A lot of the best cover art I think really needs to be seen IRL on vinyl to really "do it" for me. Like, having it on CD, and on Vinyl, the latter just makes a MUCH stronger impression. I don't mean to sound snobby or anything, you can absolutely appreciate these lovely cover arts without the Vinyl, but it every time I get Vinyl it just looks so much better than the art ever did when I saw it on CD or on the monitor. Also, the backside artwork often completes the whole thing.
Spires that In the Sunset Rise - This Is Fire
I always loved this album cover and was really interested in what the music would sound like. I saw it around 2007 or 2008 in last.fm, as a prolific user had it their PFP. It's a really evocative painting that reflects the mysterious music.
Genesis - Nursery Cryme
The first song off this album , The Musical Box, changed my listening habits forever, and the cover art made a huge impact on me as well. In fact, the cover art relates specifically to the story of that song.
Gryphon - Red Queen to Gryphon Three
Extremely pleasant prog rock/folk, with plenty of lovely crumhorns, bassoons, and recorders! The cover art is just jam packed with fantasy, fairytale imagery and in front and center you've got a gorgeous old guy, pondering over a chess-like board game. I mean, You just wanna live inside this drawing.
Sacramentum - Far Away from the Sun
Another drawing I'd like to live inside of, but in the complete opposite way. It just looks so fucking cool.
Le Orme - Uomo di Pezza
This belongs in a museum, right?
Swans - White Light from the Mouth of Infinity / Love of Life
The booklet containing the following additional artworks:
https://www.reddit.com/r/swans/comments ... s_did_for/
Really completes the whole experience. I always like to group the two embedded artworks and the one with the rabbit holding the dismembered head. Unfortunately I can't find these anywhere else online to embed them directly, so just go to Reddit if you're interested.
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I would say those Naked City and The Gerogerigegege covers are fine to be unspoilered for example, not that it matters that much.
