8th
The album cover dilemma
I recently applied for a job doing graphic design with an unnamed indie record label. The job was listed on craigslist, so I applied via email. The particular job listing was unusually thought provoking. It required not only a portfolio and resume, but also a paragraph or two about my tastes, including my “favorite album cover”. First of all, I still have no idea what genre the label represents. Secondly, would they expect me to like/create artwork from that genre? A lot of the artwork I like goes hand in hand with heavy music. However, I also like art from 50’s jazz albums as well as Bjork, Radiohead, Dj Shadow, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and many more. They all have great art and great music. So, I pondered what they expected to get out of my answer, and concluded that it’s a stupid question. I listed Aaron turner (singer for ISIS and designer) as my favorite album artist. I also mentioned Jacob Bannon’s artwork for the Converge album “No Hero’s” as a recent favorite. I did not list one specific “favorite album cover” (this probably did not improve my chance’s for getting the job). In my opinion, the thing that makes an artist like Aaron Turner or Jacob Bannon so great, is their entire scope of work. I can’t pinpoint one album by either artist as my favorite. Consequently, I liked the artwork for both ISIS and Converge before I knew it was crated by actual members of those bands. So, I’m left to ponder what makes one album’s visuals more memorable than the next. I don’t think the music makes the art. For example, I really like the artwork on Mars Volta’s albums, but I have mixed feelings about their music. Another example is the cover of “You come before you” by Poison the Well, which caught my eye every time I saw it in a record store. I bought the album just because of it’s art… I don’t like the music. I love Deftones. I love their artwork, but only as part of a broader image and mood, not one specific cover. So, I’ve thought about it some more and here is my “gun to the head” decision: “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. It looks cool, it is thought provoking, and the actual visual rendering is tasteful. The only probem is, zillions of people have ruined it. The people who love the same artwork without ever wondering why. The people who would say it’s their favorite cover simply because it’s their favorite album. The people who would jump off of a bridge because their friends did, not because they were trying to get a better look at some cool graffiti on the bridge’s lower girder’s. Here’s another crazy thing… Storm Thorgerson did Mars Volta’s art as well as almost all of Pink Floyd’s art. Does this void my decision because I am actually a Storm Thorgerson fan and not just a “wish you were here” fan? Food for thought …I didn’t get the job.
