ALAN HULL - "PIPEDREAM"

Artist: Alan Hull
Album: Pipedream
Label: Elektra
Catalog: EKS 75075
Year: 1974
Genre: folk-rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Sleeve design: Ian Vincenti
Cover art: Rene.Magritte
Grade: **** stars



Seriously ?  What more is there to say about this one other than the cover is by Belgian artist Rene Magritte ?  The original painting is entitled "La Lampe Philosophique".

PHIL OCHS - "REHEARSALS FOR RETIREMENT"

Artist: Phil Ochs
Album: Rehearsals for Retirement
Label: A&M
Catalog: SP 4181
Year: 1969
Genre: folk-rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover photo: Tom Wilkes
Art Direction: Tom Wilkes
Grade: ** stars



I'm no Phil Ochs scholar (they do exist), but based on what I know about the man, he had a difficult life.  He was certainly a talented singer/songwriter, but never seemed able to get out of Dylan's creative shadow.  By the time he was in his 30s Ochs personal life was a disaster, for a brief period he lived in the streets. Depression and mental issues plagued him (he was diagnosed as suffering from bipolar disorder).  Drugs and acute alcoholism certainly didn't help his cause.  Only 36, Ochs hung himself in 1976.

Against that backdrop, there's something quite disturbing about this 1969 release with a cover showing Ochs' tombstone with the inscription: 

Phll Ochs (American) 

Born: El Paso, Texas 

Died: Chicago, Illinois 1968 

WE ALL TOGETHER - "VOLUMEN II"

Artist: We All Together
Album: Volumen II
Label: MaG
Catalog: LP 2454
Year: 1974
Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover photo: Manuel Guerrero
Art Direction: not listed
Grade: **** stars



No idea where Manuel Guerrero took the photo (Peru would obviously be a good guess), but the setting was stunning.

MANFRED MANN - "THE MIGHTY QUINN"

Artist: Manfred Mann
Album: The Mighty Quinn
Label: Mercury
Catalog: SR 61168
Year: 1968
Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Art: Victor Moscoso
Art Direction: not listed
Grade: **** stars

Moscoso's better known for his concert posters than his record covers, but this is one of his most stunning achievements.   The theme; the colors; it's all captivating.

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - "JUST FAMILY"

Artist: Dee Dee Bridgewater
Album: Just Famly
Label: Elektra
Catalog: 6E-119
Year: 1978
Genre: soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Photo: not listed
Art Direction: not listed
Grade: **** stars

I've purposely avoided including cheesecake covers in this list.  There's nothing wrong with your standard metal band cover with a scantly clad babe sprawled on a hot rod, or straddling a guitar, etc.  There are literally thousands of such covers out there.  They're so common, they just don't rise above the noise.

The cover to Dee Dee Bridgewater's "Just Family" is something totally different.  Showing the silhouette of a very pregnant Bridgewater (with her second child), the cover certainly didn't leave a great deal to the imagination, but with the sun beaming down on her against the backdrop of a bright blue sky and an endless expanse of barren salt lake, it was striking cover.

SPARKS - "ANGST IN MY PANTS"

Artist: Sparks
Album: Angst In My Pants
Label: Atlantic

Catalog: SD 19347

Year: 1983

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Photo: Eric Blum

Art Direction: Lary Vigon
Grade: * star

Oh my goodness.  Where to start ?   The photo of Ron Mael in a wedding dress (standing next to brother Russ Mael), is just wrong on so many levels.   Yeah, the album may be one of their best '80s pieces, but that cover photo ...   My, my, my ...

ERIC MERCURY "FUNKY SOUNDS NURTURED IN THE FERTILE FIELDS OF MEMPHIS THAT SMELL OF ROCK"

Artist: Eric Mercury
Album: Funky Sounds Nurtured In the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Small of Rock
Label: Enterprise

Catalog: ENS 1020

Year: 1972

Genre: soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Art: Ed Hocum

Art Direction: The Graffiteria/David Kreiger
Grade: * star

Interesting - the second Stax cover in a row.  Starts to make me realize there are way more "bad" covers than good ones.

So here's what I had to say about the art work in my comments on the album:

Well, without ever hearing a note, I can tell you this album deserves notoriety for at least two things:

• The Ed Hocum cover painting guaranteed minimal sales
• If the cover didn't put you off the album, then the cumbersome title was likely to finish off any desire to buy the LP.  It was certainly an interesting title for a guy born and nurtured in Toronto, Canada

LOUIS PAUL "REFLECTIONS ON THE WAY IT REALLY IS"

Artist: Louis Paul
Album: Reflections On the Way It Really Is

Label: Enterprise
Catalog: ENS 1014

Year: 1973

Genre: blue eyed soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Photo: --

Art Direction: --
Grade: * star

Seriously ?   Who thought it was be a good idea to dress up the late Louis Paul as a clown? This had to be a bad idea even back in 1973 !!! 

GAS MASK - "THEIR FIRST ALBUM"

Artist: Gas Mask
Album: Their First Album

Label: Tonsil
Catalog: T 4001

Year: 1970

Genre: horn-rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Photo: Carl Fischer

Art Direction: George Lois
Grade: * star

Funny, I didn't even realize this was the second gas mask themed album I'd added to the list.  Wonder what the underlying meaning is ...  As a teenager I remember meeting an older uncle who had been a Doughboy during World War I.  He'd been gassed during the fighting at Belleau Woods and as an old man was still suffering the impact ...   Regardless, this was one butt ugly cover.

SPIRIT "SPIRIT OF '84"

Artist: Spirit
Album: Spirit of '84

Label: Mercury
Catalog: 422 818 514-1- M-1

Year: 1984

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Painting: The Torch Barer (collection of Lou Adler and Jack Nicholson

Art Direction: Patti Heid - Art Ache
Grade: ** stars

Given it was in Lou Adler and Jack Nicholson's art collection, this painting must be worth a bundle.  That doesn't make it any more attractive as an album cover.   LOL

FAMILY - "BEST OF FAMILY"

Artist: Family
Album: Best of Family

Label: Reprise
Catalog: K54023

Year: 1974

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Painting: Byron Harvey

Art Direction: not listed
Grade: **** stars

As far as I can tell, if you're English soccer isn't just a sport, rather it's almost a religion. No idea if Roger Chapman and the rest of the band were major soccer fans, but given their working class roots, it makes sense.  Any how the Byron Harvey album cover.was cute and the compilation featured most of their hits.

HUMBLE PIE - "STREET RATS"

Artist: Humble Pie
Album: Street Rats

Label: A&M
Catalog: SP 4514

Year: 1975

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Design: Michael Ross

Art Direction: Fabio Nicoli
Grade: ** stars

Seriously.   Street rats are not a good idea on any album cover ...

THE MOVE - "THE BEST OF THE MOVE"

Artist: The Move
Album: The Best of the Move

Label: A&M
Catalog: SP 3625

Year: 1974

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Design: Roland Young

Photo: not applicable
Grade: **** stars

Easy explanation for this one - I'm a big Roy Lichtenstein fan and the "cartoon-ish" styled cover art reminds me of his style. By the way, this double album set is one of the all time best compilations ever released.

STEELY DAN "AJA"

Artist: Steely Dan
Album: Aja

Label: ABC
Catalog: AB 1006

Year: 1977

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Patriicia Mistui and Geoff Westen: 

Photo Hideki Fujii
Grade: ***** stars

I was a freshmen in college when this album came out (note the term album - showing my age here).  My roommate bought the album first and we played it time after time after time on his little stereo system.  I can remember staring at the cover and just being mesmerized by its mysterious simplicity.  After a couple of beers it was simply mesmerizing.   

Ironically Alabama is playing Kentucky as I type this (17 - 3 start of the third quarter).  This will be one of the albums played at my wake.

WAYNE COCHRAN "WAYNE COCHRAN!"

Artist: Wayne Cochran
Album: Wayne Cochran!

Label: Chess
Catalog: LPS 1519

Year: 1967

Genre: soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: Jerry Griffith

Photo not applicable
Grade: **** stars

This is one of those covers that probably doesn't make much of an impression to anyone unfamiliar with Wayne Cochran.  That would pretty much be anyone under 50.  So I won't bother with a Wayne Cochran primer since there are plenty already online.  What I will do is show you a picture of Cochran in his prime.   That should make the album cover connection a bit clearer.

 That picture should make it clear ... What a great album cover.!!!

IKE TURNER "BAD DREAMS"

Artist: Ike Turner
Album: Bad Dreams

Label: United Artists
Catalog: UA LA087 F

Year: 1973

Genre: R&B / soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: W.T. Vinson

Photo Mike Salisbury
Grade: **** stars

The late Ike Turner wasn't exactly known for his sense of humor - for goodness sake, he's the bad guy who abused Tina Turner and was busted a dozen times for cocaine.  Well, that may all be true, but judging by this hysterical W.T. Vinson cover he did have a sense of humor.   I always wondered what Tina Turner thought of the cover ...

SNIPS - "LA ROCCA!"

Artist: Snips
Album: La Rocca!

Label: RIO
Catalog: RIO 2010

Year: 1981

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: Snips and Pete Shepherd

Photo Bill Richmond
Grade: * star

It isn't very often I encounter an album cover that I actively dislike.  Sure, there are lots that are boring, forgettable, or in poor taste, but something that I really don't like ...  doesn't happen very often.  This one is simply ugly all around.  Dumb concept; poor execution ... the only saving grace is the music is far better than the concept.

STAEHELY BROTHERS - "STA-HAY-LEE"

Artist: The Staehely Brothers
Album: Sta-Hay-Lee

Label: Epic
Catalog: KE 32385

Year: 1973

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: Pacific Eye & Ear

Cover not applicable
Grade: **** stars

Who are these guys?   Second generation members of Spirit (Al Staehely wrote most of the material on the band's 1972's "Feedback" LP) ...  The album cover's Grateful Dead nods were hysterical.   Musically it wasn't a bad mixture of mid-'70s blues-rock, boogie-rock, and a touch of country.

LAMONT DOZIER "BLACK BACH"

Artist: Lamont Dozier
Album: Black Bach

Label: ABC
Catalog: ABCS 839

Year: 1974

Genre: soul
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: not listed

Cover photography: not applicable
Grade: **** stars

C'mon, you've got to admit there's something fascinating about this one.   By 1974 Lamont Dozier had been fashioning hits for other people for a decade. The man literally had a golden touch when it came to songwriting.  Against that backdrop you couldn't blame him for wanting to take a stab at a solo career (this was actually his second solo album).   I'm not trying to imply Dozier was suffering from a form of megalomania, but the Bach comparison was certainly pushing.   Regardless, I love the cover art.

JERRY WILLIAMS GROUP "DOWN HOME BOY"

Artist: Jerry Williams Group
Album: Down Home Boy

Label: Columbia
Catalog: C 30278

Year: 1970

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: John Van Hammersveld

Cover photography: Peter Pynchon
Grade: * star

I have wondered about this cover for years - what is actually on the plate?   

My best guess is a half eaten Moonpie sitting in some sort of hot syrup ...  Anyone got a better idea?  No matter what it was, Peter Pynchon's photo made for one unappetizing cover, 

LES SINNERS - SINNERISMES

Artist: Les Sinners
Album: Sinnerismes

Label: Jupiter
Catalog: JDY 7009

Year: 1967

Genre: garage / pop
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: not listed

Cover photography: not listed
Grade: **** star

If I had to pick an album that grabbed my attention purely on the design colors, then it would have to be this 1967 release by Les Sinners.  Hard to believe, but the actual colors are even more vibrant than the image captures - the cover is literally eyeball searing intense.   Most of the music is decent pop-garage in nature; including an odd French version cover of 'Penny Lane'.  That said the anonymous cover more than compensates for whatever musical limitations the album had.  Wonder what this baby looks like under black light, or under the influence of various lysergic substances ?

THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS "NOW!"

Artist: The Chambers Brothers
Album: Now!

Label: Vault
Catalog: LP 115

Year: 1966

Genre: reggae
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: Ralph Kaffel

Cover photography: Bob Gerstlauer
Grade: **** star

If I had to pick a cover that screamed mid-60s gestalt (always wanted to use that word on the internet), then this Chambers Brothers album cover would certainly be in the running.  For some reason the flower cover has always reminded me of that infamous Lyndon B. Johnson "daisy girl" commercial.  If you've never seen it, check out the attached YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Id_r6pNsus

Add in the '60s font (which is almost impossible to read) and you've got a classic timepiece cover.

MAX ROMEO "OPEN THE IRON GATE"

Artist: Max Romeo
Album: Open the Iron Gate

Label: Liberty
Catalog: LY 61165

Year: 1978

Genre: reggae
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: Steve Smith

Cover photography: not applicable
Grade: **** star

Wow, that's some spliff Romeo is holding ...  If you're looking for an album that just reeks Caribbean, this is probably the one.   Stark, but the colors instantly grab you and won't let go.


 

HOT TUNA "AMERICA'S CHOICE"

Artist: Hot Tuna
Album: America's Choice

Label: Grunt
Catalog: BFL1-0820

Year: 1975

Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: Frank Mulvey

Cover photography: not applicable
Grade: **** star

Even if you're not a big fan of this Jefferson Airplane spinoff, you've got to admit that the cover to their "America's Choice" album was eye catching. Frank Mulvey's use of vivid colors and the striking lettering were clearly meant to mimic a box of laundry detergent (take that Andy Warhol).  There was just something very counter-culture cool here.  One of the last breaths of the San Francisco psychedelic lifestyle ...   Always loved the side panel "WARNING: THIS ALBUM TO BE PLAYED AT FULL VOLUME FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT"


 

WE FIVE "TAKE EACH DAY AS IT COMES"

Artist: The We Five
Album: Take Each Day As It Come

Label: AVI
Catalog: 6016

Year: 1977

Genre: pop
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: not listed

Cover photography: not applicable
Grade: **** star

Having grown up in the '70s there are certain things that bring back that timeframe.  This cover's one of those triggers.  It's not that I have any particular attachment to the album from my teen years (in fact I didn't even know this album existed until I was in my 50s), rather there's just something in the anonymous "happy" artwork that screams '70s timepiece.  

JAMES WELLS "MY CLAIM TO FAME"

Artist: James Wells

Album: My Claim To Fame
Label: AVI

Catalog: 6045
Year: 1978
Genre: disco
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Cover Designer: The Committee

Cover photography: not applicable
Grade: * star

I grew up in the late '70s when folks were under the impression air brushing was a life-styled choice, not just an art form.  Folks air-brushed everything; their walls, their vans, etc.  Life every aspect of life, there is good and there is bad.  The same is true when it comes to the "art" of air brushing.  Unfortunately, the cover to James Well's debut album falls in the latter category.  I'm guessing this was meant to have kind of an art deco flavor?  Instead it has a guess-nobody-knew-how-to-draw flavor.  I guess that's why they went with the liner notes that gave credit (or blame) for this hideous cover to "The Committee".   (Be warned the four disco tunes inside the sleeve weren't any better.)

Gospel Oak "Gospel Oak"

Artist: Gospel Oak

Album: Gospel Oak
Label: Kapp

Catalog: KS 3635
Year: 1970
Genre: country rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: SOLD

Cover Designer: not listed
Cover photography: not listed
Grade: **** stars

This is one of those albums where the cover's the highlight - nothing wrong with the album.  It's decent, modestly entertaining country-rock with an English rock edge (you can read my review at: http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/GOSPELoak.htm ).

Anyhow, the cover is stunning.  Just look at the size of that English oak tree !!!   Simply amazing.  Wonder what the story of the tree is.

THE ELECTRIC PRUNES "MASS IN F MINOR"

Artist: Electric Prunes

Album: Mass In F Minor
Label: Reprise

Catalog: RS 6275
Year: 1968
Genre: progressive/psychedelic
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Cover Designer: David Thrasher
Cover photography: not listed
Grade: **** stars

You could make the argument this album was the first rock mass ...  Creative mainstay David Axelrod seemed to have written the material with a true sense of dedication (wonder if he was Catholic) and even though the album's odd mix of Latin lyrics, religious overtones, and psychedelic sounds is an acquired taste, the cover was certainly eye catching.     

SAVOY BROWN "WIFE FIRE"

Artist: Savoy Brown

Album: Wire Fire
Label: London

Catalog: PS 659
Year: 1975
Genre: blues-rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Cover Designer: Glenn Ross
Cover photography: Buddy Rosenberg - Bob Levy
Grade: **** stars

 

There are so many cool Savoy Brown covers I have to admit I'm a little surprised this was the first one to make the list.  That probably has something to do with the fact this is the first Savoy Brown album I've listed to since I started the blog ...   So, the photo effects are a little dated - remember this album came out in 1975; decades prior to Photoshop.  Regardless, it's the concept that counts and equating Kim Simmonds blistering guitar runs with flames coming out of his fingers was a near perfect concept.    C'mon, you know you love this one as well.

HOG HEAVEN "HOG HEAVEN"

Artist: Hog Heaven

Album: Hog Heaven
Label: Roulette

Catalog: SR 42057
Year: 1971
Genre: rock
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Quantity: 1

Cover Designer: not listed
Cover art: not listed
Grade: * star

 

Three days into the new year and I have my first candidate for the ugly covers list ...  I know bands frequently don't have a lot of say when it comes to cover art.  I'm guessing that if you were signed to a Morris Levy controlled label like Roulette you had even less say.  On the other hand, since record companies are in the business to make money, you'd think they'd have an interest in picking a cover that would attract buyers rather than repel them.   Not sure what happened here.  I can only speculate that between the initial idea and the end result, something went horribly astray.