Worst looking CD/LP artwork

[bhodges]

(I freely admit that the repertoire on that CD is as appealing as the cover.  )

But design-wise, it's quite well-done.  Meyer's knees, the lines on the pool floor and the reflections above all converge in a big "X" in the center.  Actually quite a fine photograph, just on its own.

--Bruce

[BorisG]

Apex, Arte Nova, Testament are consistently bad.

[MishaK]

Apex, Arte Nova, Testament are consistently bad.

What's wrong with the historic photos on Testament covers?

[Don]

Apex, Arte Nova, Testament are consistently bad.

I agree about Testament, but Arte Nova covers are now quite attractive.  The cover below is just one example of many dozens.  Concerning Testament, I find their covers washed-out and have the look of "cheap" all over them.  Apex covers are okay.

[Brian]

Apex, Arte Nova, Testament are consistently bad.

What! I love the Arte Nova covers.





They're just beautiful!

[Novi]

What! I love the Arte Nova covers.
They're just beautiful!

Yep, me too

I like this one:


Back on topic:

Some of these Trio sets are quite quaint, if somewhat random, but this one is just naff, if not down right insulting:

[Lethevich]

I can understand the issues with Testament's covers, I also don't like them. An example of why:



The way they cut out the images and place them over a cheap looking gradient looks bad, and even worse in some such as this, when ones with significantly different looking depths are combined (the woman's photo looks flat next to the man, and together they seem to inhabit different dimensions). They also have a bad habit of tinting the photographs slightly, which when combined with a lurid background gradient produces unpleasant effects:



The logo is also not ideal... An example of them doing it slightly better without as aggressive cutting out, and no gradient (the fancy font is nice as well):



This one is the best, simply because it's a full photograph for once:



Still marred by the logos, but much better overall.

(It takes an immensely sad person to make such a lengthy commentry on a damn label's cover design  )

[Haffner]

Bleh

[MishaK]

We have a winner. 

[M forever]

What about this? Doesn't this look really bad?

[Gustav]

Bleh

I think we have a winner here.

Btw, isn't that cover also somewhat "X-rated"? Isn't it a bit too late for the "Parental Advisory" warning?

[Kullervo]

Apex, Arte Nova, Testament are consistently bad.

What is wrong with these?







They look better than Naxos's covers.

[Kullervo]

Some of these Trio sets are quite quaint, if somewhat random, but this one is just naff, if not down right insulting:

What is insulting about it? Shostakovich is a Russian composer. Those are Russian dolls. It's better than the faux-Cyrillic on most covers of DSCH recordings. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I can understand the issues with Testament's covers, I also don't like them. An example of why:



The way they cut out the images and place them over a cheap looking gradient looks bad, and even worse in some such as this, when ones with significantly different looking depths are combined (the woman's photo looks flat next to the man, and together they seem to inhabit different dimensions).

I dunno....

There's a certain 'rightness' to this cover that if you knew the libretto you'd probably appreciate (although you might know it...just guessing).

Everything is enshrouded in a kind of dankness, giving a claustrophobic feel to the story. It's sullen, misty, half-lit...

Overall, though, I'm in favor Testament's covers. Understated, for the most part, and sort of elementary.

[Lethevich]

What about this? Doesn't this look really bad?

The choice of picture is silly (and also pretentious). I love this cover from the same label, though:

[M forever]

But what does it have to do with Bruckner or the artists?

[Lethevich]

But what does it have to do with Bruckner or the artists?

Nothing - it's just pretty (I suppose someone could suggest that the big train represents Bruckner's orchestral "power", but that would be BS IMO). Admittedly using a CD cover as some kind of photographic showcase is strange when I think about it, but it does tend to get repetitive seeing the same composer portraits, or even conductor photographs (eg I've seen Gunter Wand from 20 different front angles, all of them much the same) all the time, so mixing it up a little can be fun, in my view anyway.

[Brian]

Yep, me too

I like this one:


Back on topic:

Wow; I would consider buying that one just to have the photograph on my shelf.

They look better than Naxos's covers.

Really now?




And my obligatory Bad Cover Art image (or, Why You Shouldn't Declare a Winner Until All the Votes Are In):



from the link posted a couple pages ago. 

[Kullervo]

Really now?

Which one of those is Joan? 

[Brian]

Which one of those is Joan? 

Oooh, nice.