Ruminations - September 21, 1999
by Stephanie Sollow



Judging An Album By Its Cover


While I won't make it a practice to take my editorial themes from a "sister" source (so to speak), a topic on the Perpetual Motion board caught my eye - at first for all the wrong reasons, though it almost brought up a valid and useful point. So, because he didn't and spun off into inanities and drivel, I will try to take the road he should have.

The topic was album artwork and how they affect the impression of the music inside. I think it is a valid topic for discussion, especially in a progressive realm, as part of the package is the artwork. Admittedly, naff artwork doesn't imply crap music, and terrific artwork doesn't imply great music. But, it can evoke a setting, a feel, a tone, since the artwork is usually chosen to represent the album. Even an album cover as plain as Metallica's 1991 release said a lot about the album. Straight ahead hard rock/metal.

It is all in the same way book publishers commission artists to provide the artwork for the cover. Rarely do the covers depict a particular scene in the story, but more an overall impression, the general ideas contained within. Movie posters as well - you're selling the product, this idea. Star Wars for instance, since it's in everyone's mind these days (though I think Blair Witch is getting all the press) [*], there isn't a scene where Luke is atop a mountain, lightsabre high overhead, with an armed Leia at his feet. It's impressionistic (note the lower case "i"; uppercase and were getting into Monet ... though the theory's the same).

And often times you can tell the style of music by its cover. Not always, of course. There are a number of rap releases that have typography not unlike that on progressive metal releases. But, just because the art style hints at the genre, it doesn't tell you whether the music is going to be good or bad.

But, we do make our purchasing decisions based on cover art, when we can. I'm sure I've passed up many a rock release because I found the cover sexist or offensive. I'm sure the music topically would be the same, well played or not.

Okay, here's a case in point. I almost picked up Iced Earth's latest studio release. I was intrigued by an ad. The typography on the album is very much like Iron Maiden's, so that suggested to me that the music might be similarly styled. But, having it in my hands, looking at the cover, I debated whether this was a journey I wanted to take. Was this more a dark, death metal release instead? I didn't get it. However, I recently heard a sound clip, and ... yeh, a lot like Iron Maiden. Not a bad thing, so maybe next time I won't pass it up. Of course, I wouldn't buy it just because they sounded like Iron Maiden, but liking Iron Maiden, I'll probably like this. [And I both picked it up and liked it, see review]

Looking at Blind Guardian's Nightfall On Middle Earth wouldn't tell you what's inside - aside from genre. And even then, it could easily have been a rap release. (I had read others' comments, so I wasn't totally buying ... um, blind). But, like its subject matter and the arrangements of the music, the cover is dark, grim. You know by looking at that you aren't going to get sugary pop music.

In addition to Blind Guardian, this week also features some new reviews by Larry Daglieri... new to us at least. And, delayed a week, the debut of our Art Gallery, featuring the art work of Theirry Guilleminot. Thierry has done work for Arlequins Magazine (Italy), the cover and logo for an issue of Prog Resiste (Belgium), and is the art director of a new prog magazine named Progjet


Funny... Star Wars is in entertainment news this month - September 2011 - because of the re-issue (or as I hear it, somewhat/slightly altered versions) on blu-ray. And that explains all the Star Wars tie-ins with, no not Burger King or McDonalds (though maybe them too), Major League Baseball!... Really? Yes, really. One commentator on my local FoxSports (FSW) affliate made a joke that if Chewie played baseball, he'd be the "'wookie' of the year" (har har har). Oh, I won't editorialize in a footnote, but if the alteratiion rumour is true... why, George, why? Improve the soundtrack, sure; clean the prints so they look great in high-def; fix a jitter in a special effect, but don't change the story/dialog!! ... (sigh)... Star Wars is one of my all-time favorite films,,, the 1977 version. A very close second is ESB... the 1980 version... I take it personally.... :-) - SS Sep 2011








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Published on: 1999-09-21 (2181 reads)

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