cover project

so as i went to prepare another record for today i discovered to my horror that my needle was broken. arrgggh! but though i have no music to offer this time around, i thought i might make another offering. the other day i came across rolling stone's list of the best 100 album covers. you can take a look at it here.
and although i think it's a pretty good list and i do have a few of these in my own collection, i think they may have missed a few lesser known gems. so here are some of my own personal favorites in no particular order. forget the content. the question here is can you really judge a book (or a record) by its cover?

midnight serenade - sammy kaye - columbia records

yeah, it's midnight. and as sammy exits the club to come out on the streets fresh with rain and stares up a the clock, we are left to imagine where he'll go from here. a lonely wanderer with no particular destination. the only question remaining is will we join him?

east of suez - 101 strings - somerset

this is one of those records i picked up just because of the cover. it's one of those wild bachelor pad records that promises more than it delivers. still, with titles like "in a persian market" and "temple dancers" the promise was enough at the time for all the young men planning harems.

do it yourself - music for gracious living - peter barclay and his orchestra - columbia

another example where the sum of its parts is not greater than the whole. in a time where so many americans were all about diy and home improvement projects, why not a little music to go along with it? let the revolutions begin!

james joyce a portrait of the artist as a young man - cyril cusack - caedmon

this selection for fans of ireland's greatest poet. i like the woodblock image and it's easier for me to understand than cyril cusack's thick brogue.

tahitian rhythms and jungle drums - augie goupil and his royal tahitians - decca

there are so many of these out there. tahitian, caribbean, hawaiian records. and they're almost always great for a cover. this one promises that if you learn how to pound the skins a lovely maiden just might show you a little leg.

a toast to benny goodman - benny goodman orchestra - crown

no need to go into benny goodman here. king of swing? sure sure. i just really like this strong graphic image. a reminder of all encompassing fascination in the new atomic age.

countdown time in outer space - dave brubeck quartet - columbia

another jazz great dave brubeck. brubeck with his signature horn rim glasses and west coast cool had covers which usually featured modern art. so like patrons to the moma we are invited to dig this crazy non representational piece whilst also digging dave.

love is a many splendored thing - richard hayman and orchestra - mercury

i love it when the cover to a soundtrack immediately makes me want to see the movie. and though i haven't seen this one yet, its on my list and bill holden here with jennifer jones in his arms is suitable for framing.

baby doll - ray heindorf and wb orchestra with smiley lewis - columbia

another soundtrack cover. and another one i bought for the cover. i actually only have the cover. the record could not be located at the time of purchase. but that's ok. this one just draws me in to the disturbing world of tennesee williams, elia kazan and actress carrol baker. and i want to know more...
well there you have it. my vintage record cover round up. maybe the next time you're out visiting your local second hand store you may want to take a second look in the dusty record bins. there be art there.