(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/XTC_Go_2.jpg)
http://sleevage.com/xtc-go-2/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_2#Album_cover
(sorta similar: http://sleevage.com/alice-cooper-zipper-catches-skin/ )
XTC had a LOT of very creative album covers... as did Pink Floyd -- especially thanks to
Storm Thorgerson* and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipgnosis
wow, what happened to album cover art being EXPECTED to actually be ART!? (or even more -- INTERACTIVE art (http://sleevage.com/beck-the-information/)! )
http://sleevage.com :sigh:
* see http://sleevage.com/taken-by-storm-the-album-art-of-storm-thorgerson/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_Thorgerson
I think there are two sad facts when it comes to the compact disc:
-Poor sound engineering
-Small format
I have records that have amazingly detailed artwork on them, you can really dive into a Jethro Tull cover and get lost in the detail.
I'll also say poor sound engineering because when it came to most CDs the audio was either a direct copy from a tape master or done by engineers who really didn't care about making the real sound come through.
My favourite LP is probably my 1959 pressing of "Presenting Dion & The Belmonts", I have had their music on CD for a long time but it wasn't until I actually got the LP that I really heard them.
Obviously not everyone is into early rock n' roll/doo-wop but clearly the engineer who made the CD version took no care in preserving the real sound.
It makes me sad.
wow, no SNL Celebrity Jeopardy reference in your response? I'm disappointed ;)
but srsly, I guess I was just saying it's amazing to look back on the golden era of vinyl, back then there were a lot of ARTISTS (the visual kind) who would get called upon to put out something unique to market the album, nowadays due to size (and now the non-physicality) it seems there's less demand therefore less likely to attract creative minds, who maybe now end up getting hired by Television ad firms or something :(
I think we got treated very well in the 60s/70s because the album covers were more than just marketing they were an expression of the music or the band.
I know about 10 years ago some bands experimented with different materials / cases to make their album stand out. But, this wasn't very practical and probably annoyed some people