Earlier this week, Denton rock duo, RTB2, announced that their first full-length album, The Both of It, is now available for free download online.
The album, recorded live in April of 2007 by Justin Collins at Satisfactory West, sold roughly 500 copies. So why, then, would RTB2 want to hand you something they could get five bucks for?
Firstly, it's out of print: "We don't have anymore physical copies," explains drummer Grady Don Sandlin. "We just wanted to put it out for free, so people who don't have it can have it."
Guitarist Ryan Thomas Becker and Sandlin were in the band Sunday Drive when they
formed the (then) side project, RTB2. Sunday Drive was put on the
backburner as RTB2 got more serious and began to record demos that later
became "Wishy Waltz."
"Doing The Both Of It," Sandlin
explains, "the way we did it, recording it live, had everything to do
with wanting to release something that sounded exactly what we did
live... [It] gave us our initial identity."
And it worked: The
Both of It is an honest and pure rock album. Tracks like "Your Name
Stays In My Throat", "The Spilling Blood Child", and (underrated)
"Need/Want (Part IV)" unapologetically slap you in the face in the best
way. "Yer Fool's Suite (Part II)" shows the boys softer side, but only
cleverly veiled in their happy blend of bluesy alt-rock.
Now
three years and one, more-produced EP (In the Fleshed) later, the
two continue to thrive in the local music scene. This year, among other
nods, the
band is nominated for Best Group in our annual Dallas Observer
Music Awards.
Tthe side projects are continuing along as
well. And another of Becker's, Eaton Lake Tonics, has
also announced that their new Rancho Folly IV EP is too available for free online
download.
"At our level,": Sandlin says, "you make money at
shows, not from record sales. Selling records is just [perceived as]
people showing interest, like a tip. If we play a show and one person
buys a CD, then it's a success. But, ultimately, if people want our
music, they should have it."
