Over the past 5-6 decades, album covers have become more and more artistic, to the point where the best of them deserve a place in this blog. They featured prominently in the past, and of course they will be present in the new set-up. I have gone for a grouping per years of release (covering 2-3 years per post). I will try not to include the most famous album covers (like Sergeant Pepper, Dark Side of the Moon, Nevermind), but focus on more obscure but very good examples. Also the aim is no duplication of acts within one post. These posts are meant to be illustrative only, not necessarily my personal top twelve for the time period. The image above is created via Photofunia and is free from copyright issues.
One Fine Morning by Lighthouse (1971)
Lighthouse were a Canadian brass rock band. This is their fourth studio album, one that is surrounded by confusion. The year of release is sometimes quoted as 1970, sometimes 1971 (I chose the latter based on ProgArchives data). More importantly, it is often displayed on the internet with a different (and less interesting) cover, but this appears to have been an official release as well. The cover is an absolute stunner - one of the best efforts of Roger Dean outside the Yes portfolio.
Blue by Joni Mitchell (1971)
Blue is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell. It is an absolute classic, and so is the moody cover. The cover photography is credited to Tim Considine.
Hunky Dory by David Bowie (1971)
Hunky Dory is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, and generally seen as one of his best. Many of his covers deserve to be in my blog, and that holds certainly for this one (but also for Ziggy Stardust that was released in 1972, but won't be included because of my one act per post rule). The cover photograph was taken by Brian Ward, with Bowie's pose influenced by actresses Lauren Bacall and Greta Garbo. Originally shot in monochrome, the image was recoloured by illustrator Terry Pastor.
Nursery Cryme by Genesis (1971)
Nursery Cryme is the third studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis. It came with a cover which was even more beautiful in practice because it folded out, with front and back forming one image. The album's sleeve was designed and illustrated by British painter and graphic artist Paul Whitehead. Another tough choice here, because their next album Foxtrot from 1972 (also by Paul Whitehead) was a great candidate for this post as well.
Who's Next by The Who (1971)
Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who, my personal favourite in their discography. The album cover is iconic, a photograph of the band in front of a large concrete piling protruding from a slag heap. It was taken by photographer Ethan Russell at Easington Colliery. I admit I did not notice one detail until I prepared this post: the suggestion by zipping up abd wet stain at the pillar that they had just urinated. Naughty boys.
Woyaya by Osibisa (1971)
Woyaya is the second album by jazz rock/fusion group Osibisa from Ghana, released in the same year as their debut album. Both covers were designed by Roger Dean, featuring the trademark flying elephant, and I went for this one as the better of the two.
Argus by Wishbone Ash (1972)
Argus is the third album by the British rock band Wishbone Ash. Generally considered their greatest album, but I never really could get into it. The cover is amazing though - no surprise since it was designed by Hipgnosis.
Quella Vecchia Locanda by Quella Vecchia Locanda (1972)
Quella Vecchia Locanda' eponymous debut is one of the most beautiful albums to come from the fertile Italian progressive rock scene from the seventies. The same goes for the artistic sleeve design by Giancarlo Impiglia with Armando Mancini.
Octopus by Gentle Giant (1972)
Octopus is the fourth album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant. The striking cover is by Roger Dean, who eatures a total of three times in this post. Curiously, it was released with a different cover by Charles White (still featuring an octopus, but trapped in a glass container) in the USA and Canada.
Lady Lake by Gnidrolog (1972)
Lady Lake is the second studio album of the British progressive rock band, Gnidrolog. It is largely forgotten nowadays, even in the prog community, but the cover remains a classic. The art work is credited to Bruce Pennington.
Uomo di Pezza by Le Orme (1972)
Uomo di Pezza is the third studio album by Italian progressive rock band Le Orme. To my taste it is one of the best from that scene - and the same holds for the striking colourful cover, which is credited to Walter Mac Mazzieri and Mario Convertino.
Demons and Wizards by Uriah Heep (1972)
Demons and Wizards is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock band Uriah Heep, with a cover designed by Roger Dean. This band is another victim of my self-imposed limit of one album cover per act per post, because The Magician's Birthday from the same year (also by Roger Dean) was another strong candidate.
Copyright statement: posting lower quality album covers is deemed fair use.
