BassTractor Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) As per the title, I guess. Many record covers exist that are sublime in many ways, and many of these are also very well known. I was thinking we could delve into and post really unique covers that we love, but that are NOT very well known. Lemme start: Like Yes had Roger Dean, Swedish band Bob hund (stylised "bob hund") has their record cover designer in Martin Kann. For bob hund's officially untitled 1996 record, the cover read: "cover: Martin Kann" in Swedish, and indeed a photo of Martin Kann graced the cover. Ingenious, I though, and highly original. Of course, the record is now generally known as "Omslag: Martin Kann". I'll indulge in another one, also by bob hund: In 2011, their record "Det överexponerade gömstället" came with slightly different covers on CD and vinyl, one of them being of a yellow sticky note just stating: "I have no ideas for a cover. Sorry, Martin" 😁 Edited April 3, 2019 by BassTractor 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon. Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 That 2nd one is utter genius! Love it. 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 The second one put me in mind of Keith Arnatt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 Another special one where the idea seems to trump the demands on prettiness: "Pool" by Norwegian rock band Bever. This is how to design a cover when you're skint (though the iron was slightly warm for my tastes): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Not particularly obscure, but for some reason I love this one: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 (edited) Neither are really unknown, but I love the cover of Clutch's Book of Bad Decisions and Opeth's Sorceress Edited April 3, 2019 by bartelby 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 I was reminded of another favourite this morning. Einstürzende Neubauten - Haus Der Lüge: The cover is a wood cut from the 1500s by a printmaker called Hans Baldung. There are two more of his horses on other artwork in the album. When this album was released, in 1989, there was a merch slip in it. You could order the usual things; shirts, posters, badges etc. But you could also order a 20cm x 400cm wallpaper frieze with a repeating pattern of the 3 horses. I really wanted a couple of rolls, but at DM28 each and 30DM shipping, plus international ordering wasn't quite so easy back then, I never got around to getting any. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 But for consistently great artwork my award has to go to the Italian band Ufomammut. These guys design and, for a few years now, screenprint the initial releases themselves. Idolum: ORO: Primum: ORO: Alter Ecate (this came with a 12"x12" book with images for each track, all screenprinted): 8: Some of the album names are links to the Discogs page. There is a link showing some more detail to the covers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 @bartelby Wow. Just wow! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Just now, BassTractor said: @bartelby Wow. Just wow! Thanks! The Ufomammut are totally works of art in real life. They have a 7" with the same level of attention. But no photo does it justice. Pearlescent white print on white paper then red over that. You can sort of see the detail there is in the white here: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 (edited) I used to have this book - probably still got it somewhere... Some very interesting artwork, and none of it influenced by drug-use, no siree, not here! I particularly like the Janis Joplin / Big Brother & The Holding Company cover Edited April 4, 2019 by Teebs 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 3 hours ago, bartelby said: These guys design and, for a few years now, screenprint the initial releases themselves. And are totally uninfluenced by Hawkwind -) 34 minutes ago, Teebs said: I particularly like the Janis Joplin / Big Brother & The Holding Company cover Bob Crumb, of course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 33 minutes ago, Teebs said: I used to have this book - probably still got it somewhere... That, dear sir, is as invigoratingly unacceptable as a good joke in a bad jokes thread! 😡 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 1 minute ago, Stub Mandrel said: And are totally uninfluenced by Hawkwind -) They're kind of doomy space/psych rock, so the influence is strong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Love this. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Post-rock bands often have great sleeves: This Will Destroy You Explosions In The Sky Mono 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 The LTD edition of Clint Mansell's score to the film The Fountain is also particularly nice. As is the vinyl: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 11 minutes ago, bartelby said: The LTD edition of Clint Mansell's score to the film The Fountain is also particularly nice. As is the vinyl: That's lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Sigur Rós often have very beautiful covers to their music. I love these: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 (edited) Also these...(sorry for posting too many ) Edited April 4, 2019 by Teebs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 (edited) Great, great stuff! Here's another rare one: the triangular cover for Willem Breuker and Leo Cuyper's "Live in Shaffy", IMHO beautifully designed by Ger van Elk. IMHO, sadly the pics don't do it justice. It's also about the quality of the materials and the inks used, just like in @bartelby's Ufomammut example. I've had this one on the wall for decades - as a piece of art. Edited April 4, 2019 by BassTractor 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 3 hours ago, Teebs said: (sorry for posting too many ) Too many fantastic covers in a thread about covers? Nah. I'd rather say you're now officially forgiven for your famous-album-covers-book faux pas! 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Phew! 8 minutes ago, BassTractor said: I'd rather say you're now officially forgiven for your famous-album-covers-book faux pas! 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkgod Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, Teebs said: I used to have this book - probably still got it somewhere... Some very interesting artwork, and none of it influenced by drug-use, no siree, not here! I particularly like the Janis Joplin / Big Brother & The Holding Company cover this reminds me of an LP i have, called flash feerless with a comic inside, https://reprobatepress.com/2018/02/07/flash-fearless-vs-the-zorg-women-a-forgotten-1970s-comic-book-rock-opera/ Edited April 4, 2019 by funkgod 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 That's cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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