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As perhaps a sign of things to come, Billboard is reporting that Elvis Costello’s new album, Momofuku, will only be released on glorious vinyl and as a digital download. Okay… now here are two things to ponder: is the compact disc dead and…. Momofuku?

Assuming this is all Elvis’s decision given his strong need for creative control when he signed with Universal many years back, is he trying to make a grand statement with this, or is the CD literally dead?

Time Magazine (remember them?) wrote a great story recently about the resurgence of vinyl and the statement was made that just the rise of vinyl from the ashes could be akin to the rise of gourmet eating, but it’s not exactly going to replace McDonald’s anytime soon. I personally decided that my new office would be outfitted with a turntable and solid collection of old & new vinyl, and for awhile I spun records daily. But does anyone remember the inconvenient truth about albums? Interaction with vinyl is similar to handling my almost year old daughter… handle with care. And the space they take up coupled with weight, heat issues, needles, scratches, cleaning… it makes you realize that digital music collections, while cold and unromantic, are just so amazingly convenient.

Convenience is winning the format wars. MP3s and AACs definitely lack the nuance of sound (no sense of the room it was recorded in, for example) but the convenience of having yours and your friends’ music collection in your pocket is a heavenly thing.

So Elvis… all the best with Momofuku and we look forward to buying the vinyl bundled with the download. We have too many pieces of shiny plastic anyway.