FUTURE - DOWN THAT COUNTRY ROAD

Artist: Future

Album: Down That Country Road
Label: Shamley

Catalog: SS 703
Year: 1969
Genre: country-rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Art Designer: Joe G. Fischer
Cover Illustration:  Joe G. Fischer

Grade: **** stars

This is one where I'm at a loss to describe what I really like about it.   It may be the perspective showing the valley and hills?   Beats me, but I can spend a lot of time just staring at the cover,

TASVALLAN PRESIDENTTI "MILKY WAY MOSES"

Artist: Tasavallan Presidentti

Album: Milky Way Moses
Label: Janus

Catalog: JLS 3065
Year: 1974
Genre: progressive
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Art Designer: Plastic Dog Graphics
Cover Illustration:  SAFTRA (photo)

Grade: **** stars

This is one of those covers that simply doesn't transfer over very well.  If it did, you'd see a picture of this Finnish band standing in the middle of a forest.  What makes the picture so cool is the lens effects.  I don't know enough about cameras to know the name of the lens, but it gives the sunlight filtering through the leaves a very cool effect.

THE EMBERS "BURN YOU A NEW ONE"

Artist: The Embers

Album: Burn You a New One
Label: EEE

Catalog: No. 1069
Year: 1967
Genre: garage
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Art Designer: Joe Balint
Cover Illustration:  Joe Balint

Grade: **** stars

The title has always made me snicker and the low-tech cover is equally hysterical.  It's actually a pretty decent garage rock set.

SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES "POCKET FULL OF MIRACLES"

Artist: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

Album: A Pocket Full of Miracles
Label: Tamla

Catalog: TS 306
Year: 1970
Genre: soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Art Designer: Curtis McNair
Cover Illustration:  Carl Owens

Grade: **** stars

Ah c'mon and admit the concept was cute.  Far better than the standard Motown album cover that showed a group dressed up, standing around and looking uncomfortable with Motown's attempts to market them to middle class, white America.

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL "GOLD"

Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival

Album: Gold
Label: Fantasy

Catalog: F 9418
Year: 1972
Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 2

Art Designer: Tony Lane
Photography:  not applicable

Grade: **** stars

I looked around for a good photo that would show how cool the Tony Lane designed gimmick cover was, but couldn't find one that really showed it off.  Best I could find was the  photo to the left which sort of displays the cover's unique four profile flap design.  If you can't make it out, the cover features cutout silhouettes of the four band members under colored profile flaps. I've never bothered to figure out which profile belong to which member - I think the red one is John Fogerty's.  Someone out there will know which is which.  Anyhow, the clever (and costly) cover certainly wasn't something you would have ever expected from a label like Fantasy.  

THE DILLARDS "TRIBUTE TO THE AMERICAN DUCK"

Artist: The Dillards

Album: Tribute To The American Duck
Label: Poppy

Catalog: PPLA-175F
Year: 1973
Genre: country-rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Art Designer: Mike Salisbury
Photography:  Fred Valentine

Grade: **** stars

Can't say the LP does much for me - too country for my tastes, but the title and the cover were funny and kind of cute. 

JUICY LUCY "JUICY LUCY"

Artist: Juicy Lucy

Album: Juicy Lucy
Label: ATCO

Catalog: SD 33-325
Year: 1969
Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Art Designer: not listed
Photography:  Peter Smith

Grade: * star

Ah, the infamous Juicy Lucy album cover ...   As a teenager I can remember this cover generating quite a stir amongst friends.   Today when I look at it I almost feel guilty. 

 

So here are the US and UK covers.  Clearly the US version is slightly more sedate.

 

US pressing

 

UK pressing

 

Clearly concerned about American consumer sensibilities ATCO management elected to give the album's US release somewhat toned down packaging.  The US cover was certainly racy for the late-1960s, though nowhere near as attention drawing as the UK original which featured a somewhat haggard looking exotic dance by the name of Zelda Plum spread out on a bed of fruit.  The funny thing is that what was clearly intended as an erotic cover came off as anything but ...  Personally I always felt bad for the fruit.  Seemed like a massive waste of good produce.  And you had to feel bad for Mr. Plus.  Hopefully she was paid a great deal of money and went on to enjoy a long and fruitful life.  Shame on the band for exhibiting such poor tastes.