Artist: Robert Wortherspoon
Album: Music To Massage Your Mate By
Label: ALA
Catalog: ALA004
Year: 1976
Art Designer: Robert Wortherspoon
Photographer: Robert Wortherspoon
Grade: **** stars
My wife gets credit for bringing this one to my attention. So this one gets high marks for the creepiness factor - the guy just looks like a child molester. Released by the Los Angeles-based ALA label, the record was marketed as an instructional item, complete with a detailed and rather explicit instructional manual insert ... The music was credited to Deny McReynolds and Rue Barclay (hopefully that wasn't them on the cover). Geez, it's enough to make you think about looking into becoming celibate.
Artist: Timebox
Album: The Original Moose On the Loose
Label: Peters International
Catalog: CCLPS 9016
Year: 1977
Art Designer: Don Munz
Photographer: Don Munz
Grade: **** stars
Featuring the talents of the late Ollie Halsall and Mike Patto, Timebox were always quirky. As an example, how many bands do you know of that recorded and released a single about a Martian invasion of Earth ('Baked Jam Roll In Your Eye')? In this case the album title and Don Munz designed cover do a good job of capturing the band's weird sense of humor. Personally I love it ...
Artist: Sandy Denny
Album: Sandy
Label: A&M
Catalog: SP 4371
Year: 1972
Art Designer: not listed
Photographer: David Bailey
Grade: **** stars
I'll readily admit I'm not a gigantic fan of English folk-rock, but I make an exception for the late Sandy Denny. There's just something special in her voice - not to sound hyper-sensitive, or anything, but the woman could sing a phonebook listing and make you sit up and take notice. From what little I've read about her life, Denny was a tough, if highly troubled woman. I've seen photos of her where she looks like she could take care of herself in any brawl. And maybe that's one of the things that makes the David Bailey album cover so stunning. Not only did Bailey managed to capture a stunning picture of Denny (she really does look gorgeous), but she looks peaceful, relaxed, and comfortable on the album cover.
For anyone interested, the British National Portrait Gallery will sell you an unframed copy for about $20:
http://www.npgprints.com/image/675484/david-bailey-sandy-denny
Artist: The High Llamas
Album: Talahomi Way
Label: Drag City
Catalog: DC 469
Year: 2011
Art Designer: Jeremy Glogan
Photographer: not applicable
Grade: **** stars
As a big fan of modernist architecture (yes I subscribe to Atomic Ranch), Jeremy Glogan's cover drawing featuring a '60s-styled house was pretty stunning ... wide glass walls; curved flat roof; kind of a dream house for folks who love the style.
Artist: The Move
Album: Looking In
Label: Capitol
Catalog: ST 658
Year: 1970
Art Designer: Graphicreaks
Photographer: not listed
Grade: **** stars
So as a guy who suffers from male pattern balding, I've always found this cover somewhat disconcerting. It's a perspective I prefer not to think about - not that there's anything wrong with it; not that there's anything I can do about it. Naturally Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood (co-leaders of The Move), had more hair than they knew what to do with ... Personal feelings aside, it is a cool looking over.
Artist: Ry Cooder
Album: Ry Cooder
Label: Reprise
Catalog: MS 6402
Year: 1970
Art Designer: Ed Thrasher
Photographer: Franz Bez
Grade: **** stars
I remember laughing when I read the liner notes and saw that Cooder had thanked Airstream for use of a 1937 trailer ... Parked on what I'm guessing where the Utah salt flats, Ed Thrasher's photo wasn't the most sophisticated thing you've ever seen, but the cool angle and the rising sun on the horizon did make forone eye catching cover ...
Artist: The Meters
Album: Trick Bag
Label: Reprise
Catalog: MS 0698
Year: 1976
Designer: Lockhart
Photographer: Johanna Van Zanwyk
Grade: **** stars
I'll readily admit that I bought this album as a dazed and confused 16 year old ... I'd never heard of The Meters, but when I saw the large promotional poster in my local Penguin Feather record seller, I immediately located a copy of the LP (it was on sale - think it was $4.98). I was all too happy to add this one to my growing collection of vinyl. I can remember spending way to much time staring at the cover (as did many of my friends). The fact it was a great set of New Orleans influenced funk only made it better.
