Worst Album Art of the Year Nominee

Best album cover of the year nominee

Mark Ryden does Tyler the Creator's album cover

Nomination for Best Album Art

Nomination for Best Album Art

Laurel Halo - Quarantine

Nomination for Worst Album Art of the Year

This is really sad, because the late Dilla deserves something much more classy than this hodge-podge of styles.

Candidate for Worst Album Art of the Year

The cover to Arca's Stretch 1 EP

This is quite a strong candidate, too, as this looks like what a freshman in high-school would come up with after messing with a beta version of Photoshop for a week.

Nomination for Album Cover of the Year

Nomination for Best Album Cover

Nomination for Album Cover of the Year

Album Art of the Year Nomination

Nomination for Worst Album Cover

Nomination #5 for Album Cover of the Year

Photo by my homie Tommy Ellis.  You can check out more of his excellent captured images at Manos Del Norte.  For booking, inquiries: tommywellis@gmail.com

Nomination #4 for Album Cover of the Year

Numero Group: Titan (Candidate for Album Cover of the Year)

Nomination #2 for Album Cover of the Year

Nomination #1 for Album Cover of the Year

Radio do Canibal review from Brazil

Review by Arthur for 365 Albums A Year blog

Co-sign.

Def Jux and Cage update

In preparation for Cage's upcoming album release (Depart From Me on July 7th), Cage and Def Jux have released an EP with tracks that won't be on the album that's available for free download here entitled I Never Knew You.  The title track of the EP has a video that's viewable on the Def Jux homepage or on a previous post a few weeks back.  It's definitely worth your hard drive space and time.  I took this as an excellent example of what the album will be like and went ahead and pre-ordered the "Vinyl Deluxe Package" of the album here.  This is worth the Alex Pardee artwork, alone!  C'mon now!

While perusing the Def Jux site, I stumbled across a free Cool Calm Pete download that won't come close to tiding me over before any follow up to Lost.  (BTW, I can't believe I made it this far into blogging without mentioning Cool Calm Pete - dude is so talented and so unique on so many so levels that it's got me so gaga he should be on SoSoDef).  Without further ado about nothing...

Cool Calm Pete, "Heart"

My favorite dig to date!

I can't say enough about this album.  The album art absolutely blew me away.  While it's not in mint condition I would've spent a lot more than what I paid  just for the album cover alone... even if there wasn't a record in it!  But ohhhhh the record.  I would be missing the best part.  Rarely does such exquisite album art feature music that is on the same level.  This is one of those rare instances.  Once I put the needle down, it absolutely blew my mind!

The musicians are all absolute monsters of their domain:

Billy Cobham - drums

George Duke - keyboards

Alphonso Johnson - bass

John Scofield - guitar

"Do What Cha Wanna" - George Duke and the Billy Cobham Band

"Frankenstein Goes To The Disco" - Billy Cobham drum burner

I just picked up two interesting records from a thrift store that should have some jewels on them.  Stay tuned... (teaser: 8-bit)