Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Year in Review 2012- Best Album Art

We kick off our Year in Review section of 2012 with a new feature in the Best of... area.  Like in years past we will be choosing our Best Albums of the Year, a few we we underwhelmed with, and our favorite show but today we are starting out with something different.  We are going to support the creative minds behind the Best Album Art Work of 2012
The biggest gripe RtBE has with digital music is not the quality (that has been massively improved the last few years) nor the disposal nature of it (still a problem but whatever), it is the lack of amazing album covers and art work.  Sure there may be great artists out there but seeing it on a screen, in iTunes or elsewhere is nothing compared to holding an LP cover or even a CD booklet with pages of lyrics, pictures etc.   

That said there were a few covers/full on art that really jumped out at us this year, click that read more button to find out which one's we liked best in 2012

Honorable Mentions:
Band of Skulls- Sweet Sour
I am still not sure what it is supposed to be, all I know is I like it.  Band of Skulls stripped down rock didn't blow me away with this album, or even leave a small dent, I thought it was boring, but I gotta give it up for the cool album cover, really freaky in a proactive way.  I dig it.  

My Darling Clementine- How Do You Plead
This one is a perfect example of a full package.  While the picture itself is pretty cool it isn't going to make this list alone, but when you actually hold the disk, the retro feel is amazing.  It looks like it should smell moldy, straight out of someones basement in 1979.  When we reviewed it we made mention of it, to go along with the amazing country duets on the disk.  A complete package release. 

Action Bronson- Rare Chandeliers
One of the main reasons we shared this free album download with readers was quite simply the amazing artwork for the cover. Knowing nothing else about the MC you gotta give credit for really slick art, if that was a movie poster I would cough up the $15 bucks easy to catch that flick in the theater on opening weekend...how can you not?  Women, Guns, Cars, Wizards, Karate...yup.  BadFuckingAss.  Love the art and surprisingly loved the actual music too, a nice combo.   


Best Album Artwork 2012:
Diego's Umbrella- Proper Cowboy
The clear cut winner, this one jumps off the page as exceptional.  Not just the cover either, there are multiple images in the infold that are from the amazing artist Kelsey Brookes.  You really need to hold it and see the colors just jump off the page and singe your eyes, they are electric.  Pretty amazing stuff here, which we mentioned in the original review.  Let's put it this way, I am planning on cutting up the CD booklet and framing the pictures, but I haven't put the disk on my phone yet...you take the best parts.

Let's hope this great album artwork continues next year, what do you think, this I miss one?  You have a favorite from this year?  Feel free to make mention in the comments....Thanks for Reading.

1 comment:

  1. The band of skulls cover looks like the Predator's head but with festive candy cane colors instead of the usual look.

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