) and Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers), the album is comprised of eleven intensely lush and lovingly crafted songs. Regina Spektor and Amy May (Paris Motel) lend their considerable prowess and musical beauty to the record, while Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, in The Mail On Sunday, has already tipped the band – and the album – as ones to watch in 2007. Fittingly, Radio 1’s Colin Murray aired the album’s first preview, the romantically poetic ‘Requiem Aeternum’, on Valentine’s Day.



‘Secrets of the Witching Hour’ is preceded by a tour in China, with a full tour of UK venues and festivals to follow.



Tour dates

Wed, 16 May London - Electric Ballroom

Mon, May 21 Bristol, Thekla

Fri, May 25 Stoke - Sugarmill

Sat, May 26 South Wales - Queen's Hall

Tues, May 29 Surrey - Boiler Room

Wed, May 30 Reading – The Fez

Thurs, May 31 Wrexham – The Central Station

Fri, June 01 Nottingham - Social

Sat, June 02 Birmingham - Bar Academy

Sun, June 03 Liverpool - Academy II

Tues, June 05 Leeds - Rios

Wed, June 06 Leicester - Charlotte

Thurs, June 07 Wolverhamton - Civic

Fri, June 08 Sheffield - Leadmill

Sat, June 09 Manchester - Joshua Brookes

Mon, June 11 Northampton - Soundhaus

Wed, June 13 Brighton – The Barfly

Thurs, June 14 Norwich - Arts Centre

Fri, June 15 Southampton - Joiners

Sat, June 16 Aldershot - West End Centre

Mon, June 18 York - Fibbers

Tues, June 19 Glasgow - King Tuts

Wed, June 20 Edinburgh - The Cabaret Voltaire

Mon, July 02 London - The Borderline

Tues, July 03 London - The Borderline