ALBUM COVER FEATURES

1) What are the typical features an album cover has?

FRONT COVER
- band name
- album name
- main image (often of artist)
- stickers eg. “parental advisory”/”special edition”

BACK COVER
- track list on back
- sometimes a barcode
- institutional info eg. record company address/artist website

SPINE
- band name
- album name
- record company logo
- code number (?)

2) How would you categorize the covers in front of you? Are there any other ways of distinguishing between them other than generically?

- photographed or animated image
- older or newer bands
- musical genre
- release date
- solo artists or bands
- nationality
- mainstream or niche
- the main image eg. Is it of the artist or something random?
- colour scheme

3) Album covers serve many different functions. What do you think these are?

FRONT COVER
- catch the audiences eye
- promote the product/artist
- signify the genre
- represents artists image

BACK COVER
- more detailed information for the audience eg. Institutional
- track listing (important as the audience may be searching for a particular song)
- copyright information protects the artist and record company

The front and back cover in almost all cases follow the same colour scheme/design as each other eg. Busted’s “A Present for Everyone” has a “ribbon wrapped around the case”


DECONSTRUCTION NOTES: THE LIBERTINES



FRONT COVER
Images Used: Main image makes up the entire front cover and is of two of the band members. One member is directly addressing the camera and looking slightly phased, the other is looking down this implies they are both intoxicated (rebels!) which signifies the “rock & roll lifestyle”. Photo is intended to look un-posed and as if they have just been “papped” or someone has taken a picture of them on a night out.

Colours are all “grungy” --> red, brown, black, white etc… and the lighting is dark apart from a bright light focusing on them.

Text: “The Libertines” in band logo font. White block capital letters on a random black background, it is messy, jagged and random which connotes the band image. Placed in centre of cover. Resembles newspapers/ransom notes.

Relationship between text & image: Text is directly over the main cover image both are quite random and fitting to the band image; they anchor each other.

Function: Introduces the band (members) and the album, attracts the audience, signifies the music genre.

Iconography: Indie icons such as tattoos (one is scull & cross bones), cigarette, rosary beads, fred perry polo shirt, greasy, long hair, pierced ear, white vest.

SPINE
Text:“The Libertines” in band logo font.

Institutional context: “Rough Trade” record label logo.

BACK COVER
Images Used: The main image is apart from the track listing and is on the left hand side of the cover. The image is in sepia tone which signifies them as being “indie”, “pretentious” and “arty”.

The final still is of the four band members and is intended to look un-posed and as if they are just casually walking down the street having jokes.

The majority of the band members are not directly addressing the camera and their body language is relaxed which displays how they are niche as they do not want to come across as trying too hard to pull in their audience instead they want to allow the music to do it for them.

Text: Track list in a brown typed font (courier new?) on a plain white background.

Relationship between text & image: Brown typed font matches the sepia toned image beside it.

Iconography: All of the iconography is typically “indie” eg. guitar, skinny jeans, “old man shoes”, leather jackets, oriental writing, urban street, trilby hat, ragged scarf.

Function: Gives clearer image of band, gives full information of the tracks on the album, gives the address and website of the record company as well as the website of the band.

Institutional context: Rough Trade Records are an independent label with an indie reputation who have previously signed bands such as “The Smiths”, “Maximo Park” and “Belle and Sebastian” which connotes the music genre of the album.

Target Audience: initially intended for a niche audience, “indie”, know what they are buying, younger (15 – 30), like to party, drink, smoke, familiarity with band, urban, like gigs, street-wise.

VIDEOS WITH SPECIAL FX

MUSE: SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE


This is a really good music video as its really entertaining and innovative to watch. Muse always have interesting videos such as "Bliss" and "Time Is Running Out" with clever special fx.

This video would be hard to re-create or mirror with the equiptment/facilities we will have but is still inspiring to watch.

ALBUM COVERS

PAOLO NUTINI: THESE STREETS



In my opinion I consider this to be a "good" album cover. The idea is incredibly simple yet not boring at all. The bright colours and original title font make it incredibly eye catching.

The cover uses just 4 simple shots of Paolo Nutini and by making them black and white the cover still looks arty and modern yet was quite simple to produce. I think this is a good source of inspiration for my group's project.

DECONSTRUCTION NOTES
Images Used: Four seperate images of the artist all in black, each one is placed on a different brightly coloured panel. The bright colours imply that the target audience may be quite young and vibrant. Poses are all very casual and relaxed implying that the album is quite chilled out and easy listening. Artist is dressed smart/casual which also connotes the music style.

Text: The artist's name is in a curly font which is also typically recognisable with his name. This is larger and above the album title "these streets" which is in a simpler font and in lower case which denotes the casual attitude of the album.

Relationship between text & image: The text and images are quite seperate but are both black which links them.

Iconography: guitar, pointy shoes, blazer, unbuttoned collar, poses --> these are all very indie/pop.

Function: Gives clearer image of the artist and the general vibe of the album.

LILY ALLEN: ALRIGHT STILL



I love the cover artwork for Lily Allen's "Alright Still" album. By using a combination of photography and animation the cover has a very contemporary look and is incredibly eye-catching and interesting.

This cover is quite "busy" as there are a lot or random images all clumped together so the audience takes the time to have a good look at it.

FAVOURITE CLASSIC VIDEOS

THE SMITHS: GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA



This is a great video as it incredibly simple yet remains entertaining throughout. The Smiths tend to have a minimalist approach to their music videos. "This Charming Man" and "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" both focus mainly on handheld footage of the band performing rather than forming a narrative. This style is fitting to their genre of music and the image they try to promote.

This particular video is made entertaining by Morrisseys performance rather than expensive special fx etc. It is important to consider that the actor(s) in my final production will be a key factor to address.

FAVOURITE CURRENT VIDEOS

KATE NASH: FOUNDATIONS

I really like this video because the style is very contemporary.

There are a variety of shots which are not only narrative but are also "random" and quirky" such as one of toy dinosaurs.

I like that the video is very simple and doesn't use a lot of special fx, it looks more modern and suits the genre of the song.

MYSPACE ARTISTS

REGINA SPEKTOR
(www.myspace.com/reginaspektor)



The phenomena that is MySpace is allowing music artists such as Regina Spektor to help further promote their music.

Regina's MySpace allows the audience to listen to four of her tracks ("Samson", "Fidelity", "Hotel Song" and "Us") as well as giving them a schedule of all shows being played and the chance to leave her comments about her pictures or just general feedback about her and her music. Regina Spektor has also left several personal blogs for the audience to read which leads in to the idea of interactivity and its benefits.

The audience feel more important and part of a group by adding her page to their "Friend's List". This is what enables them to leave comments and also receive bulletin updates on the MySpace homepage meaning the audience is constantly informed on the artist.

This interactivity aids the promotion of her music and all for free. Her MySpace also provides links to:
- a mailing list for fans both in America and the UK
- join the cell phone list and get updates via text
- visit a website to listen to her album "Soviet Kitsch"
- add her music videos to your own MySpace page
- buy her latest album "Begin To Hope"

This research is helpful as it shows that an artist page on MySpace can be incredibly beneficial especially considering that it is cost free. MySpace basically offers free advertising for artists which I should bear in mind when promoting my artist in the final project.

INDEPENDENT RECORD LABELS

"An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels."
- Wikipedia

MOSHI MOSHI RECORDS
(http://www.moshimoshimusic.com/)

Moshi Moshi Records are an independent label based in London. They're online website provides not only current news, but information on releases, artists and galleries. Audiences can also sign-up to a newsletter and buy music by Moshi Moshi Record's signed artists from their online shop.

They have released music by the following artists:
- Junkboy
- Architecture in Helsinki
- Tilly and the Wall
- Yeti
- Hot Club De Paris

And also by the following acts who have now become mainstream:
- The Rakes
- Bloc Party
- Hot Chip
- Kate Nash