s/t, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante, 17° lp, 2010

If you have not got yourself a limited-edition vinyl of the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante collab album and if you had no idea that the digital version silently went from free to no longer free; there's no need to despair - it's being exclusively released on a CD through a Japanese label on 15th December.

It all started with this particular tweet made by Eri Nakanishi of Spectacles Records. They later clarified that the album is not being released through their label, but Seepwell (sister label of Daymare).

You can alreadypre-order the album through the distribution network the label is using. The red button is used to add it to the cart and you'll have to find your own way from there. A reply from the label is expected in order to clear things up, so please be patient.

The press release read something like this:

The fans have long been waiting for this collaboration of world's leading guitarists: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (The Mars Volta) and John Frusciante (ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers). Omar contributed to John's solo work and John contributed to The Mars Volta and Omar's solo albums. But this is the first-ever album that is solely a collaboration of the two.

This album was recorded in only two sessions, full of gentle expression. John's delicate guitar is overlapping Omar's, it's wonderful simple yet layered and you'll want to listen to it again. A masterpiece of 2010, ZIM being its great and positive key track.

The original release was distributed as download-only in America but was later released as a vinyl, no CDs have been made so far. Omar now owns the original license, so the world's first CD of this will be released at last! Only in Japan.

The label owner seems incredibly fond of ZIM, indeed; as they have written a whole journal entry about it.

UPDATED: You can also pre-order the album from Japanese HMV.. However, be aware that they ship only to selected countries.