And What Of The Album Cover?

I used to love album covers, and more than that, the entire act of buying an LP. If you were lucky, you got a cool piece of artwork, and if you were really lucky, you'd get one that opened like a book. Usually lyrics came with it, but not always. And as you spent hours and hours listening to your LPs, you could also read the lyrics, the liner notes, and sometimes an accompanying storyline. Somehow it made the music more in-depth. It was awesome.

Then CDs made their appearance in the mid to late 80's. The album cover had to be reduced to approximately 1/5th of its size, and the romance of it all seemed reduced as well. But at least you got the liner notes, the lyrics, and maybe a storyline. It wasn't quite the same, but it was still there.

Now we're in the age of the MP3. I think the MP3 is great, but the mysticism that comes with a cool piece of artwork is lost as a result. So in a fit of nostalgia, I've decided to list a few of my favorite album covers:

Brain Salad Surgery, Emerson, Lake & Palmer

This amazing piece of artwork came courtesy of H.R. Giger, one of the most bizarre, unnerving, and compelling artists I've personally ever seen. Giger was an obscure Zurich artist that somehow hooked up with ELP, and the artwork he created for the band went hand-in-glove with the material that ELP was working on, particularly the thoroughly diabolical Toccata piece. If one looks closely, one can see the outline of a phallus ever so close to the lips of the woman's face. This was the source of much consternation for ELP's record company, so it was airbrushed before it was put into print. Giger was not happy about this, but his work with ELP got him world-wide attention. He consequently went on design the phlegm-encrusted reptilian extra-terrestrial beings in Alien.

Court of the Crimson King, King Crimson

Done by a very young fellow by the name of Gary Godber, King Crimson's first album still stands as one of the most compelling pieces of artwork in rock history. The album is great, too. You can view it here.

Quadrophenia, The Who

Great album with great artwork, effectively capturing the protagonist of the concept album, Jimmy the Mod, in a moody cover photo. I love everything about it. The four members of the band can be seen in the rearview mirrors of Jimmy the Mod's scooter. I have a full size framed print of this on my apartment wall.

Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall

The former pretty much captured the mood of the album, and I'm sure served as a great facilitator for many a kid to pick the seeds out of his buds. The latter, a treatise on the abject misery of being a rich rock star with paternal, female, and alienation issues, also captured the mood of the music. The calligraphy and illustrations were both disturbing and appealing.