Once upon a time, when you bought recorded music, it came in cardboard packaging measuring 12 inches by 12 inches. This was the main advertisement for the record. On the front side of an LP would be a posed shot of the artist. The back would feature the track listing, maybe another photo or lyrics. With the advent of files for music, the art of the cover has been minimized, although you can still find strong examples of elaborate record sleeves.
Here is a rundown of my five favorite LP covers of all time. I only own three of them on vinyl, but these represent my faves. Not even necessarily the most famous sleeves for each of these artists, but arguments could be made for their iconic stature. Interestingly all five feature the artist and are not abstracts. They are all photographs. Each one is super-evocative of the music inside and the stature of the musicians. The performers themselves may have had little to do with the choice or composition of the art; but each makes for great visual statements about the artists. My selections come from a cross-section of genres, too. It's hard to explain why I am so mesmerized by each of these covers. It helps that the music they contain is undeniable. [Let me start by saying that I will not include my own covers.]
Here is a rundown of my five favorite LP covers of all time. I only own three of them on vinyl, but these represent my faves. Not even necessarily the most famous sleeves for each of these artists, but arguments could be made for their iconic stature. Interestingly all five feature the artist and are not abstracts. They are all photographs. Each one is super-evocative of the music inside and the stature of the musicians. The performers themselves may have had little to do with the choice or composition of the art; but each makes for great visual statements about the artists. My selections come from a cross-section of genres, too. It's hard to explain why I am so mesmerized by each of these covers. It helps that the music they contain is undeniable. [Let me start by saying that I will not include my own covers.]
So let's go in descending order...
5. John Coltrane, Lush Life. The casual, monochromatic lavender image of Coltrane is stunning and boy is he about to play the heck out of that tenor. Then there is the free-hand like font of the title and his name. Far out light blue and bold in contrast. Trane, y'all. Trane.
4. Queen, The Game. Like my favorite Stones' LP Some Girls, the music on The Game runs from disco to punk, country to soul; artists stretching out. But this one gets the edge in the cover stakes. Check out the pseudo-50's greaser look the band is rocking... with those awesome anachronistic haircuts. Just like "Happy Days." The cover was used first as a 45 picture sleeve for the lead single, the rockabilly redux "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Here it gets chromed out. The LP cover actually has a sheen to the material that is lost with digitization, but in person, this cover is stunning and the band looks like a gang you'd want to join.
3. Thelonious Monk Quartet, Monk's Dream. No one artist has ever been more of an iconoclast and an icon for me as Thelonious Monk. This LP plays like a dream and the cover is a kind of reverie, too. Monk is purposefully out of focus, but there is little straight ahead about the man or his music, so it makes sense. His sartorial style is key here, too. That hat, the plaid jacket, the world's greatest goatee, all in profile against a pale teal backdrop. Where on earth was this taken? In the deep end of an empty swimming pool? Like Twin Peaks, perhaps it was all a spooky, irresistible dream.
2. Prince, Sign 'O' The Times. The flamingo-colored cloud guitar. The Cadillac grill with the double bass drums. The expressionistic neon sign backdrop. The curtain has risen on some straight up mess and there is Prince walking toward us and out of focus. He recorded most of this double album on his own and you get the sense that this is how he set up the studio, instruments everywhere, but with the full realization of the stage he will perform his tour upon. We have entered his musical subconscious. Prince dramatically altered his look in 1987, peach and black replacing the signature purple, John Lennon specs in favor of the pencil mustache; but we only glimpse it. We are at the beginning of living in a musical world strictly on the Artist's terms.
1. The Beatles, Rubber Soul. Now, I could have gone with half a dozen of the Fabs' LPs and not gone wrong. But this one is the pinnacle for me. It's the last time we see the group together on a cover unmasked. They are well past "yeah, yeah, yeah" but have plenty of classic cuts ahead. The story is that the slide projector or the screen tilted and stretched out the image. Who cares, the boys look otherworldly, like a four-headed being, individual but united. With songs like "Michelle," "Nowhere Man," and "In My Life" waiting burst forth. Only John is looking dead at us, try to look away. I dare you. The trees behind them, the brown suede jackets add to the warmth. Plus, this is widely considered the first album by a group so famous that they didn't need to have their name on the cover. Sgt. Pepper's may be more iconic or innovative, but this LP cover is more representative of the Beatles as I would always love to remember them.
So that's it. What are your favorites? If anything, I hope this essay increases appreciation for LP cover art. Perhaps you'll go crate digging or sift through your own records to find some wonderful sleeves and even better music inside.
Peace and Disco Beats.
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