some of my ALL TIME FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS - PART 3

Here's part three of my all time favorite albums covers. These aren't necessarily the greatest album covers of all time, just the ones that for one reason or another totally work me.

[ PART ONE here ] [ PART TWO here ]

ABOVE:  the Dream Syndicate - Medicine Show (1984) An album I bought when it came out strictly because of the cover art, band name, and song titles. It ended up being one of my all time favorite (and most played) albums. I was quite bummed when my tourshirt featuring this image went through the washer one too many times and had to be retired.

BELOW LEFT: Elvis Costello and The Attractions - This year's Model (1978) One of many fabulous covers from endlessly talented Barney Bubbles

BELOW RIGHT: Gamma - Gamma 2 (1980) I don't like the actual album, but this cover was a big fave of mine when it came out. The album cover is designed by Mick Haggerty and the cover photo is by Jeffrey Scales (who was getting pictures published in the Black Panther Paper when he was only 13!) 

 

ABOVE LEFT: the B-52's - the B-52's (1979) Cover photo by then relatively unknown Interview Magazine photographer George DuBose. He originally made the image for flyers, but when they were signed the band chose it for the cover image. Island Records creative director Tony Wright hand colored the photo and changed a Mylar balloon Kate was holding to thrift store handbag. He didn't like the band, so he used the alias Sue Absurd for the designer credit. The full story and original b&w photo are at George's site.

ABOVE RIGHT: RAMONES - Road to Ruin (1978) Wonderful illustration from Punk Magazine's John Holmstrom.

BELOW:  Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America Vol 1 The Early Years (1961) This is one of the albums I inherited from my parents and it's a cover I stared at quite a bit. Great use of text and white space. I like the fact that the cover image I found was a bit dirty since I don't think I've ever seen a clean copy of the actual vinyl.

ABOVE LEFT: the Jim Carroll Band - Catholic Boy (1980) Cover photograph of Jim and his parents taken by Annie Leibovitz

ABOVE RIGHT: the Clash - London Calling (1979) One of the all-time great album covers. That iconic Pennie Smith photo of Paul Simonon might be my favorite rock picture ever. It's an image that periodically pops into my head the same way a great song does. Ray Lowery framed that picture beautifully with the layout appropriated from Elvis' debut, which really puts the whole thing together.

BELOW: the (English) Beat - I Just Can't Stop It (1980) - The cover is designed by one of my favorite cartoonists, Hunt Emerson, who also designed the iconic Beat Girl logo.