DesignYak

Jay–Z album sleeve

Here's the new Jay–Z album sleeve, with photography by Dan Tobin Smith. You should have a look at his website, some really nice photography work, especially his still life work. Really like the photo for this cover, although it really reminds me of the Secret Machines cover from a number of years ago now, crossed with a bit of U2.

Orbital album cover by Farrow

New compilation album and logo for Orbital's 20th anniversary, designed by Farrow. More new work to see on the Farrow website.

Paint my album

I might be on my own here, but I used to love (and still do) Microsoft Paint. I still remember our first PC at home and playing until my hearts content on Paint making random patterns. I know Ed is a big fan of Paint as well. Well 'Paint my album' gives you the chance to use it again. The group started as a bit of a joke, creating album covers using Paint, but is now growing into a bit of an internet phenomenon. They want to recreate 2,000 covers by the end of the year. Visit the website to see all of the entries so far, here's a selection of some of my favs...

New Eminem album artwork Vs Spiritualized & Farrow

The album cover for the new Eminem album, Relapse, has just been unveiled. The albums material is heavily focused on drugs, hence the image of Eminem made up from pills. Bottom left they try to keep the theme of drugs running by using language often found on drugs packaging, 'prescribed by Dr.Dre' etc. Only the cover has been released so far, but it will be interesting to see if they keep this theme running through the rest.

The idea reminds me of one of the best album designs in recent times, Songs in A&E and Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space, both by Spiritualized and both designed by Farrow.

Anyone who isn't familiar with the album, you have to go out and buy them now, there's a really good article and interview on the Creative Review blog about the partnership between Spiritualized and Farrow, so make sure you give it a read. Did you know that Spiritualized's Jason Pierce cut several minutes off the album Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space, just so the running time looked better typographically on the packaging. Yes I know, dream client.

The language used within the album is set in the manner of medical packaging.

Above is Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space, the first design by Farrow for Spiritualized, winning a lot of awards for its pill packaging on the way. The concept came from Pierce's statement that music is 'medicine for the soul.' I know Ed is also a fan of this work by Farrow, and he also did a project back in Uni using pill and medicine packaging, around the subject of religion, for which he won an award at the D&AD New Blood exhibition. Look, here he is with his medal...

So there you go, from Eminem to Edward Read in four easy steps.

Depeche Mode's new album - Sounds of the Universe

Here's the album cover design for Depeche Mode's new album Sounds of the Universe. It is again created by Anton Corbijn.

The box set looks pretty cool, but I'm not sure about the design on the front of the album cover, I might change my mind but at the moment I think it looks like a student making a poor man's Factory Records cover, I just don't think it's quite right. 

New Green Day album cover

Here's the new Green Day album cover, inspired by a stencil graffiti by Sixten. Haven't made my mind up about this yet, I liked the cover of their last album, American Idiot but not sure about this. It reminds me of Blur's album Think Tank, which used graffiti by Banksy. I much prefer Blur's.

Turner Duckworth wins Grammy for Metallica album

  

Turner Duckworth has won a Grammy for their album design for Metallica. 

Big Active create White Lies artwork

I haven't done an album design post for a while, so here's White Lies debut album that went to No.1 a couple of weeks ago. The artwork was created by Big Active, one of my favourite agencies for creating music artwork, if you've never visited their website, be sure to take a look at all the great album covers they've designed!

Some very sharp design, looks like it's printed on some nice stock, cool typography and very strong photography, I'm sure some won't like the forced justification on the reverse of the cover, but used appropriately, I think it's good. Another one bites the dust Big Active.

U2 accused of copying American artist's album cover

U2 have chosen a design by Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto for the sleeve of their fortcoming album No Line On The Horizon (on the left).

But Taylor Deupree, a musician from New York, used the same image for his album, Specification Fifteen (on the right). Mr Deupree said: "Naturally, when something we have slaved over, fought for recognition over, is so easily undone by pop culture, it feels a bit cheap. What for us is one of the greatest achievements in a career thus far is simply a phonecall for U2." Via

The Museum of Curiosity

Illustrations created by Katie Scott for a new CD by comedians John Lloyd and Bill Bailey, The Museum of Curiosity.