CD Art, A New Lame Poll Options

[Hoodstock]

I got to thinking three things:

1. Nobody's been creating any new topics lately
2. That means there hasn't been much to post about
3. Why did Live make Radiant Sea look like a burnt CD?

Hence the topic. Which Live CD has the best design on the actual CD itself. It's a pretty dry topic since most of the CD's aren't that artsy, but I thought I'd leave it up to the people.


Now, since this is such a lame topic I'm going to put some effort into it. Included below is a link to the Live albums. Off of this link you can go to each album and see each CD that is inside the case and what it looks like. I'm strictly basing this on the American versions. This way, nobody is left out if they are missing an album, or do not have the actual American albums, because they can take the time to look at each one.

Here's the link - Albums

Enjoy!

[Hoodstock]

By the way, since you are dying to know, I went with Radiant Sea over Awake. Close call, but I thought it was actually hilarious that they made RS look like that.

[Pokey]

I'm sensing something with the last 2 releases, SFBM and Radiant Sea both have a Throwing Copper era look to them, the text, the colours, the placing of things on the album cover .. its like they dont want to make the same music they did back then, they know everyone wants that, so they'll try make the covers look as much like back then as possible hoping everyone will judge a book, or cd, by its cover and buy it in hopes of another Throwing Copper.

Yeah, I'm onto you, Live!

[SecretInsomnia]

I have several favo's lookin at Live cd-covers
But I think TDTH has the most detailed, meaningfull, but still abstract artwork.

Let's see

Mental Jewelry --> I like it, but it's not super special, cool thing is that the band is used in the artwork, the only time that they did that was with V. Logo looks oke with the crosses, but it also looks not very professional. Booklet not very special, ok.

Throwing Copper --> cool cover, because u don't know what's it about at first sight. Also, I always thought it was a used paining from some famous painter or something, but as I understand correctly, it's made espcially for Live. Ohw, and the first time they used the 'classic' Live logo. Booklet not very special, ok.

Secret Samadhi --> Cool cover, but very black. It covers the songs though. The use of a boedhistic tattoe (to call it that ), toghter with the band name + album title, just that, makes it very 'epic' looking, so much black. I also like this Live logo, but the TC one has more of a rockstyle with it. I like the booklet

The Distance To Here --> Like I said: very detailled, and also represents the songs very good: the musical style is bright, but in many directions. The spiritual atmosphere in the songs flowss well in the artwork. The only thing that could be better is, on the front, delete the fish, and only have the detailled artwork left. Logo is good, but not my no.1. But still the best to use for commercial reasons and promotion etc; modern + timeless. Also the booklet is full of art, very good.

V --> A little uninspired (just like the title ), if u ask me. The paper is also weird for a lay-in, but it all fits again with the music: Live wanted this to be a modern rock album and the artwork let it look like that, together with the stars etc. But maybe they still shouldn't had to break the law of: no band photo on the cover. Classic Live logo and is good in that colour. Bootleg a bit odd, but artsy.

Birds Of Prey [--> Although I like the cover, it's the worst Live logo ever created, iewhw. Some sort of Robot-letters or what? Damn, I really don't like that. But the bird-logo, used on very things in that era, is cool. The only time that an album had an own logo. So the bird-logo itself is good. The cover is cool. the artwork goes on one hand in the direction of TDTH(spiritual), but at the other hand more modern, photographic, but very Live. Also this fits the content: modern rock, but a lill step to their old songs. Blue-black-and white is great, I think. Booklet is not very special, altough a cool band pic in the middle.

Awake --> When this artwork was released, many comments were: why just a screenshot of a Live video. I was never able to see many Live videos before Awake came, so I didn't know the shot and was like: ahh, a very meaningfull Live pict, it had something cool. After that, now I know the video, I still thinks Awake has a good artwork, with good colours and again a new Live logo, but still using the TC one in it. It's very cool done to point out the albums in the booklet and quotes Ed on some things.

Songs From Black Mountain --> Better artwork than I expecting it before. I liked to cover at first sight, although showing only Ed on the cover is just wrong. The colours together with the Red makes it look great. But I think it's the only cover that doesn't fit the songs: cover is dark and songs are bright. the Booklet is oke.

Radiant Sea --> I didn't received this one, but at first sight I thought it wasn't very professional. The light-green Album Title on the darker-green this awful, and it also looks like a word art thing!, but al together it has a lill retro-Live-look, refering to the well known Live shirt, and usting the red cross. Is there a booklet?

[Badman]

Cool post Calm but He said "actual cd" not album cover. I thought of making this topic but I figured it had been done before and it was too boring.

TDTH is the best. I have never seen a more detailed CD than this one. We need to get a pic of the radiant sea cd because I never bought it, I just ordered the 2 songs.

[torcatofan]

I'm basing this off album covers. Ranking CD art is sort of pointless since you can't see the CD when it's in the CD player anyways. Plus most CDs resemble the album cover.

1. Secret Samadhi
2. Throwing Copper
3. The Distance to Here
4. Awake
5. Birds of Pray
6. Mental Jewelry
7. Radiant Sea
8. V
9. Songs from Black Mountain

This post has been edited by torcatofan: Oct 14 2007, 10:30 am

[Hoodstock]

I'm not talking about the album covers, I'm talking about the actual CD itself, and not the shiny side. I guess that means people are voting on different things but who gives a shit. At least there's actually a discussion.

If this was about CD covers I would have said TDTH was my favorite with RS a close second. I really dig the red cross symbol since it reminds me of Ed's shirt fomr Unplugged.

Ed, I want a shirt just like it!

[Alex]

I think Radiant Sea looks absolutely terrible. Very unprofessional.

Artwork... SS is probably my favourite, followed by either TC or TDTH.

(Oh, and to the person who mentioned it above, the TC cover painting wasn't produced for Live. I can't remember who drew it anymore, but it certainly wasn't originally intended for the cover)

[Tina]

Everytime there is a poll about art work, I never hesitate to vote for The Distance to Here. The album cover, back cover, inside booklet and actual CD itself are all very creative.

[Badman]

(Oh, and to the person who mentioned it above, the TC cover painting wasn't produced for Live. I can't remember who drew it anymore, but it certainly wasn't originally intended for the cover)

Peter Howson and It is titled sisters of mercy. I wish they would have put a stretch of "the age of apathy" on some album. Howson is a pretty good artist and If I had the money I would buy a piece... I'm never gunna have that money...

[torcatofan]

Peter Howson and It is titled sisters of mercy. I wish they would have put a stretch of "the age of apathy" on some album. Howson is a pretty good artist and If I had the money I would buy a piece... I'm never gunna have that money...

Here's the image that's on the album cover, if you don't have it. Makes a great desktop background.

http://www.geocities.com/puckett86/tc_wallpaper.jpg

This post has been edited by torcatofan: Oct 14 2007, 10:10 pm

[AgentK7]

I'm basing this off album covers. Ranking CD art is sort of pointless since you can't see the CD when it's in the CD player anyways. Plus most CDs resemble the album cover.

1. Secret Samadhi
2. Throwing Copper
3. The Distance to Here
4. Awake
5. Birds of Pray
6. Mental Jewelry
7. Radiant Sea
8. V
9. Songs from Black Mountain

Maybe we should have a separate new thread for album art? I agree with you, the album art is much more important to me then the physical CD art.

However, I'm surprised at your number 1 choice for album art. I personally think the album art of Secret Samadhi is another reason that album did so poorly and led to the mass exodus of US fans. (The unpronouncable name being it's biggest flaw, the cover you sometimes have to tilt to see what it is, otherwise it's black.... not even getting into its audio content).

[torcatofan]

Maybe we should have a separate new thread for album art? I agree with you, the album art is much more important to me then the physical CD art.

However, I'm surprised at your number 1 choice for album art. I personally think the album art of Secret Samadhi is another reason that album did so poorly and led to the mass exodus of US fans. (The unpronouncable name being it's biggest flaw, the cover you sometimes have to tilt to see what it is, otherwise it's black.... not even getting into its audio content).

It's dark and mysterious. It matches the album material very well.

[aLIVEinNORWAY]

I really dig the red cross symbol since it reminds me of Ed's shirt fomr Unplugged.

Ed, I want a shirt just like it!

I have understand the topic. I go for TC. The classic Live logo, and what a great colour on the cd.

Hoodstock i agree with you that RS is a great cover, and I have a green shirt with the red cross and the classick Live logo.

[AgentK7]

It's dark and mysterious. It matches the album material very well.

You got me on a technicality there. No question the album was a little too dark for its own good (and hence the mass exodus of fans) and the mystery is why the band thought they could ditch Harrison.....