the smiths – this charming man

i was never the biggest fan of the smiths (sometimes remind me of kate bush…) but i have to say i love the fact they used this photo of jean marais by jean cocteau without permission… even if the damn thing was taken out of circulation really quick and replaced with something else… and about the original artwork, well… it’s very the smiths 😉 by pp + ps

the descendents: milo goes to college

an ode to singer milo aukerman‘s nerdiness in high school, this album cover is iconic to anyone who thrives on so cal’ melodic hardcore punk rock especially from the early 80’s. the descendents debut album “milo goes to college” was released in 1982 before milo left the band to pursue a phd in biochemistry. this album still ranks on the higher end of punk rock, alternative, and hardcore top album lists today. by jr

The XX

a very minimal album cover that does not do justice to romy madley croft’s voice. i had the chance to see them live and their music is exceptional. on the other hand this blocky white “x” over the black background is an image that can trigger curiosity as to what this band is all about. by a.c.

Fever Ray

i went to the fever ray concert at webster hall last night, and it was absolutely amazing. the stage, the costumes, the lasers (i know, lasers!) and the music…it all turned webster hall into a bit of a haunted house. swedish fever ray is the singer in the knife, and her nordic voice is so soulful and raw i can’t help but think of a medieval witch, in a good way! if fever ray is coming to a stage near you, go! by kv

LP art may be back : ITUNES COCKTAIL

ziggy quit smoking right after this album

and michael schenker went to jail right after this album!!! **

sonic youth, david bowie, glenn gould, scorpions. enter “cocktail”: thanks to apple, here is a new digital music format that the creators of itunes are developing with record labels. the new format will go beyond a simple PDF file of liner notes, and instead bundle photos, videos, lyrics and other assets with an album’s music. details remain slim, but label sources confirming the effort’s existence point to it as the digital version of the record sleeves of the old days. by dd

** scorpions shocking cover was released in 1976 stirring controversy in the UK, US, and elsewhere resulting in an alternative cover of the band in some countries and making this a collectors item. in 2008, the image again gave rise to controversy, when the british internet watch foundation placed pages from wikipedia containing the cover on its blacklist, causing significant public debate. the decision was reversed by the IWF after four days of blocking.