I'm a firm believer that a good cover can bring a lot to an album. On the other hand, a terrible cover can really detract, even if the music itself is great. Here's a few that I came across this year that either got me interested or I was forced to ignore.
BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2011
Black Ghosts - When Animals Stare
"I would totally hang this in my house, right above the toilet"
Plankton Wat - In Magical Light
"I think this happened to me"
Felice Brothers - Celebration, Florida
"I think this happened to me too"
Bjork - Biophilia
"As always, magnificent in presentation"
Giorgio Tuma - In The Morning We'll Meet
"Simple and classic. Stark and lovely. Well and done."
Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
"Aw, c'mere boy, want daddy to
scratch behind your ears?"
scratch behind your ears?"
Russian Circles - Empros
"That's the kinda light I like to see boys"
Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania
"classic toy + creepy hand = classic creepy"
Cults - s/t
"I wanna dance without hearing a single note"
Lee Noble - Horrorism
"Contrast and muted colors, I like it"
Keith Freund - Constant Comments
"This must've been taken during the lockout"
Dankedanke - An Hour In The Leaves
"[sigh]"
WORST ALBUM COVERS OF 2011
The Chap - We Are The Best
"I hate this dog, he's not even funny"
Puro Instinct - Headbangers In Ecstacy
"I feel like it I listen tothis I'll get all sticky"
Danny Paul Grody - In Search Of Light
"Is this the new Loreena McKennitt/Enya record?"
Peter Bjorn And John - Gimme Some
"Kinda lame to give your own album
three thumbs up on the cover,
even if it is good"
three thumbs up on the cover,
even if it is good"
Tennis - Cape Dory
"There's good 80's sarcasm, and then there's this"
Macintosh Plus - Floral Shoppe
"Where to begin?"
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
"Great album, but I don't want to actually
visualize ANY Kate Bush lyrics"
visualize ANY Kate Bush lyrics"
Ponytail - Do Whatever You Want All The Time
"You missed a color"
Jennifer O'Connor - I Want What You Want
"Was she naming her album or leaving her friend a note
on the napkin in the restaurant before she went to the john?"
on the napkin in the restaurant before she went to the john?"
The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck
"I guess if it's your 18th release you can just say "Screw it!""
Dye - Taki 183
"Part Sandpeople part Farrah Fawcett, all wrong"
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
BEST JAZZ ALBUMS I LISTENED TO IN 2011
Avishai Cohen - Seven Seas
John Zorn - Nova Express
The Greg Foat Group - Dark Is The Sun
Animation - Asiento
Kip Harahan - A Home in Anger Which Could Also Be Called Imperfect, Happily
In The Country - Sounds And Sights
BEST FOREIGN ALBUMS I LISTENED TO IN 2011
Thai? Dai!: The Heavier Side Of The Luk Thung Underground (Thailand)
Mirel Wagner - s/t (Finland)
Kourosh Yaghmaei - Back Form The Brink (Iran)
Abdoulaye Traoré & Mohamed Diaby - Debademba
(France, by way of Burkina-Faso & the Ivory Coast)
(France, by way of Burkina-Faso & the Ivory Coast)
Gumnaam Soundtrack (India)
BEST ALBUMS I LISTENED TO NOT RELEASED IN 2011
Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends [1968]
Alice Coltrane - Journey In Satchidananda [1971]
Tom Waits - Bone Machine [1992]
Sparks - Kimono My House [1974]
Hubert Laws - In The Beginning [1974]
BEST HOLIDAY ALBUMS HEARD IN 2011
Rosie Thomas - A Very Rosie Christmas
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Christmas Album
She & Him - A Very She & Him Christmas
Duke Pearson - Merry Ole Soul
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
MIXTAPE OF 2011
It's a doozy. Want a copy?