A guest posting by flimflamfan (and a great idea for a new series)
Uncovered / Unwrapped
Music is great, isn’t it? I’m sure each of us could wax lyrical on a multitude of genres; the artists, art work and illustrators (me, less so when it comes to illustrators) and most importantly, how that music makes us feel.
I’d like, if I may, to concentrate on art work; from the outer sleeve design and liner notes to the inner sleeve and liner notes, label, and if included, a booklet. The music plays as we (I hope you don’t mind the collective we?) pore over all of the information provided and the lyrics. Oh, the lyrics. Is it a standard rite of passage or only a rite of passage for those interested? I can’t answer that. However, what I can say is that on some occasions the art work seemed almost as important as the music.
Art work had a way of drawing me in. All those racks (please leave your double-entendres at the door) to explore, and all that music vying for my attention. An effort had to be made by bands/labels to make their release stand out and more than that stand up to the ever-changing whims of style and trends.
In a recent conversation with JC and Strangeways I noted that I often bought music based solely on the art work. I found it intriguing. I may like the cover art, but what would this sound like? What are its musical influences? Are they what I think they might be? What I hope they will be? There was only ever one way to find out – buy it. I often did. Now, these were rarely new LPs. They were second-hand and at the very affordable end of second-hand. I wasn’t being frivolous, oh no.
And so, it is, that I write this piece. Am I the only one that did this? JC and Strangeways didn’t – which I found odd. Based on the percentages, it was clearly me that was odd.
Before I offer up an LP bought for its cover art alone – I’d like to ask if anyone else did this / does this and share their cover art(s)? This could be a solo, irregular series from me but I’m hoping it may become a wider series for TnVV readers.
14 Iced Bears – 14 Iced Bears
There are perhaps some of you who may be thinking “they were on Sarah, you would have known about them?” I can honestly say I hadn’t. That may be because Come Get Me was released on Sarah in the same year as the LP (Thunderball Records, 1988). The previous proper singles (Frank Records) were, at that point, unknown to me.
I couldn’t wait to get this home. I bought it from the second-hand section of Missing Records (Glasgow) – located on the mezzanine. It was £2.99.
Take It sets the scene for this 10 track LP, and for me, that scene was one of psychedelic noise that immediately made me think New. Favourite. Band.
mp3: 14 Iced Bears – Take It
Quieter moments on the LP reminded me, in places, of another emerging band, Stone Roses.
I can’t say for certain, but I think that Take It would have appeared on my DJ playlist from that time?
The band released three LPs in its initial stage – two studio albums 14 Iced Bears and Wonder and a compilation Precision (singles 86 – 89). All are worth searching out.
Until the band split, I remained an active fan and believe their output to be some of the most interesting from that time. Often associated with shoegaze the band reformed when the first full-throated revival took hold in 2010/11.
From seeing the art work, to listening to the songs, to realising the connections to the emerging scene, that £2.99 bought me a little glint of happiness, a glint that continues to catch my eye.
I’ve added two more songs from the LP that I hope you’ll enjoy.
mp3: 14 Iced Bears – Cut
mp3: 14 Iced Bears – Florence
If you’ve had a similar experience, why not share it – otherwise there’ll be more of my nostalgic nonsense.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Great post, flimflamfan, and a great idea. Rest assured, you are not alone, although most if not all of my ‘by the cover’ purchases were secondhand/bargain basement rather than brand new/full price. I’ll try to unearth an example or two. Either way, good to hear 14 Iced Bears…
Agree totally. You can get a great sense of a band’s taste, influences and aspirations from a sleeve, and also have some clue to the mood of the music. Tom Waits’s 70s LPs perfectly reflect the romantic Americana nightlife aspect of the songs, Go-Betweens’ Before Hollywood is a subtle Dylan reference, Saville’s Joy Division sleeves bolstered the band’s sepulchral mystique.
(That said, eye of the beholder and all that, but this Iced Bears thing looks like a totally horrible sleeve, blurry unpleasant colours and the cheapest font in the Letraset box. The music is better).
The converse of this is when a band you love put out a sleeve you hate. I loved the early Teardrop Explodes singles on Zoo, but was quite dismayed when I saw the original cover of Kilimanjaro. Still bought it obvs.
I’ve just re-looked at the original Teardrop Explodes Kilimanjaro cover art – which is my preference – and the copy I own. It’s not too dissimilar to 14 Iced Bears – add a wee bit of blur and they’d be very similar, I think. I, on the other hand, disliked the – maybe too literal – repress covert art of Kilimanjaro. Two people can like the same LP but prefer different cover art. As you say – eye of the beholder. Flimflamfan
I’ve never really ever been flush enough to splash out on records based on their artwork, though there are one or two exceptions. ‘Scar’ by Lush was bought for that reason the week it came out, though admittedly it was 50% artwork and 50% it being on 4AD. Sometimes a single may have been purchased due to its artwork back in the day when you could pick them up for 50p as loss leaders.
You are right though – the artwork is part of the package. The digital age may have brought us all the music we could ever possibly want at the touch of a button, but the joy of “the package” can still only be enjoyed through physical product.
I love cover art and it was a big part of my enjoyment of vinyl LPs, but I can’t say I ever bought a record based solely on the jacket. ‘Take It’ sounds like a Stone Roses 33.3 record played at 45 rpm.
Enjoyed this post and subsequent comments. I didn’t buy London Calling exclusively for the sleeve – but it gave me a nudge. I tend to like immediate and impactful images like that – see also: Smiths sleeves. Great idea, FFF.
Yes, this is a great idea for a series. Sleeve art matters massively and I think I have bought records based at least partly on their sleeves.
I bought a double lp by Ultra Vivid Scene based purely on the cover art . I would love to say it led to a life long relationship but alas it’s still the only thing I own by them
Sleeve and liner notes are (still) an important part of the package. During the 80’s I can’t say I bought records based on the sleeve itself – but I could (and would still do) buy something unknown to me based on who designed the artwork, or the producer or label. I mean if it was designed by 23 Envelope you knew it very likely was great.
As I still buy new music I have to admit now I have no clue about designers or producers – now it’s the music solely. Crate digging is different.
I bought Lou Reed’s R’n’R Animal cos of the sleeve! I wasn’t disappointed!
Great question! I think I’ve only once bought a record purely for the cover, a gorgeous little 10inch ep by Lemonjelly. Sadly the contents were shite, so off it went again….