Album Art Gallery Part 8: 1976
I've always loved album artworks. I see them as its own art form, separate (though sometimes related) to the music contained within them. So even if many album cover lists exist already in Sputnik, I wanted to start my own series showcasing the ones that caught my attention, wether it is because I think they are beautiful as works of art, interesting in concept or simply because I think they look "cool" regardless of a deeper value. This is part 8 and, as always, recs are welcomed |
| 1 |  | Sun Ra
Cosmos |
| 2 |  | La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
The concept of this one is excellent. A comic in which the characters discuss about the fact that they will be on the cover of an album for the latin american legend Charly Garcia |
| 3 |  | Blue Oyster Cult
Agents of Fortune |
| 4 |  | McCoy Tyner
Focal Point
Feels like an exacerbated modern take on pointillism which I adore |
| 5 |  | McCoy Tyner
Fly with the Wind |
| 6 |  | Rainbow Theatre
Fantasy of Horses |
| 7 |  | Led Zeppelin
The Song Remains the Same |
| 8 |  | Led Zeppelin
Presence
Probably a weird pick for your favorite Led Zeppelin artwork but here I am. This one is better appreciated when also looking at the rest of the pictures in the package. All of them pictures of different daily life situations but with one factor in common: A small black abstract sculpture. Sometimes ignored and sometimes in the center of attention of the characters in picture but never with a given meaning. Couldn't think of a better way to represent the album's title. A subtle but ominous presence |
| 9 |  | Tangerine Dream
Stratosfear |
| 10 |  | Electric Light Orchestra
A New World Record |
| 11 |  | Henry Cow
Concerts
I really dig the amount of detail on this and how the font gets "blown away" |
| 12 |  | Marvin Gaye
I Want You |
| 13 |  | Al Stewart
Year of the Cat
Love detailed artworks and the cat theme in all of the elements on this one |
| 14 |  | Corte Dei Miracoli
Corte Dei Miracoli |
| 15 |  | Wishbone Ash
New England |
| 16 |  | Parliament
The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein
Afrofuturism is a thing for those of you who didn't know. While the cool UFO artwork of the classic Mothership Connection fell a little bit short with the addition of its afrofuturistic character that felt out of place for me, in here they and their quirky fashion fit perfectly well imo |
| 17 |  | UFO
No Heavy Petting
Really dig the twisted sci-fi imagery of this one |
| 18 |  | Montrose
Jump on It |
| 19 |  | Gualberto
Vericuetos
The brush on canvas effect is great |
| 20 |  | AC/DC
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Probably the only AC/DC artwork I really like but damn it is a good one |
| 21 |  | Magma
Üdü Ẁüdü |
| 22 |  | Secret Oyster
Straight To The Krankenhaus |
| 23 |  | Wings
Wings Over America |
| 24 |  | Rainbow
Rising
One of my favorites ever. This one is instantly iconic and honestly I can't think of a better artwork to represent Rainbow's sound. This one might have set the precedent for all power/neo-classical metal album covers to come but while 90% of them are overly cheesy or made with terrible 00's CGI, this one on the other hand might be one of the coolest metal covers to have on a shirt |
| 25 |  | Journey
Look Into the Future |
| 26 |  | Goblin
Roller |
| 27 |  | Brand X
Unorthodox Behaviour
Master class in composition. I love how effective it is despite its simplicity |
| 28 |  | Steely Dan
The Royal Scam |
| 29 |  | Neil Ardley
Kaleidoscope of Rainbows |
| 30 |  | Ryo Kawasaki
Juice
The typical japanese label present on the image sputnik has of this one sadly cuts away a good portion of an artwork that really is top tier for me. A simple fruit that holds a technological entanglement inside of it is a perfect example of the surreal element that I enjoy so much in album covers |
| 31 |  | Ragnarok (SWE)
Ragnarok |
| 32 |  | Judas Priest
Sad Wings of Destiny
The detail and pose give it an almost renaissance drama like vibe |
| 33 |  | Vangelis
Albedo 0.39 |
| 34 |  | Go
Go Live From Paris
I did not know about this band before making this list but holy hell, Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola, Klaus Schulze and Michael Shrieve is one of the best lineups I've seen on a supergroup ever. Artwork's really cool btw |
| 35 |  | Robin Trower
Long Misty Days |
| 36 |  | Golden Earring
To the Hit
The disinterested expression upon various life endangering situations is great |
| 37 |  | The Upsetters
Super Ape |
| 38 |  | Picchio dal Pozzo
Picchio dal Pozzo |
| 39 |  | Jean-Michel Jarre
Oxygene
One of the most iconic artworks in electronic music, this one is simply great and memorable |
| 40 |  | Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson
It's Your World |
| 41 |  | Black Sabbath
Technical Ecstasy
There's a sci-fi mystery atmosphere to this one and its great composition. The fact that it is just supposed to represent two robots having sex is funny since there really wasn't a need for such an abstract effort to it, but the result is truly classic |
| 42 |  | Area
Maledetti |
| 43 |  | Steve Reid
Rhythmatism
Simple but eye catching |
| 44 |  | Van der Graaf Generator
Still Life
Lichtenberg figures are really cool |
| 45 |  | Point Blank (US)
Point Blank |
| 46 |  | Return to Forever
Romantic Warrior
Great painting but I also simply like the design of that armor. I love that style of helmet |
| 47 |  | Fela Kuti
Ikoyi Blindness |
| 48 |  | 10cc
How Dare You!
Purposely cheesy with its soap-opera like setting, I love how it manages to tell a story when you also add its back cover. The inner sleeve, with dozens of phones in it is another great example of Hipgnosis making the whole package interesting |
| 49 |  | Eberhard Weber
Yellow Fields |
| 50 |  | Leon Ware
Musical Massage |
| 51 |  | Boston
Boston
Slightly tacky but timeless and creative nevertheless |
| 52 |  | Ry Cooder
Chicken Skin Music |
| 53 |  | Experience Unlimited
Free Yourself |
| 54 |  | Manfred Mann's Earth Band
The Roaring Silence
While I really like the artwork on its own, probably what I most like about it is the font, with its impressed effect |
| 55 |  | The Hollies
Russian Roulette |
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