I was strolling through my favorite local used record store this weekend when I stumbled across this gem to the left. Now, when I say record, I mean a good old 33 1/3 LP vinyl record. Excellent condition, gatefold cover, lyric sheet intact - sweet!!
I've been looking for this for years now so was really surprised to have finally found it. It's sort of an oddity in that it's rare but not really all that valuable. I guess I'm the only one that still wanted it.
There really is nothing like browsing through the record bins. I used to spend hours and hours flipping through the albums, looking at the classic cover art in a format where you can actually see it. I don't have anything against the CD but the great album cover seems to be a lost art, one of the casualties of the rise of the single song download. Even if the design is good, the small format is lousy.
I have a fairly substantial collection of vinyl records that I have acquired over the years and while I like to think that I bought all of them for their musical value, I'll admit that an interesting cover has probably swayed a purchasing decision.
If I were a good blogger I would probably turn this into a top 10 list or something but I imagine that
it's been done already. You certainly don't need me throw yet another picture of Wish You Were Here up on the already crowded internets. I could write about the stellar design careers of
Roger Dean, or
Hipgnosis, or even
Phil Hartman (yes, that Phil Hartman) but you can just follow the links, someone else has that all covered pretty well.
What always appealed to me is when the cover is somehow indicative of the music inside - when it is part of the overall presentation. A cool graphic or logo is nice, but the album jacket is yet another canvas for the artist to use to let the listener know what to expect once they get to the inside.
Here are some of my favorite examples:
The Clash - London Calling
Brilliant in it's simplicity but it also makes a bold statement - especially when you see it in relation to it's inspiration. With this cover, they announce to the world that they are taking everything you think you know about Rock & Roll and smashing it to pieces, and the album sure follows up on that claim.
Joe Jackson - Body & Soul
Another comparison here. Joe Jackson's 1984 release was heavily jazz and standards influenced so it was only fitting that the cover was reminiscent of the classic Jazz albums of the past. I picked a Wayne Shorter but there were hundreds of similar themed covers to choose from. One of the most amazingly well recorded albums ever - just beautifully produced.
The Beatles - 1962-1966 / 1967-1970
The Beatles ushered in a new generation of music and are arguably the most influential band in Rock history. To listen to their music chronologically is to be taken on a journey of new sounds and new styles. 8 short years and so much had changed musically and socially and these 2 covers from the Red and Blue Anthologies brilliantly represent the change that they ushered in.
XTC - Oranges & Lemons
An amazing collection of psychedelic pop with a cover to match. Inspired by 60's era posters, the colorful and bubbly cover art is a perfect choice to mirror the songs within. Even the simple notation of "stereo" harkens back to a time when that distinction needed to be made.
Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection
A fantastic song collection with an "americana" feel reminiscent of Dylan or The Band. There is a rustic authenticity to the music and the cover that all just fits together perfectly. Really, an album that should be listened to in it's entirety.
And I have a confession to make to anyone that has read through this far. The Teton Wilderness album cover I posted at the top is a phony, something I put together in response to a challenge to
create my own album cover .
Here are the steps:
First, go to…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
Next, go to…
http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
Then, go to…
http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
…to choose a photo for your album cover. The third photo, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
Put it all together in the graphics program of your choosing (I use
Paint.net) and then post it for the world to see. Or if you're really adventurous, actually write, record and release the album - I dare ya. I'm just about halfway done with my title track...
Be sure to let me know what you come up with in the comments.
SB
http://www.amazon.com/Uncool-Greg-Behrendt/dp/B0001LD3VG
I followed the steps and I have a cover to contribute. It can be seen here:
http://www.cddesign.com/covertalk/images/album-art-goof.jpg
Weird, weird, and kinda fun. Cheers.
If you ever end up using it on a real project, be sure to give me a shout out in the liner notes.
I took a look at your site and your portfolio and you do great work, very impressive.
SB
Sort of like how David Bowie would write words and phrases he liked onto little scraps of paper, then mix them together into sentences for lyrics (he didn't always do that I guess). The results can be surprisingly cool.
Cheers
Album cover art can be amazing - some of it is really brilliant. Like any art though, there is a lot of crap mixed in as well.
SB
Totally off-topic but it's the only way I could let you know- I listed you as one of my favorite blog. I hope great success and growth for your blog.