This is really cool.

Now this is creative. http://thejailbreak.com/2009/12/01/ice-ice-baby-katie-patersons-ice-records/

Adam Lambert: For Your Entertainment

“Thank you to those who appreciate and understand that the album cover is deliberately campy. It’s an omage to the past. It IS ridiculous” and “For those that don’t get it: oh well… Glad to have gotten your attention.” [Adam Lambert on Twitter]

Goetia The Virus 'Hardcore Chronicles"

Graphic Design: Sam Hayles - DOSEprod

Flaming Lips: Embryonic

Flaming Lips
"Embryonic"
(Warner Bros.)
Graphic Design: George Salisbury and the Flaming Lips

Lynyrd Skynyrd: God & Guns

I have googled until I can google no more, and still can't find out who the designer is for this new release. Anyone have a clue?

Morriessey: Creepy Album Cover?

Some people think that Morrissey's new "Swords" CD cover is just, well....creepy.

American Artifact: The Rise of American Rock Poster Art

"American Artifact: The Rise of American Rock Poster Art", will be the celebrated opening film for the Royal Flush Festival, NYC on October 15th, 2009, at Anthology Film Archives.

Director Merle Becker and artist Tara McPherson will be present for Q&A after the screening.

The long awaited NYC premiere of the movie will also be followed by an art show featuring work by some of the artists in the film, including: Tara McPherson, Art Chantry, Jay Ryan, Emek, Leia Bell, Scrojo, Justin Hampton, Jermaine Rogers, Stainboy, and Hatch Show Print.

The festival, which also features appearances by artist Ron English and Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole), is named after it's underground pop culture magazine, Royal Flush Magazine. Royal Flush has always had it's proverbial finger on the pulse of independent film and music, featuring past work by Morgan Spurlock, Andy Samberg, Ron English, and more.

"American Artifact" will be screening at Anthology Film Archives (32 2nd Ave., NYC) at 7pm, followed by the rock poster art show, which will be The Showroom NYC (117 Second Ave., NYC, 2nd Floor). The American Artifact Rock Poster Art show will be running until Sunday, Oct.18th.

For more information about the Royal Flush Festival, go to: www.RoyalFlushFestival.com

For more information about "American Artifact", or to request press materials or an interview, go to: www.AmericanArtifactMovie.com .

Dylan's Holiday Album Sneak Peak

The ever mysterious and unpredictable Bob Dylan does it again with his upcoming holiday CD, "Christmas In The Heart." The collection will feature holiday standards including “Must Be Santa,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.” All U.S. royalties from the collection will benefit the charity Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Other proceeds from the disc will benefit hunger relief organizations around the world. I'm still trying to find out who the art director is. Anyone know?

Moldover

Controllerist Moldover has released a special edition CD - the album cover just doesn't just look like its made of circuitry...it is! The circuit is a working Theremin you can use to play along to the album.

Beck’s Music Inspired Art 2009

Beck’s asked 10 Illustrators including McBess, Hellovon, Kid Acne, Si Scott, and Laura Jackaman to re-think the best albums of the last 40 years (gleaned from Pitchfork lists).

"What really drew me to re-imagining Let It Be was the backstory and turmoil which surrounded it creators at the time of recording. It's an atmosphere that clings to the cover. Gone is the swirling freedom of Revolver, the colour of Sgt Pepper or playfulness of Abbey Road. Each Beatle has divided themselves from the group and occupied a solo corner. In my reinterpretation I wanted to extend the time period these snapshots were taken in, drawing influences from their solo careers, and suggesting that, with time, those self-created barriers would fade - even if they would never play together as a group again.

And purely from an artistic angle, it's always an interesting exercise to work from recognizable models. Unlike drawing fantastical creatures the audience have a yardstick to measure imagery to. So I enjoyed the challenge of depicting John, Paul, George & Ringo but in a new form, and striving for a balance between a believable likeness and personal expression.

Plus I like drawing big noses, and they all have a great collection."
-Rexbox

Apple and Labels Hope to Reinvent Digital Album as Something People Buy

Some hope...from Wired Magazine:

The view that technology is an unstoppable juggernaut moving at lightning pace isn’t always accurate. Sometimes the simplest ideas take years to realize — even when Apple is involved and the future of the recorded music business could be at stake.

Take today’s widely-echoed Financial Times report about “Project Cocktail” — an attempt by Apple and the four major labels to re-imagine the digital album with soft (as in onscreen) album art. They hope album art that embraces digital technology, rather than merely providing a miniaturized version of the original album cover, will entice music fans to start buying digital albums again. Apple and the labels envision fans gathering ’round the glow of their laptops — or tablet PCs — to listen to music together, the way they used to before they retreated into their own digital pods. [read the rest of the article here]

Official Cover Art for Madonna's New Greatest Hits Album

Cover art by Mr. Brainwash

Bubble Puppy

One of the last bands signed to the legendary International Artists label, Bubble Puppy also gave the company its most substantial hit, "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass". Originally known as the New Seeds, the Austin based quartet that had roots in Corpus Christi, comprised Todd Potter (guitar), Roy Cox (bass), Rod Prince (guitar) and David "Fuzzy" Fore (drums). They derived their new name from Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. More mainstream than many of their contemporaries, their 1969 debut A Gathering Of Promises, showed traces of Jimi Hendrix, Cream and Moby Grape. Their hit "Hot Smoke and Sasafrass" has been ranked as the # 3 Greatest One Hit Wonder of all time by VH1.

Album Cover Artist Tom Wilkes Dies Unexpectedly at Home in California

Award winning artist and designer Tom Wilkes died unexpectedly on Sunday, June 28 at his home in Pioneertown, CA at the age of 69. Wilkes was the art director of the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967. He designed many classic album covers like Rolling Stones' "Beggars Banquet" and Neil Young's "Harvest." He was awarded a Grammy in 1974 for Best Recording Package for "Tommy" as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Choir.

Pioneertown, CA (Billboard Publicity Wire/PRWEB ) July 5, 2009 -- Renowned album cover artist and designer Tom Wilkes died unexpectedly on Sunday, June 28, at his home in Pioneertown, California. He was 69.

Tom Wilkes and his Grammy Award, taken a few weeks before his death in Pioneertown, CA. Photo by Fritz Drumm

Thomas E. Wilkes was born July 30, 1939 in Long Beach, California and was raised in southern California. He attended Long Beach City College, UCLA and the Art Center College of Design in the 1950's and 1960's.

In 1967 Wilkes was the art director of the Monterey International Pop Festival. He created all graphics and printed materials for Monterey Pop, including the program book and the festival's psychedelic and iconic foil poster.

From 1967 through 1969, Wilkes was the art director of A&M Records. He was partner with Barry Feinstein from 1970 through 1973 in Camouflage Productions, which became record label Blue Thumb's house art department.

He was partner in Wilkes & Braun, Inc. from 1973 through 1974, and art director of ABC Records from 1975 through 1977. In 1978 he started Tom Wilkes Productions and became President of Project Interspeak, a not-for-profit environmental and human rights organization devoted to planetary enhancement programs.

Wilkes designed and directed such hit record covers as Rolling Stones' "Flowers" and "Beggars Banquet", Neil Young's "Harvest", and George Harrison's "Concert for Bangladesh" and "All Things Must Pass."

He received a Grammy Award in 1974 for Best Recording Package for The Who's rock opera "Tommy," as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Choir.

Among his many album cover credits:

Janis Joplin - "Pearl"
Ike & Tina Turner - "Outta Season"
Eric Clapton - "Eric Clapton"
Dave Mason - "Alone Together"
Joe Cocker - "Mad Dogs & Englishmen"
Flying Burrito Brothers - "Gilded Palace of Sin"
John Prine - "John Prine"
Emmylou Harris - "Blue Kentucky Girl" and "Elite Hotel"
Leon Russell - "Stop All That Jazz"
REO Speedwagon - "You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish"

In addition to creating hundreds of posters, logos, books, trade ads and illustrations, Wilkes produced and directed TV and radio spots, music videos, films, mixed media presentations and special events.

He recently completed a book of his artwork and memoirs, called "Tommy Geeked a Chicken," and was negotiating publishing arrangements. At this time, plans are being made to proceed with publication of the book.

A memorial service will be held for Wilkes on Saturday, July 11th, in Orange, C

Bob Dylan: Together Through Life

Type Design: Coco Shinomiya
Photography: Bruce Davidson

Art Brut VS Satan

Cover art by comic artist Jeff Lemire.

Hipgnosis - Classic Album Cover Art

With the renewed interest in vinyl records, an old friend is becoming more important again- album cover art. There have been tens of thousands of album covers created throughout the years and there are some that are instantly recognized, while some remain obscure, but one thing is certain, album cover art is part of our pop culture and the rock and roll lexicon. (Read More)

Lenny Dee

Here's a little something to celebrate the coming of summer. I can't quite make out what is on top of the keyboard. Is that an animal of some kind? This cover is just so mind blowingly wrong.

Johnny Pate Trio

Chinese A-Go-Go

Record Sleeve Collector Kavel Rafferty Interview

Barcelona-based Kavel Rafferty is a collector of record envelopes...Kavel is interviewed here by the Ephemera blog.

The Album Is Alive

This made me happy.

Weird funky cool

I just thought this was weird looking. Plus I like her name.

Rick Ocasek - Noise Colored Party

Ric Ocasek

Solo Exhibition

March 6 - April 25, 2009
Invite-Only Reception: Fri., March 6
Gallery Hop: Sat., March 7, 6-10p

Ric Ocasek, renowned lead singer and songwriter from The Cars, will debut his first solo art exhibition, Noise Colored Party, at the Mahan Gallery, March 6, 2009. The two-month exhibition will showcase select works from the 1980s to the present across several media: drawings with pen, colored pencils and markers, digital photo collages and mixed media paintings.

For Ocasek, who has also found success as a music producer for No Doubt, Nada Surf, Weezer and other groups, the boundary between the musical and the visual is nebulous. Like music, his artwork encompasses elements of rhythm, harmony and dynamics. He creates art as an escape, each piece emerging as a “transient daydream” or diversion as he works in his studio, passes time on airplanes or simply sits in a quiet spot. Self-described as colorful, abstract and unconscious, the artwork is an extension of himself – a collection of “self-portraits” — created without pretense and with no intent for public exhibition. Visitors to the gallery are free to interpret and experience the artwork in their own way.

It is fitting that Ocasek’s first art exhibition takes place in Columbus, the city where he spent many of his formative years as well as where he met fellow Cars bandmember, the late Benjamin Orr.

Ocasek will make an appearance at the gallery for an invitation-only reception on Friday, March 6, with a possible public appearance during Gallery Hop.

Curator(s)
Jacquie Mahan

The Rippington's - Modern Art

I couldn't find anything on who the artist was that created this cover. If you know, please email me and I'll post. Cool cover.

Twist and Shout

Today is the anniversary of the Beatles release of Twist and Shout back in 1964. Well shake it, shake it, shake it baby now!

Record Sleeve Collection

What a cool idea for a blog. Kavel Rafferty collects old record sleeves for her blog, Record Envelope.

Rascal Flatts Reveals Fan-Designed Album Cover

Design: Chris Kubik
Winning design was picked by fans at pcavote.com

Indie Cover Gallery

I found this link thanks to JL Monty at the HOW design forum. It's part of the RPM challenge to record an album in 28 days.

Willie and the Wheel

Art Direction: Ray Benson
Art Direction and Design: Dick Reeves

Mastodon

Artist: Paul Romano

Interview with U2 Cover Designer

U2 has posted an interview with Four5One of Dublin who created the new "No Line On The Horizon" release.

Elsewhere, people feel ripped off.

U2: No Line On The Horizon

Read about it here.