THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Fun Stuff => BAND => Topic started by: Topper on 05 Oct 2005, 16:37
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I'm currently listening to Blood Money by Tom Waits, and I absoloutely adore the album cover. It's sinister, stylish and lets you know exactly what you're in for musically when you put it on. Just wondering what everyone elses favourite album covers are and why? Sorry if this thread has already been done, which I imagine it has many times.
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In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel.
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004NJL4.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Is probably my favourite. It comes off really sinister and quaint at the same time.
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Limbonic Art - Moon in the Scorpio
(http://www.nnm.ru/imagez/gallery/muzic/black-1120449435_i_9017.jpg)
Electric Wizard - Dopethrone
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/BiGz108/Dopethrone.jpg)
Yes - Fragile
(http://donmarko99.free.fr/Yes/Fragile.jpg)
All Yes albums have insane artwork. It really doesn't work without the gatefolds.
Skyclad - Folkemon
(http://image.furima.rakuten.co.jp/image/item/61/84/37966184-1.jpg)
Wonderful booklet and CD art as well.
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Weezer - Pinkerton is pretty damn cool. And the fact that it has a black backing with a picture underneath is just too cool.
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^ Isn't it a Hokusai print?
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(http://img.towerrecords.co.jp/images/jacket/4988/4988064118243.jpg)
that is just a really cool picture.
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^ Isn't it a Hokusai print?
The artwork used for the album's cover is Kambara yoru no yuki ("Night Snow at Kambara"), a print by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige.
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Damn, I guessed wrong.
Seriously, you try and tell Ukiyo-e artists apart! Hiroshige or Hokusai is normally right though. Hokusai was more prolific so I normally go for him first, if I don't know the piece.
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(http://fusionanomaly.net/dismembermentplanemergencyandi.jpg)
The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000042O1H.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
(http://www.openingbands.com/reviews/images/cursive.jpg)
Cursive - The Ugly Organ
(http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/d7/59/368662-music-resized200.JPG)
Death Cab for Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
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These are just some.
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Trust Weezer to choose the more obscure of the two
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(http://www.maths.dundee.ac.uk/~sanderso/music/pinkmoon.gif)
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
(http://homepage.mac.com/john_kruper/artwork/beck/odelay.jpg)
Beck - Odelay
(http://img97.exs.cx/img97/3998/talkingheadsstopmaking7oq.jpg)
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
(http://www.music-on-tnt.com/jpg/andrew_bird.jpg)
Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs
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Emerson, Lake, & Palmer - Brian Salad Surgery
(http://mitkadem.homestead.com/files/ELP/Brain_Salad_Front.jpg)
GWAR - Violence Has Arrived
(http://image.com.com/mp3/images/cover/200/drf100/f119/f1192612u80.jpg)
The Sugarplastic - Resin
(http://covers.cdbaby.com/s/u/sugarplastic.jpg)
It's a Magritte painting! It means 'this here is not a pipe'. Basically he was fucking with folks, y'know, cause it's NOT a pipe; it's a picture of a pipe. BLAM! SURREAL'D!
E - A Man Called "E"
(http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/a2/d8/99049-music-resized200.JPG)
aaaaaaaand...
Madvillain* - Madvillainy
(http://www.stonesthrow.com/records/covers/madvillainy.jpg)
*Basically, MF Doom.
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This is a great book about albums covers - http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/078944951X/ref=sib_dp_pt/002-7900904-7372066#reader-page
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Also, Blood Money ftw! Alice too.
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005YX3K.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
(http://www.concertlivewire.com/jpegs/cds/waits.jpg)
And hell, here's Rain Dogs while I'm at it!
(http://www.monochrom.at/cracked/reviews/C_waits4.jpg)
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000003JE3.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Also, any number of gorgeous monochrome Blue Note Records covers. The vintage Verve Records album covers are generally pretty nice too, come to that.
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I love that Madvillain cover. It's classic.
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(http://www.pinkfloydonline.com/pictures/gallery1/animals.jpg)
(http://212.227.152.5/pix_cdreviews/fla.jpg)
Among others.
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Grateful Dead - Terrapin Station
Dead Kennedys - Frankenchrist
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Dark Side of the Moon is, of course, a classic.
I like this one.
(http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/42/ad/cf017220eca088027eab4010.L.jpg)
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Also, any number of gorgeous monochrome Blue Note Records covers.
Had to post this one, just as a great example:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000005HCL.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
EDIT: and of course, an absolute classic (fortunately my Mum has the L.P. - C.D.-size just doesn't do it justice):
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005QVHB.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
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Good old Crumb.
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Better grant green cover (in my eyes anywho):
(http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/g/green_grant_bluebreak_101b.jpg)
But, the bestest jazz cover ever!
(http://www.milesdavis.com/images/covers/114%20Aura.jpg)
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Not the best, just the most hilariously stereotypical emo album cover I've ever seen:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000094C27.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
a robot holding his heart in his hand? thinking, no doubt,
"what is love? i do not understand, because i am a machine and i was not programmed to feel emotion."
IT IS TOTALLY ORIGINAL AND NO ONE'S EVER THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE
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Beck - Odelay
That was the first thing that came to my mind. And it's actually a real dog.
(http://www.parisetudiant.com/images/19-17Ugly%20Duckling%20-%20Taste%20The%20Secret.jpg)
Ugly Duckling - Taste The Secret
(http://www.jamrecordings.com.au/lyricsborn/images/cover.jpg)
Lyrics Born - Later That Day

Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty
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(http://photos1.blogger.com/img/292/1100/1024/Our%20Newest%20Album%20Ever!%20album%20cover2.jpg)
Five Iron Frenzy: Our Newest Album Ever!
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sorry, don't have a picture, but one of my favorites is "We're not happy til you're not happy" by Reel Big Fish. the instruments on fire are just cool.
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000094C27.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
a robot holding his heart in his hand? thinking, no doubt,
"what is love? baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me...no more.."
Fixed.
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found it!
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007VCZDC.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
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It's not amazing, but I quite like it:
(http://www.thewrit.org/reviews/vast.jpg)
VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theatre
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(http://www.interpunk.com/itemimages2/77244.jpg)
Converge - Jane Doe
(http://www.levykauppax.fi/cover/normal/9/98/9875.jpg)
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
(http://www.uttertrash.net/godspeed.jpg)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O
(http://www.interpunk.com/itemimages2/83232.jpg)
Orchid - Orchid Gatefold
And also this, of some reason:
(http://www.interpunk.com/itemimages2/105382.gif)
Orchid - Totality
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004NJL4.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Is probably my favourite. It comes off really sinister and quaint at the same time.
I was putting that cd on my Ipod when I read that post... Creepy Wooooooooo.....
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Fair to middling Miles Davis cover
This one's better, I reckon:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000000YLS.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Also, this is one of my all-time favourites for some reason:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002AH6.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
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Good ol' Yoshimi
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000068PQ0.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Bjork - Homogenic.
(http://pochettescd.ifrance.com/bjork_homogenic_1.jpg)
DJ Shadow - The Private Press. Though the cover to 'Endtroducing..' is awesome also.
(http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2002-06-14/music_phases2-1.jpg)
Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World. But really, all of SFA's album covers are great.
(http://www.graciouslyimpatient.co.uk/disco/rings.jpg)
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I like the Hammerfall covers that were done by the guy who does the concept art for WarCraft, but only because I like his work(not too fond of Hammerfall).
http://www.sonsofthestorm.com/personal_samwise002c.html#gallery
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Damn, someone beat me to Homogenic.
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00007KK7V.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Massive Attack, 100th Window
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000C23H1.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Party Monster soundtrack
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005J6T0.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Madonna, True Blue
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006F7S3.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Peter Gabriel, Up
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000024D4S.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002LRJ.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
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Party Monster soundtrack
YES! I love the cover almost as much as I love the actual movie/soundtrack. For me though....John Vanderslice's Life and Death of an American Foretracker.
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No Smiths love?
(http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B00005HGQU.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Or The Clash?
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00002MVQO.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0006TL9C8.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Give credit where credit is due.
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The cover of Fantomas -Suspended Animation, Big Black - Songs About Fucking, Dr. Octogon, McLusky -McLusky Does Dallas, and Clutch - Blast Tyrant.
(http://www.townsend-records.co.uk/i/covers/6581874.jpg)
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004NJL4.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Is probably my favourite. It comes off really sinister and quaint at the same time.
What's sinister about it? (I googled for a bigger version too)
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Because it is an Eels cover that features a quaint picture of children.
And you just know, without even hearing the album, that those children will be commiting suicide or getting cancer in the near future.
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I really like the one for Under Byen's Det er Mig Der Holder Træerne Sammen:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/Santhsynth/cover-determig.jpg)
and inside the cover:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/Santhsynth/UB014.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/Santhsynth/UB016.jpg)
and the music is even better :)
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i don't think the text neccessarily makes that Clash album cover ubiquitous, although it is iconic in a sense; i think what's more powerful is the tension in the mid-smash of the guitar.
pretty brilliant, in my opinion.
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Try and tell me this is not the coolest cover of all time…

…and I will say "well ok, but i respectfully disagree with you."
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(http://www.jpophelp.com/cdscans/JPN-AICT-25_frontM.jpg)
Ignore the writing at the side, that's just some sticker rubbish. The actual cover has nothing but white there.
It's just seriously kickass minimalism. It also really needs to be 12" size, to get the full vibe.
Also:
(http://logarhythm.static3.state51.co.uk/85/35/1510054_xl57/260x260.jpeg)
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Reel Big Fish - Cheer Up
I think it's scary!
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000068QVK.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
I don't know why though.
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Beck - Odelay
That was the first thing that came to my mind. And it's actually a real dog.
Yeah! That took me a while to figure out.
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What's sinister about it? (I googled for a bigger version too)
It kinda reminds me of Norman Rockwell which I also find creepy. To innocent, too perfect, to wholesome middle class America. That stuff is more sinister than all your demonology and bloody corpses combined.
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(http://www.pinkfloydonline.com/pictures/gallery1/animals.jpg)
Among others.
Now THAT is a cover. It's just a thing of utter iconicism, if that's a word. I have a t-shirt of that cover because it's such a brilliant image.
Pink Floyd have assloads of great album covers:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Pink_Floyd_Meddle.jpg)
The extended version was better.
(http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PFArchives/yUSWYWH.jpg)
(http://open-site.org/img/richlen/pf_17.jpg)
Not one of their best, but the imagery is perfection for The Final Cut.
(http://perso.wanadoo.fr/dscheehl/Images/division.jpg)
I have this as a t-shirt as well, it's such a fantastic image, and done live as well; it's just perfect!
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all the covers done by hipgnosis were awesome.
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The book I linked to earlier was compiled by people from hipgnosis, it goes into great depth about several pink floyd covers.
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Music that is Musically Challenged - After the Sky Falls...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/ObsoleteDonkey/cover-sized.jpg)
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
(http://www.imusic.dk/gfx/item/reference/727/0075679343727.jpg)
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(http://martin.splitmonkeys.de/burmese_men.jpg)
Simple and effective. The back art makes it even better, but I have no scanner and I can't find an image of it online.
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005ONM7.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
That comic idea is good, especially since the comic on the cover is messed up and only shown in a sensible manner on the inside.
And note: The Safety Margin thing - I have no idea where that comes from. The version I have does not have it and it looks better.
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000060LU.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Though actually all Shellac albums have excellent art. But the art of 1000 Hurts and At Action Park has to be actually seen, whereas Terraform also works with images.
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http://coverart.last.fm/300x300/1416535.jpg
Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts
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Watain - Casus Luciferi
(http://www.himnosrituales.com/espanol/666/casus.jpg)
Manowar - Kings of Metal
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002INJ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
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metal is amusing.
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metal is awesome.
That's better
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One you have to see in real life (because scans don't show the actual effect): Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn.
You have to see the inside as well. It gets my overall best packaging I've seen award.
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(http://www.angelfire.com/mn/coasters/hook/images/never.jpg)
I May Never Get Out of the Blues Alive.
Look closely at John Lee Hooker sitting up front on an inner city bus.
The stenciled sign reads No Dancin', with an apostrophe!
(http://www.kotiposti.net/v0431/images/HatfieldAndTheNorth2.jpg)
The Rotter's Club - Hatfield and the North
This is my all-time favorite album. It inspired me on a decade-long investigation of Canterbury progressive music. I can report back that it's
all really boring, repetitious, pretentious, except for this album and some of
Robert Wyatt's stuff. I think this is bette davis signing fan photos,
with Hatfield's first album patched in.
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Monotome blue? How about this:
(http://www.dischord.com/images/012.jpg)
Aquabats of course!
(http://theaquabats.com/news/charge_253.jpg)
(http://www.victoryrecords.com/Images/Albums300/VR073.jpg)[/url]
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Savoy Brown - Looking In
(http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/S/Savoy_Brown/savoy_lookf.jpg)
Moody Blues - On The Threshold Of A Dream
(http://members.tripod.com/sstWordSmith2/music/MoodyBlues/covers/ths-c.jpg)
and...
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Stay Human
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005I44T.03._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
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One of my favourite intensely 'metal' covers:
Horna - Perima Vihassa Ja Verikostossa
(Full art, I can't find a copy of the album cover bigger than 200X200)
(http://home.tiscali.be/krisverwimp/Horna/horna.9.jpg)
Also, I feel it is wrong in the extreme that no-one has yet mentioned:
(http://www.musikmarkt-wiesbaden.de/images/Iron-Maiden-Aces-High--235110.jpg)
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If Top Gun hadn't sucked ass, that song alone would have been the soundtrack. but it did suck. And so it wasn't the soundtrack.
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Aces High was my gateway to Iron Maiden, and I still fucking love it.
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http://www.spazoutny.com/ironmaiden.htm
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http://www.spazoutny.com/ironmaiden.htm
Terrible formatting... burning my EYES.
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http://www.epinions.com/musc_mu-184195/display_~reviews
best album of all time also has best cover!!!!
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http://www.spazoutny.com/ironmaiden.htm
Terrible formatting... burning my EYES.
'tis one of those fabled, accursed pages that work only in internet explorer! AIEEEEE!
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DARNZ! I forgot Argus for a moment there;
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/Teh_Captain/CopyofArgus.jpg)
Also... P*U*L*S*E
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/Teh_Captain/Pulse.jpg)
+inside
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/Teh_Captain/PulseInside.jpg)
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ROXY MUSIC THEME!!!
Roxy Music - Best Of Roxy Music
(http://www.sdcd.com/B2B/jsp/app/images/Scans/521992.jpg)
Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy
(http://eil.com/newgallery/Brian-Eno-Taking-Tiger-Moun-211309.jpg)
801 - Live
(http://bunbunbass.seesaa.net/image/82W82O82P.jpg)
Phil Manzenara - K-scope
(http://kochiken.hp.infoseek.co.jp/simon/images/pmanza_kscope.jpg)
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Simple, elegant, classic:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000GB7W.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
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The Mint Chicks - Octagon, Octagon, Octagon

The Mint Chicks - Anti-Tiger
Made awesomer by the fact that the guitarist drew them!
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Cheer up was a pretty good cover, though not a great CD....
(http://byroncrawford.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/dangerdoom.jpg)
or how about:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00082IJ08.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
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I like how Nine Inch Nails has done interesting things not with just the covers, but the cases themselves.
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I like how Nine Inch Nails has done interesting things not with just the covers, but the cases themselves.
Yeah but the cover for With Teeth just sucks.
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DANGERDOOM!
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Definitely something from Factory Records, sleek is the word that springs to mind. Blue Monday just cos it cost more to produce than they sold it for. Of course, the eventual re-release was cheaper but equally smooth.
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Also... P*U*L*S*E
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/Teh_Captain/Pulse.jpg)
+inside
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/Teh_Captain/PulseInside.jpg)
Actually I thought that was one of their worst front covers. But that bit from the inside of it is amazing.
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(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000003S26.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Fripp and Eno, in a Hall of Mirrors.
Eno plays solitaire with a deck of pornographic playing cards.
Vintage Frippertronics, repetitious tape loops.
I used to listen to it on my friend's big ol' family stereo,
usually at 33 1/3, sometimes at 78 and even at 16 2/3 RPM.
The quality of the music was consistent, only the duration and pitch changed.