Album Covers - Does it matter?

Alex wrote: You can't judge a book by its cover, and same goes for albums. But its hard not to sometimes, if you see a weird cover that looks like its not your style inside, you may avoid it. I don't think it matters once you start listening though.

Of course, there are some covers you don't like, but you enjoy the music. But it's also amazing (at least in my case) how my pictorial/visual tastes go with my muscal tastes, two not very related arts (one is a art of 'space', the other an art of 'time'). Many of the prog artist I like seem to like also fantasy drawings and certain periods of art history (pre-raphaelites, simbolists, romantic movement...), and that's my cup of tea. I think it's related to the un-cynic nature of some prog music (something not in time with what's fashionable nowadays, what might explain one of the multiple factors why prog is despised today). That special componet of prog is related with these visual arts, so there's a logial conecction between tastes. Or it's too early in the morning and I'm only writting nosense. Oh, my...

Covers are a really good complement, but it's not what it matters for one at the time to analize the music, however, bands like The Floyd, Zeppelin and Yes, just to mention some of them...were always aware with the production of the covers. So there are some cases where only music is the most important thing. Personally I love cover albums, but for instance the cover of Electric Ladyland is not one of my favorites though it's an outstanding record. Who cares for the cover if the music is fantastic.

threefates wrote: The best album cover was this... of course.  Especially if you were lucky enough to get one where the shaft wasn't so lit....

 

 

Currently to be found int he dumper bin in one of my local record shops for 4 quid, with Tarkus and their first!

The cover of Genesis' Seconds Out is what started me listening to that band, followed by the famous Paul Whitehead covers of Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot.

Mark Wilkinson's cover of Marillion's Script for a Jesters Tear turned me on to Marillion.  Generally though, my music is purchased as a result of surfing the net, or side projects of artists I already enjoy.

 

I like the Anthony Phillips covers : great covers, great music!

I like this cover too: 

I totally agree with Pallas - the Sentinel: beautiful cover, beautiful music.

The Pendragon covers are nice too!

Edited by greenback

The best album cover was this... of course.  Especially if you were lucky enough to get one where the shaft wasn't so lit....

Vibrationbaby wrote: King Crimson`s Earthbound cover is the best.

Wasn't that similar to Spinal Tap's "Smell the glove"?

King Crimson`s Earthbound cover is the best.

No it dosen't matter it's just a form...sometimes it's a kind of 'camouflage' I won't cite any bands

Edited by philippe

ivan_2068 wrote: If I go to a store and look at a Roger Dean cover I will surely take the album and at least take a good view of it. Of course if the music is crap it won't matter, but at least the cover gave the album a chance to be noticed by a progressive fan. Iván

True...good point. Roger Deans art was what made me purchase my first YES album (^_^)