Never judge a book by its cover

[Wild Frank]

Judge a book by its cover.

 

Good morning guys. This post relates to the physical music format as oppose to the download. My question is, have you ever bought an album purely on the basis of the record cover. If so, what was it. I still find the artwork that accompanies a release an integral part of the whole listening experience, which is one of the reasons I am still not won over by the download culture. My own personal impulse purchases, bought due to excellent artwork, include:

 

* Miles Davis: In A Silent Way;

* Genesis: Foxtrot (Picked this up when I was nine years old, which started a 25 year love affair with this particular band);

* Tom Waits: Raindogs (I was vaguely aware of Mr. Waits but the cover of this one really drew me in);

* Marillion: Misplaced Childhood (Another childhood purchase. I used to love those old Marillion covers. What is it with prog and album art?)

* Grant-Lee Buffalo: Fuzzy (Not sure why this one appealed to me but it was a great impulse buy and Grant-Lee is still someone I listen too regularly. Check out his recent record, Little Moon, for one of the best albums of 2009)

[Winston Legthigh]

I'm pretty sure all my Zappa purchases, especially Weasels Ripped My Flesh, were based on album cover art alone.

[PopTodd]

Velvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies To God

 

Definitely drawn in by the album cover. And I have been rewarded by a perfect combo of power pop and Gram Parsons "cosmic music", including a great cover of a semi-pbscure Gene Clark tune. Probably a top-100 record for me.

 

On the other hand, I was completely adverse to this album cover, and even refused to play it when it came up in rotation when I was a college DJ. Based solely on the awful cover:

 

When the music director finally caught me and forced me to play it, I was blown away. LOVE this record!

[jff]

 

[uncool2pillow]

Wow! That is the stupidest jazz album cover I've ever seen, at least for traditional jazz. Some great performers on that record, but it looks like it should have the Monster Mash on it.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

 

I love R. Crumb, so that cover is great. But Blues For Dracula is a complete turd, as far as album art goes.

[jff]

I love R. Crumb, so that cover is great. But Blues For Dracula is a complete turd, as far as album art goes.

 

A couple of my LP-geek coworkers and I used to laugh about that one all the time. I figured one of us ought to go ahead and buy it, so I took the plunge.