Best records : graphic / packaging wise

[Raven X Army]

So Jeff came up with this sentence in another topic:

Jun 29, 2012 14:11:56 GMT jeff said:

From the cover art to the vinyl colors to the insert, I think this is one of the best looking records ever.

and it made me think what would be my perfect looking record.
To be quite honest I don't really like what most of the REV releases look like. That GB LP while a great fucking record music wise imo looks retarded from the graphic point of view.
Call me crazy but some of my favourite records have the worst packaging. Take the JUDGE BID LP for an easy example. Who the f. mixes the opposite colours (yellow and purple) and throws in the green vinyl on top of that? Don't think so.

Same thing with the JUDGE NYC 7".. while almost unfuckwithable on Schism REV managed to eff it up. I would be OK with the orange cover but orange cover and blue vinyl combination = not the greatest idea..

Records I like to look at:
I think the gold medal for the most amazing artwork/packaging MUST go to CRASS Records.
They've done it all and as far as I remember there hasn't been a bad looking record in Crass catalogue prior to 1984/1985 when they dropped their working formula and made that Notes on the Summer Day 12". Still not a bad looking record but extremely mediocre when compared to what they did before. And they did it it all.
I mean they REALLY did it all:
- Silkscreened covers (check)
- Fold out poster cover (check)
- Gatefolds (check)
- Boxsets
- Amazing graphics - see Rudimentary Peni for instance or just about any CRASS release (check)
- Inserts in every shape and form imaginable:
a) big inserts (check)
b) small inserts (check)
c) printed inner sleeves (check)
d) big fanzines, small fanzines, postcards, stickers... whatever you can imagine they've done it
- Flexis (check)
- Pins, badges, patches whatever you can think of...

While musically Crass Records catalogue was for the most part hit and miss with either work of genius or a complete fucking disaster I must say that graphically they created something extraordinary keeping the whole thing consistent and recognizable (you could just point at that Andy T 7" and say "That has got to be Crass Records release") but not boring.

The only other label I can think of that spent their time on making their shit look good was Alt Tent with DK releases. Massive Crass influence I would say in how the packaging looked like. Very Crass like collage that Winston was coming up with early on in his career.

Other records that must be mentioned for their good graphic design:
- Anything J. Reid has done for the Pistols
- The Smiths (I'm a sucker for anything pop art/halftone although if overdone it may get a bit boring) and even though their records lacked amazing inserts/extras, the cover designs were usually pretty cool. This pop artish cover design was later on continued successfully by Belle and Sebastian
- Minimalistic designs that are so powerful that get engraved in your brain so that when you wake up every day in the morning that Urban Waste 7" is the first thing that comes to your mind. Followed second close by the Abused 7". Where would we all be without that record I dread to even think.

And to end this on a positive note: almost every record cover made by Pushead is fucking shite.

[jeff]

I don’t know a thing about graphic design so I can’t make a really informed comment. I was just flipping through some photos and liked that GB one. I do think that’s one of the better jobs Rev has done, with the embossed cover and the nice marbled vinyl (for the purple at least). Plus it has the full sized insert since this is well before they started going with the one size fits all deal.

I’m more apt to think of covers or color combos I don’t like than ones I do. Others Rev covers that come to mind….I remember thinking when I got the Bold 7” that a pinkish cover looked weird paired with orange vinyl, of course years later we all know how and why that happened.

The (first) YOT reissues….I don’t get so worked up about the covers Rev issued in ’97, I hated it more that the vinyl itself didn’t look good. Clear orange vinyl with the B&W BDTW cover looked totally mismatched. I was ok with the new cover they did for WNITA and liked that it got the marbled vinyl treatment, but as a set those three reissues don’t work together at all. I’m glad they have finally rectified that with the newest reissues, which I think generally look great….although there was no need to do the ugly scrap vinyl for CCME when they were only going to do one color for the other two records.

[moos]

Manic Compression LP.

[orangerory]

Jun 29, 2012 19:19:35 GMT moos said:

Manic Compression LP.

I posted this before in one of the photo threads - love those graphics. I own the original artwork from the back of the LP:

[spiderman81]

Couldn't disagree more with Dobek about the aesthetic of the early rev. stuff such as BID or Start Today. I think these releases are flawless, but that's just me. The art and music is what gets me so pumped up about collecting these releases.

[Raven X Army]

Jun 29, 2012 17:40:33 GMT jeff said:

I don’t get so worked up about the covers Rev issued in ’97, I hated it more that the vinyl itself didn’t look good. Clear orange vinyl with the B&W BDTW cover looked totally mismatched.

Those covers were a failure of an epic proportions. They are to original REV what Indiana Jones Crystal Skull is to the Temple of Doom.

Also, the common sense dictates that the black and white cover which colouristically is neutral, should by default match ANY colour of the vinyl therefore logically it could not have been mismatched.

Jun 29, 2012 20:14:17 GMT orangerory said:

Jun 29, 2012 19:19:35 GMT moos said:

Manic Compression LP.

I posted this before in one of the photo threads - love those graphics. I own the original artwork from the back of the LP:

That art work is beyond amazing. I wish they had left it b/w though. By adding colour they lost a lot of its initial impact. In my subjective view at least. I'm a big fan of B/W art.

[moos]

i love all of the melinda beck stuff. jealous as hell on your piece of original art.

here's a quick snapshot of a piece out of my collection:

[orangerory]

Jul 2, 2012 0:10:14 GMT moos said:

i love all of the melinda beck stuff. jealous as hell on your piece of original art.

here's a quick snapshot of a piece out of my collection:

Thanks, man. I have 4 of her pieces - she's amazing. I love that one, too (and have it):

[moos]

awesomeness!

[chungking48]

Only just seen this thread.

As soon as I read the title of the thread I thought about it a minute and what came into my head was 'Pushead's releases '. Then I saw how you ended your first post. Haha!

I don't bum Pushead or think his art is amazing or anything. But I do think that the records he released on his label(s) really do have incredible packaging. I have three very different copies of the Strain 7" and I would honestly say that they are the best looking records in my whole collection.

Sorry.

[Raven X Army]

Marcus, I agree that some of the LATER Pushead graphic design ventures were really good, I often see Final Conflict 7" in shops here with all the vellum paper, tinfoil ink etc. All looking very very cool from the packaging side of things but I just can't stand his drawing style. I get he's a prolific and worldwide recognized artist but for whatever reason I can't stand his stuff. Think IME cover. Grrrrr

[lins87]

Jul 4, 2012 4:40:26 GMT Raven X Army said:

Marcus, I agree that some of the LATER Pushead graphic design ventures were really good, I often see Final Conflict 7" in shops here with all the vellum paper, tinfoil ink etc. All looking very very cool from the packaging side of things but I just can't stand his drawing style. I get he's a prolific and worldwide recognized artist but for whatever reason I can't stand his stuff. Think IME cover. Grrrrr

I always get mixed up when I see the Final Conflict stuff on Ebay. Two bands with the same name with barely a few years apart!!!! Never ceases to amaze me how bands don't research names better. As far as artwork goes I love the clean crisp and classy art that is the mouthpiece disco lp. Also like the homage to Judge in their use of green and white vinyl.