Album Covers At Which You've Spent a Lot of Time Staring

[JKL2000]

With or without music is fine. Discuss if you wish. I'll go first:

This one's pretty ugly, but it fascinates me. Is it an overhead view of someone standing on a rickety, wooden bridge, in the rain? I THINK so (Surrounded, too, by "spirits" which are providing the wind). The music is equally fascinating, of course (now playing, too). I've included a copy without the YouTube "play" triangle, which obscures the very center of the image, of course, because that center part is needed to tell that it's a person standing there. Go to Discogs to see the rest of the album artwork, which I don't think I'd seen, as the Musea release doesn't include it!:

https://img.discogs.com/rLnZvGrtDPa6uLUtOMMxilPX7KI=/fit-in/456x449/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():qualit y(90)/discogs-images/R-1406769-1216997398.jpeg.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBICnSmKC1o

[SunRunner2]

Pulsars "Strands" is a creepy cover alright and a outstanding album indeed.

So many stare-able album covers come to mind, however, I've always been fascinated by Memoriance's "Et Apres" and the various Moody Blues covers from the "Classic Seven" run.

[Progatron]

The Black Sabbath debut comes to mind. That one really nails the creepy/evil vibe in a mysterious way, rather than cartoonish. I've spent a lot of time looking at that one.

Nursery Cryme is another, I was utterly fascinated by it as a kid and I still have a nostalgic fondness for it - the back cover too, all part of the one big painting.

[miamiscot]

As a child I must have spent weeks staring at Roger Dean's covers...

Tales and Relayer most of all.

[Interstellar]

Another vote for the Black Sabbath debut. It adds to the impression that it was a perfect start : the right artwork, the perfect opening track which is also the name of the band.

In my teenage years, I found the cover art for Iron Maiden's Powerslave fascinating, because it had so many details that pointed toward the previous albums and singles.

I also loved Ange's classic 70s vinyl album covers, which had a lot of cartoonish details that disappeared from the CD versions. There was a world of weird, dreamy poetry in those pictures.

[loshammeros]

Uriah Heep ~ Look At Yourself ( when I need a good scare)

[markwoll]

From The Mars Hotel - Grateful Dead
Ummagumma - Pink Floyd

[Dave (in MA)]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/fTqso_uWNgkX_2hatzUkI0BktHMSgqLyVyIF2EG4JVv2Oy23BT wK2NprwxEP7qqKolSZfxFccq9ObFyDzUzeHnnZkUXWwCv9Upiy SgdScA_PWTFAdPaAtTmSfHhoZLTuNu3Hw7nYn2PJ

Trying to figure out what the white text says. I had it for at least a few months before I noticed that there *was* white text. Brilliant.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

As a teenaged boy, I spent a lot of time, uh, staring at this one:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Roxy-Music-Country-Life-web-730.jpg

[loshammeros]

As a teenaged boy, I spent a lot of time, uh, staring at this one:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Roxy-Music-Country-Life-web-730.jpg

For those of us with original copies

[Dave (in MA)]

All of the Anthony Phillips albums that featured Peter Cross paintings have had extended viewings. Here's one.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71qrBsINHLL._SL1200_.jpg

They didn't have the same impact in the CD era.

[interbellum]

^^^Yeah, those Anthony Phillips-covers by Peter Cross were a joy for the eye!
Of course there is a lot to discover on Marillion's first couple of covers by Mark Wilkinson, especially when you also bought the 12"-singles on which covers those characters returned.
Ah, too many to mention. Hugh Syme (Rush), Hipgnosis.

Speaking of:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K81YUgoB58Y

[Munster]

As a teenaged boy, I spent a lot of time, uh, staring at this one:

I read somewhere that these two were the girlfriend and sister of Michael Karoli, Can's guitarist

[Lopez]

Most of the Hipgnosis covers - trying to figure out the story, such as Audience's House on the Hill cover.

14866

[ThomasKDye]

The Black Sabbath debut comes to mind. That one really nails the creepy/evil vibe in a mysterious way, rather than cartoonish. I've spent a lot of time looking at that one.

I agree, it's fascinatingly creepy. It makes me wonder why they just half-assed most of their covers after that one.

[roylayer]

As a teenaged boy, I spent a lot of time, uh, staring at this one:

I also spent hours staring at the cover of Country Life. I couldn't figure out what the big deal was. :-D
https://www.audiophileusa.com/covers400water/135749.jpg

[JKL2000]

The Black Sabbath debut comes to mind. That one really nails the creepy/evil vibe in a mysterious way, rather than cartoonish. I've spent a lot of time looking at that one.

Nursery Cryme is another, I was utterly fascinated by it as a kid and I still have a nostalgic fondness for it - the back cover too, all part of the one big painting.

Yes, the Foxtrot cover as well! Some people criticize Paul Whitehead's artistic skill, but I think it's his primitivism that makes these covers so fascinating, and makes you ponder them for extended periods. It's the fact that some of the relationships between objects, the faulty
scale and perspective, are crudely depicted, that draws the viewer in, IMO. Also, just trying to figure out WTF certain things are, like the bat-monkeys on horseback, or whatever!

[JKL2000]

I also spent hours staring at the cover of Country Life. I couldn't figure out what the big deal was. :-D
https://www.audiophileusa.com/covers400water/135749.jpg

It's just a nice bush.

[JKL2000]

From The Mars Hotel - Grateful Dead
Ummagumma - Pink Floyd

Ummagumma, definitely. The Dead cover I stared at the most was Aoxomaxoa.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81A57wuo3OL._SL1200_.jpg

[Bake 2]

AOXOMOXOA ...one of Griffin's best. The black piece of plastic inside was a big letdown.
14868
14869

[rapidfirerob]

The inside gatefold of The Allman Brothers- Eat A Peach, for one.

[JKL2000]

AOXOMOXOA ...one of Griffin's best. The black piece of plastic inside was a big letdown.

Really? I like it. I mean, it's not the Dead live, but still, some good songs there, IMO.

[proggy_jazzer]

I remember a night of my youth hanging at a friend's house when he put this on. I spent so much of my attention staring at the cover I barely remember hearing the music... X)

14871

[SunRunner2]

Kim Poor's various cover paintings were masterful and stare crazy, including "Voyage" and "Beyond Panic".

14874

14875

[dgtlman]

The inside gatefold of The Allman Brothers- Eat A Peach, for one.

Yep! Especially when high


14876

[Camelogue]

Wilding and Bonus

[Rarebird]

http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/549/cover_115781192016_r.jpghttps://img.discogs.com/JMkxivsfm88-0gVJ4hw50FvbbH0=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():qualit y(90)/discogs-images/R-3971786-1509882104-4573.mpo.jpg

[interbellum]

Wilding and Bonus

Yeah! What is he doing with that flag? Over there? Oh, he gives a Pleasure Signal to his pal.

[Mister Triscuits]

Just received a nice original vinyl pressing of this the other day--all the better to scrutinize the cover details.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/613SDe0vljL.jpg

[Bake 2]

Really? I like it. I mean, it's not the Dead live, but still, some good songs there, IMO.

I'm probably missing out on something ...quite a few people who i thought should know better really like The Grateful Dead. OTOH a lot of Rick Griffin stuff is uniquely mind blowing. He certainly moved the bar for the psychedelic vein of graphic art. IMO the Dead always seemed pretty ordinary, (often like a folk or country band) when you compare them to FZ, Hendrix, the Mahavishnu Orchestra...or Rick Griffin.

[JKL2000]

I'm probably missing out on something ...quite a few people who i thought should know better really like The Grateful Dead. OTOH a lot of Rick Griffin stuff is uniquely mind blowing. He certainly moved the bar for the psychedelic vein of graphic art. IMO the Dead always seemed pretty ordinary, (often like a folk or country band) when you compare them to FZ, Hendrix, the Mahavishnu Orchestra...or Rick Griffin.

I see - I thought you meant you liked the Dead, but not this album. Yeah, it's not everyone's thing, I know.

[betty humpter]

Just received a nice original vinyl pressing of this the other day--all the better to scrutinize the cover details.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/613SDe0vljL.jpg

That is one of my favorite album covers of all time! The music is also fantastic.

[proggy_jazzer]

Then there was this one. But I actually spent a lot more time looking at the inside gatefold, and if you zoom in on the center spine you can probably figure out why...

14883
14884

[Dave (in MA)]

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aUF7347Xr7AdFGRytn2rfe-970-80.jpg

[Progatron]

14883

A cover originally offered to Genesis around the time of Trick Of The Tail, but declined in favour of the more storybook design. So, recycled for Zep instead!

[Garyhead]

Obviously!14885

BTW - She was 3 months pregnant during the photo shoot. She stated she hid the proofs as long as she could from her husband. Living in the area, she has attended the last two concert appearances of Herb Alpert in Seattle.....still signing album covers. :drool

[Mythos]

Always love the cover of Eloy Floating, I even searched to find the artist, as I was ready to buy a full size to hang on the wall, alas, I never found it...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfjX0fF_JYI

[Shadow]

Pretty much any Ralph Lundsten cover.

[Shadow]

A friend of mine John emailed me these two:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a5/Mahogany_Rush_child_of_the_novelty.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9c/Mahogany_Rush_strange_universe.jpg

[Progbear]

I have a whole list over on Rate Your Music of album covers I adore, a list I call Sheer Visual Elegance (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Progbear/sheer-visual-elegance/). As you can tell, Roger Dean and Shusei Nagaoka are particular favorites (and a tip of the hat to Ulrich Schütt, who did the covers for the new age act Blonker. His paintings are just lovely.).

[nycsteve]

Obviously!14885

BTW - She was 3 months pregnant during the photo shoot. She stated she hid the proofs as long as she could from her husband. Living in the area, she has attended the last two concert appearances of Herb Alpert in Seattle.....still signing album covers. :drool

First one that came to mind.
Then theres the Beatles White album

[The Dark Elf]

Well, an obvious choice would be Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick. Between the news articles, adverts, photos and puzzles, you could spend days reading various aspects of the design.

14905

14906

[mozo-pg]

I have a whole list over on Rate Your Music of album covers I adore, a list I call Sheer Visual Elegance (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Progbear/sheer-visual-elegance/). As you can tell, Roger Dean and Shusei Nagaoka are particular favorites (and a tip of the hat to Ulrich Schütt, who did the covers for the new age act Blonker. His paintings are just lovely.).

That's great.

[SunRunner2]

One of the most beautiful covers of all time:


14908

[Trane]

Genesis - from Tresspass until W&W
Caravan - G&P, Waterloo & Plump
Floyd - Animals and WYWH
Who - Tommy & Quadro
Moody - Chord, FCCC, Threshold
Jane - debut
Crimson - the first four
Audience - FFF and House
Tull - Stand Up, Aqualung & TAAB
JMJ - Oxygene
Tangerine Dream - Zeit
Mahogany Rush - Child, Universe , IV & Tales
Santana - the first four
Harmonium - 5è Saison
Rush - Farewell
Ash Ra Tempel - debut
Schulze - Time Wind
Maneige - NVNN, Service
J Airplane - Baxter's
Dead - Allah
QMS - What About Me, Just For Love, Coming Thru
Mwandishi - Crossing & Sextant
Meatloaf - Bat 1
Kansas - Monolith

......... and many more I forget now.


Yes: not that much really >> Olias maybe but I didn't like much the album.

[SunRunner2]

^^^

Good list, but the wrong Ashra.

14913

[syncopatico]

14914

This one has always fascinated me:
how thin the couple is (yet how large her breasts are!) and did she just light a match across his back? ;)
And i've hoped whatever he is rolling isn't tobacco--didn't think so! :)

[Gravedigger]

^^^^^
...and what is she doing with her right hand? ;)

[Vic2012]

Obviously!14885



My mother had a small collection of albums in the 60s. We had this album. I'm 10 years old in 1966, staring at this album cover, thinking....if I could only move some of that whipped cream over a bit from her left tit.

[Shadow]

My mother had a small collection of albums in the 60s. We had this album. I'm 10 years old in 1966, staring at this album cover, thinking....if I could only move some of that whipped cream over a bit from her left tit.

Your mother was probably wondering who's been licking this album cover.:lol

[Shadow]

https://www.badrecordcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/trapezerunning.jpg

[Garyhead]

My mother had a small collection of albums in the 60s. We had this album. I'm 10 years old in 1966, staring at this album cover, thinking....if I could only move some of that whipped cream over a bit from her left tit.

As the photo shoot progressed, the shaving cream slipped down revealing a bit more. She used to sell the more revealing photo for $50.00! Now THERES a Google search!

[Shadow]

As the photo shoot progressed, the shaving cream slipped down revealing a bit more. She used to sell the more revealing photo for $50.00! Now THERES a Google search!

http://stuffnobodycaresabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Cover-Whipped-Cream-Outtake-large.jpg

[Garyhead]

Shadow, you are my NEW HERO! :geezer

[Trane]

https://www.badrecordcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/trapezerunning.jpg

You could add the Flash albums sleeves as well.

This thread is starting to feel like the NSFW group



Shadow, you are my NEW HERO! :geezer

It was probably child's play for Ed, whenevber you see his posts in the NSFW group a few years back. (which you cabn't since you had to subscribe)

[Scott Bails]

A cover originally offered to Genesis around the time of Trick Of The Tail, but declined in favour of the more storybook design. So, recycled for Zep instead!

I very much prefer the cover Genesis used. Fits the music better, IMO.

[Progatron]

I very much prefer the cover Genesis used. Fits the music better, IMO.

Definitely. I know that Hipgnosis rolled their eyes a bit at the Trick cover, and truthfully it is very different from what they were know for, but songs like Mad Man Moon and Ripples would not be served well by a family sitting around a table looking at an unidentifiable object.

[Trane]

Definitely. I know that Hipgnosis rolled their eyes a bit at the Trick cover, and truthfully it is very different from what they were know for, but songs like Mad Man Moon and Ripples would not be served well by a family sitting around a table looking at an unidentifiable object.

TBH, I find the mise en action of the Presence visual concept appalling, if not dreadful.

The idea itself could've been much more effective by giving those pictures an historical perspective by having the object reappearing thoughout mankind's history.

As for Trick, it is one of the most arresting and fascinating artwork - much better than the Whitehead artworks, really.

[Frumious B]

The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Led Zeppelin-III
Iron Maiden-Somewhere In Time
Yes-Relayer
U2-Achtung Baby

[Scott Bails]

As for Trick, it is one of the most arresting and fascinating artwork - much better than the Whitehead artworks, really.

I just never liked Whitehead's work.

Genesis generally doesn't have the best artwork or covers, but Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering are pretty good.

[SunRunner2]

I just never liked Whitehead's work.

Genesis generally doesn't have the best artwork or covers, but Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering are pretty good.

Uh, pardon me but I think you overlooked one big time:

14919

[moecurlythanu]

^ You're kidding, right?

[Halmyre]

TBH, I find the mise en action of the Presence visual concept appalling, if not dreadful.

The idea itself could've been much more effective by giving those pictures an historical perspective by having the object reappearing thoughout mankind's history.



That would have got them slated for being pretentious (admittedly, not a new thing). I think it works quite well, this 'absence' in those banal images. And it would definitely have been all wrong for Trick of the Tail.

Odd that Hipgonsis "rolled their eyes" at the Trick sleeve - didn't they design it?

[Progatron]

Odd that Hipgonsis "rolled their eyes" at the Trick sleeve - didn't they design it?

Yes, but grudgingly. It went against the grain of their usual hip, modern art designs. I can't find the interview now where I heard it (I think it was Banks), but to paraphrase, it was along the lines of "Oh sure, you guys want this romantic, wistful stuff again..."

So, Zep took it for Presence. I wonder if they even knew it had been passed over, Gabriel laughingly says in one of those album interviews that Storm Thorgerson was often trying to pass off old ideas as 'new and fresh'.

[Rarebird]

Definitely. I know that Hipgnosis rolled their eyes a bit at the Trick cover, and truthfully it is very different from what they were know for, but songs like Mad Man Moon and Ripples would not be served well by a family sitting around a table looking at an unidentifiable object.

That cover isn't even in the Hipgnosis album cover book.

[Rarebird]

http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/585/cover_145415562017_r.jpg
http://images.45worlds.com/f/ab/grobschnitt-merrygoround-2-ab.jpg

[Scott Bails]

Uh, pardon me but I think you overlooked one big time:

14919


^ You're kidding, right?

Has to be.

[Dave (in MA)]

I'd say that We Can't Dance artwork is better than the 2 or 3 that preceded it.

[Scott Bails]

I'd say that We Can't Dance artwork is better than the 2 or 3 that preceded it.

That's a low bar.

[SunRunner2]

Has to be.


That's a low bar.

Whoops, you are right, I posted the wrong stellar cover that had me staring at it for hours. It is this mind blowing vinyl cover that takes me to another dimension every time I see it. Note the strategically positioned alligator in the middle of the painting - now that's Art. Plus, it came in shifting multi-colored patterns, of which us real fans collected them all (a lot of money, but worth it). I'm surprised that the guy who designed this didn't use his real surname, instead of "Smith".

14921

[Progatron]

I'd say that We Can't Dance artwork is better than the 2 or 3 that preceded it.

It's actually a pleasant enough image (not great, but nice in its own way), but spoiled IMO by that ghastly and garish logo.

[mozo-pg]

It's actually a pleasant enough image (not great, but nice in its own way), but spoiled IMO by that ghastly and garish logo.

I have a framed lithograph of album artwork that had signatures of the trio but they were in pencil. Now totally faded - this could have been a collector's piece.

[Scott Bails]

It's actually a pleasant enough image (not great, but nice in its own way), but spoiled IMO by that ghastly and garish logo.

Exactly.

And then they continued to use said ghastly and garish logo over and over....

[Progatron]

Exactly.

And then they continued to use said ghastly and garish logo over and over....

Including the 70s boxed sets, one of the more baffling artistic decisions of a career already loaded with them.

[mozo-pg]

Just received a nice original vinyl pressing of this the other day--all the better to scrutinize the cover details.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/613SDe0vljL.jpg

Wow! Incredibe imagery.

[mozo-pg]

As a teenaged boy, I spent a lot of time, uh, staring at this one:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Roxy-Music-Country-Life-web-730.jpg

This was in my collection as a teenager. Not sure why there weren't objections from the parental units.

[moecurlythanu]

This was in my collection as a teenager. Not sure why there weren't objections from the parental units.

They were probably just relieved that you weren't living La Vida Loca.

[mozo-pg]

They were probably just relieved that you weren't living La Vida Loca.

:lol

[Bake 2]

Always love the cover of Eloy Floating, I even searched to find the artist, as I was ready to buy a full size to hang on the wall, alas, I never found it...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfjX0fF_JYI

Liked this one a lot too. Apparently Jacques Wyrs (the guy who did this cover) died in 1988. There is a website for him, contact address is here: 14998

[interbellum]

This was in my collection as a teenager. Not sure why there weren't objections from the parental units.

Speaking of: when I had my 15th birthday in 1975 I asked the LP Abraxas by Santana. Instead I got Greatest Hits. The latter is of course also very good, but I always had the impression my parents didn't want me to look at that wonderful, almost naked woman on Abraxas. A few years later I had my revenge when I found a poster of the Mati Klarwein-art of Abraxas, which was a whole lot bigger than the LP-cover.

14999

http://www.matiklarweinart.com/en/gallery/annunciation-1961.htm

[Mister Triscuits]

Speaking of: when I had my 15th birthday in 1975 I asked the LP Abraxas by Santana. Instead I got Greatest Hits. The latter is of course also very good, but I always had the impression my parents didn't want me to look at that wonderful, almost naked woman on Abraxas.

My old vinyl copy (from the Columbia House record club) came with a big hype sticker, not on the shrinkwrap but stuck directly on the cover, concealing the naughty bits.

[SunRunner2]

Speaking of: when I had my 15th birthday in 1975 I asked the LP Abraxas by Santana. Instead I got Greatest Hits. The latter is of course also very good, but I always had the impression my parents didn't want me to look at that wonderful, almost naked woman on Abraxas. A few years later I had my revenge when I found a poster of the Mati Klarwein-art of Abraxas, which was a whole lot bigger than the LP-cover.

14999

http://www.matiklarweinart.com/en/gallery/annunciation-1961.htm

They no doubt would have disapproved of this album cover as well:

15004

[Rarebird]

They no doubt would have disapproved of this album cover as well:

15004

Or this one

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VkcAAOSw1T1a3Lgf/s-l300.jpg

[syncopatico]

They no doubt would have disapproved of this album cover as well:

15004

Jimi wasn't too fond of it either! ;)


15006

[UnephenStephen]

here's a creepy one that stares back at you..

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pQ8AAOSwgYRexI4j/s-l400.jpg

[JKL2000]

here's a creepy one that stares back at you..

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pQ8AAOSwgYRexI4j/s-l400.jpg

This one always reminds me of portrayals of Jacob Marley's ghost from A Christmas Carol. Does this album have a theme at all?

[Mister Triscuits]

This one always reminds me of portrayals of Jacob Marley's ghost from A Christmas Carol.

Ha, that's exactly what it looks like!

[Garyhead]

I thought it looked a lot like the Chamber Of Secrets.
15014