Minimalistic Album Covers

Is quite old, but is good to show up here again. Lovely work by the artist Ty Lettau.

Grammy Award for Best Recording Package 2012

Check it out the list of Grammy's Best Recording Package 2012

The winner was:

Arcade Fire - Scenes From The Suburbs

Caroline Robert, Art Director

The other nominees were:

Todd Gallopo for Chickenfoot III (performers: Chickenfoot)

Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds for Good Luck & True Love (performer: Reckless Kelly)

Jonathan Dagan for Rivers and Homes (performer: J.Viewz)

Virgil Abloh for Watch The Throne (performers: Jay-Z & Kanye West)

So, what's your favorite?

Sleeveface: Album Sleeve Art

What a awesome project and idea. I think this is brilliant! Enjoy the images.

The best thing? You can do it by yourself with one iPhone app:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sleevefacer/id471522760?mt=8

iTunes Commercial with Beatles Album Covers

Video Using Some Album Covers

Nice video using the lyrics and some famous album covers. Check this out.

Black Sabbath - Born Again

Much was said at the time that the cover was a copy of the album of Depeche Mode New Life from 1981, but was not it. So I read on the site Minuto do Heavy Metal (Heavy Metal's minute), that this cover was created by Steve 'Krusher' Joule and is a long story.

After confirming that Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) and also the return of Bill Ward (drums) for the album, Don decided to steal as much of the team that worked with Ozzy and Sharon.

Steve 'Krusher' Joule already made the covers of Ozzy and was asked to create sketches for the new album from Black Sabbath, the Born Again. But Steve did not want to lose the work and friendship with Ozzy, he decided to create this basic outline and ridiculous, to members from Sabbath saw it and disapproved his art, but it was not what happened.


Also according to the site of Heavy Metal Minute. Four ideas were sent to cover and one of which was based on the baby on the cover of a magazine called Alive Mind which was released in 1968. Steve made a copy in black and white, created the horns, hooves, teeth and used the oddest color combination that he thought possible.

Tony Iommi loved the cover and Geezer Butler looked at and said, "It sucks, but it is fucking great!". The manager Don not only loved but also decided to make a this baby costume for one dwarf use on tour.

Steve was suddenly forced to make that cover for a large amount of money. After rolling for a while, not wanting to make the cover, he along with his neighbor and a bottle of Jack Daniels, and into the night, quickly made the cover, including all the writing, to receive the combined.

Bill Ward has said he personally hated That's the album cover and According to him, Ian Gillan Told That the press he vomited When he first saw the cover. However, Tony Iommi approved the album cover.

Well, I like this cover and this album, but this cover has been considered one of the worst album covers ever. The British magazine, Kerrang!, ranked the cover in second place behind only, the Scorpions' Lovedrive, on their list of "10 Worst Album Sleeves In Metal/Hard Rock". The list was based on votes from the magazine's readers. Well, tell me your opinion. =)

RIP Peter Christopherson

Photographer, music video director, musician and former partner at design company Hipgnosis with Storm Thorgerson, Peter Christopherson, sadly passed away on Wednesday (December 1) in his home in Bangkok, Thailand, aged 55.


As well he worked as freelance photographer and contributor, then promoted to an assistant to Hipgnosis design studio, then became partner. After he officially left the Hipgnosis he continued to act and he also did art direction for some cover from Peter Gabriel.

Another cover art that was credited to him was, Pink Floyd's Nice Pair. A compilation album by Pink Floyd, re-issuing their first two albums,The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and A Saucerful of Secrets, in a new gatefold sleeve.

Peter Christopherson, rest in peace and thank you for your contribution in cover artwork. 

Grammy 2010 - Nominees of Best Album Package

I didn't listen any of these albums, but I will try =)

Lets show the nominees of Best Album Package from Grammy 2010.

Oh No Ono - Eggs 

Well, problably you thought: "I could do that!". Yes, you could do that, but you didn't. I always say, design is idea, not only the skill. if you learn Photoshop, or Illustrator, you probably in 2 hour could do this album cover, but we need to consider the idea. The art director of this album package was made by Malene Mathiasson, Malthe Fischer, Kristoffer Rom, Nis Svoldgard and finally, Aske Zidore. 

The Black Keys - Brothers

Like I say, old school is cool. Everyone loves to do a retro design. This Font family is very famous. If you don't remember, just take a look in the Pet Sounds (Beach Boys) album cover. This font is Cooper Black. They have history, but some day I'll tell you more. The art director that made this album was Michael Carney. =)

Anaïs Mitchell - Hadestown 

I love constructivism style. But I think this cover could be better, but, I liked a lot. The art director that made this album was Brian Grunert.

Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be

Contemporary design style. I like this style of urban, abstract and symmetric style. The art director that made this album was Devandra Banhart and Jon Beasley.

Chip Taylor - Yorkers NY

I feel like 50's. I like this style. Remember Alex Steinweiss' (the album cover design creator) style. Like I says again, old school is cool. The art director of this album cover was Andrew Taray.

Well, I hope you like this post. I'll try to listen at least one song of each album. But, I prefer Metallll!! See U soon!

Similar (The 69 Eyes, Deftones)

Well, I already saw two 69 Eyes' gigs this year, one at Nottingham, UK in our holidays and about couple of weeks ago in São Paulo, Brazil. This is a little crazy if you think about this band is from Helsinki.

My wife is huge fan of 69 Eyes, and because of that I became a good fan of then. She love the Blessed Be and Paris Kills albuns, but I prefer Angels, Devils and Back In Blood. I like more the Rock'n Roll style, than gothic style.

Lets talk about the artwork. The 69 Eyes' Back In Blood cover art was made by Estevan Oriol. He's an artist and photographer from LA, California. I like this cover art, but... this cover is too much similar with the Deftones' (same name album) cover art.



The Deftones album was released first and this cover was made by Frank Maddocks. He also did the White Pony and the last released album from Deftones called Diamond cover arts.

When I was younger than now (hehehe), I really liked Deftones, today I just like it. I prefer much more 69 Eyes and I think the 69 Eyes cover is better and beautiful than the Deftones artwork. What do you think of this similarity?

Listen the two albums and choose your own preference. :)

Brazilian Art worker

If you don't know the Brazilian artist called Gustavo Sazes, certainty you ever seen one of his artworks. He did works for many Metal bands around the world like Old Mans Child, Krisium, Angra, Firewind, Stream of Passion among others.

Check some works of him.


Stream of Passion -  The Flame within

Another Gothic metal band with female vocals. I think this band is cool, but, has many similar bands like this. I prefer the After Forever.

Old Man's Child - Slaves of the World

The totally brutal Black Metal! I don't like to much, but I have to admit that the musicians are fucking great! But the sound don't excite me very much.

Krisium - Southern Storm

Extreme brutal metal from Brazil. I think they are one of the best brazilian metal bands in the world with Sepultura. I like, but not to much. Is too brutal for me, I like death metal for example, but bands like Cannibal Corpse I think is to much. =)

Firewind -  World Of Fire (Single)

This power metal band from Greece is good, and their guitar player is now playing with Ozzy! But the only power metal bands that I like are old Helloween, Gamma Ray and Stratovarius. The other bands are an imitation, but I can't say that the bands is bad, it's is only because I don't like Power Metal anymore, unless be Stratovarius, Gamma Ray or the OLD Helloween. =)

Well, talking again about Gustavo Sazes, I like his design style, but I think he do many similar artworks. But who I am to talk about this? One of the greatest bands in the world working with him. I am very happy to know that have a Brazilian artist is successful in the metal world with their art.

Scary Album Cover

Is very difficult to choose the best scary album covers, but, in my iTunes library I found this 3 albums that sometimes, scares me a lot =)


Quiet Riot - Metal Health

This excellent album with the classical "Cum on Fell The Noize" (Slade cover), brings me a lot of memories. This cover scares me fucking much! The man with the iron mask (crazy guy) look at me and I almost break out into myself. This Artwork was created by Quiet Riot and the Illustration was made by Stan Watts, who won Grammy Award for this album cover.


Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

This another scary album cover is a photo from Mapledurham Watermill, situated on the Thames river in Oxfordshire, UK. Standing in front of the watermill is this scary figure dressed in black. Beyond the artwork, the Black Sabbath's song still scares me a little. When I was young, I never listened this song into the night. =)


King Diamond - Give Me Your Soul Please

King Diamond has a long history of creepy and ghastly album covers. Many of them (Abigail, Them, The Graveyard, Voodoo, and Abigail II: The Revenge) have a much more gothic vibe, though one of the King Diamond's latest albuns, however, won in terms of being scary. Not only does it feature a ghoulish little girl on the cover, but she's covered in blood, seemingly licking it off her fingers as the album title drips in the background. Is she possessed or just sadistic? Who the hell knows, but it's freaky and demented all at the same time regardless. (by Music Ing). This album cover was made by Teemu Vedenoja (illustration) and Brian J Ames (Booklet design and Layout).

Has many others scares album covers in metal world, like Slayer, Iron Maiden, and all the Black Metal Bands! In other time I talk more about others scares album covers.   

Todd McFarlane - Music Artwork

I used to be geek when I was young, well, I'm little geek =). In early years I used to be more geek than now, I spent a little fortune buying comic books like Spider Man, X-Men, Spawn and others. Thinking in this I remembered that amazing illustrator Todd McFarlane did some album covers that I really like.

Iced Earth - The Dark Saga

Well, when I saw this cover I almost not believed. Imagine the moment. I was 15 years, completely geek and a huge fan of Spawn and Metal seeing this album cover... I freak out to listen this album from this American Heavy Metal band. I don't like to much Iced Earth, but this album represent the biggest geek moment of my life. =)

Korn - Follow the Leader

I have to admit, I like Korn, but just a little ok? Hahaha. I prefer Swedish Melodic Death Metal, but some bands of Alternative Metal like Korn don't boring me. This album is great, and I love the artwork made by McFarlane. If I could be anything I would choose be a comic book illustrator.

Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists 

For me the best album from Disturbed. Some times I used to play Stricken in Guitar Hero just to play the guitar solo! hehehe. Talking about the artwork, I think McFarlane could do better, but, I like it.

DIsturbed - Indestructible

The second best album from Disturbed (for me). For me this album consolidate Disturbed like one of the best new Heavy Metal bands. Listen it! You will enjoy this album. About cover art, I love this illustration, but sometimes McFarlane does so much characters without face, but I think this is cool if you want to show darkness.

I hope McFarlane keep doing album covers design like he does your toys, music videos, and games. He does everything! He is great illustrator.