Yarn fans are in luck.
The New York City-based Americana/alt-country rockers are releasing the first of three “virtual 45s” on the 13th of each month during 2018 beginning on Jan. 13. For $5, fans can purchase two songs, like one would find on an old-fashioned vinyl 45, and in addition will receive a bonus track.
The first installment of Lucky 13 features the tracks, “Heaven in You,” as the “A side” and “Undone” as the “B side,” along with an alternate version of “Heaven in You” that you will never be able to get anywhere else as well as a solo version of “Don’t Break My Heart Again.” Included with the purchase of the virtual 45s are handwritten lyric and chord sheets and more.
The project is called, Lucky 13, “you know, because we’re all so damn lucky, and 13 just happens to be our favorite number, hell I was born on the 13th, and so was Rod, my jersey in youth hockey had a big 13 on it, Rod lives on 13th Street in Brooklyn, I even turned 21 on Friday the 13th, don’t remember much of it but that’s another story for someone else to tell. 13 just seems right,” explains Yarn frontman Blake Christiana on the band’s website.
“Remember what 45s were? They’re smaller vinyl records that spin faster, at 45 rpm, they had a Side A and a Side B, one song on each side, and that’s how it was done, and that’s how we’re going to do it again, only entirely through our website, digital only (no actual vinyl 45.)
“The bonus tracks will not be able to be heard anywhere else,” Christiana adds. “Along with the download of the 45, which includes two brand-new original songs, we will include a unique alternate version of one of those tracks, that will only ever be available by purchasing that 45, the alternate version track will never be on a record, it will never be on iTunes and it will NEVER be on Spotify.
“There will be unique artwork, we’ll tell you about the songs, we might even get a little weird and add some other content just for fun. That’s 24 new tracks and 12 alternate versions for your listening pleasure, so get on board, and join us all year long for brand new music from Yarn.”
Christiana confirmed in a phone interview the band is trying this experiment in an attempt to find the right formula to sell the band’s music rather than giving it away on free streaming services.
So as the band says on its website, “Enjoy and we’ll see you right back here in February …”
This post originally appeared on MusicReporterBlog