Pitchfork

The folks at the FADER love Jim James and company almost as much as we do, though I'd wager their love for limited edition vinyl is greater than ours. The magazine is combining both loves for the first of four installments in the FADER/Southern Comfort (yes, the liquor) 7" series, which will feature exclusive tracks from (press release alert) "today's most exciting emerging artists" in "specially colored" editions of 500.

The first 7" will feature M. Ward and the My Morning Jacket frontman singing "Magic Trick (Kansas City Remix)" on the A-side and Ladyhawk's "Soap" on the B-side. The record's cover sleeve will feature artwork by Lou Laurita. Though it's not available in stores (it seems to an "industry insider only" affair), five people who email contests@thefader.com with "the theme of M. Ward's 2005 album release" will receive free copies, according to the magazine's blog.

The rest of us will be busy wondering why a company that sells liquor-- a catalyst for the erosion of judgment if ever there was one-- has decided to enter the business of "tastemaking."