Spymob CD problems

I purchased the debut Spymob CD last week, after strong recommendations from a few online friends. It arrived very quickly, and I really like the music. But I’ve encountered some problems which seriously hamper my ability to listen to the music.

First, the CD arrived in a paper case, not the size of a jewel case. As a result, it won’t fit in my CD rack. Second, there is some kind of gummy substance around the outside edge of the CD. These two problems were not deal-breakers, but a third issue has arisen.

The Spymob CD appears to have some kind of copy-prevention mechanism in use. As a result, I am unable to listen to the music on my portable music player. I have a Creative Labs “Nomad Zen NX” player, which is able to play MP3 and WMA files. I know there are WMA files on the CD, but the license restrictions on the WMA files prevent me from copying them to my portable player.

These restrictions are not acceptable. I use my Nomad constantly, mostly to listen to music on the subway ride at work. If I cannot listen to Spymob on my portable player, it is rare that I’ll have time to listen to it at all. Additionally, I feel it is imperative not to support artists who restrict digital access to their music. The only way artists will learn the foolishness of this is if consumers vote with their checkbooks, by refusing to purchase restricted music.

Because of this, I’ve emailed Spymob to find out how to return the CD. It’s a shame, because the music is great… but if I can’t listen to it on my music player, it does me no good to have a copy!