The Shadow-gloom and Weight of the Sacred

Music has always been a big part of my life and I have many memories based upon the music to which I as listening at a given point. When we took an initial, two-week survey trip to Vienna during the summer of 2005, I only brought one CD with me (I didn't own an iPod until 2008): Frances the Mute by The Mars Volta. I spent the summer of 1997 working with at-risk kids in St. Louis, MO. Near the end of that summer I bought The Wall by Pink Floyd. I listened to it nonstop on my walkman (I didn't own a CD player until 1999) during the eight or nine hour ride from St. Louis to OKC.

In some ways, I made the move from CD to iPod with reluctance. I really like the ease with which I can buy music for my iPod, but I always felt that the album art was a meaningful part of the package. Artists who put little or no thought into their album art work are missing a great opportunity to further connect with their audience and fans in a meaningful way. I don't just love the music, I love the album cover, the liner notes--I loved the experience of going to the record store and flipping through all the CDs, eventually settling on what I was going to buy only after an hour of contemplation. My absolute, irrefutably favorite bands, like U2 or Pearl Jam, I still buy their CDs. I must admit, sometimes I buy their CDs from online retailers and that's really more pragmatic than magical. So, today's top five is a bit nostalgic because I think the days of the record store are numbered, which basically means the days of the album cover are numbered. Unless, of course, you're moved by that 1.5 centimeter picture on the iPod.

This list is not my top 5 favorite album covers, although some of these album covers might make that list. I'm giving the top 5 a little twist and focusing on simple album covers that have made, in my life at least, a lasting impression.


5. The Velvet Underground & Nico by the Velvet Underground. Andy Warhol designed this album cover. I'd try to write something nifty about this album cover, but I think that might contradict my "greatness in simplicity" theme. Frank Zappa is credited with saying something like "Writing about music is like dancing about politics." I'll leave it at that.







4. Darkside of the Moon by Pink Floyd. This album defines "complete package." Front cover to back. Start to finish.










3. The Beatles by the Beatles. A.K.A. The White Album. Completely blank, but so engaging.











2. Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. There's just something visually engaging about that swimming pool.










1. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan. Gretchen and I like to recreate this album cover whenever we can.















Honorable Mention: No Line on the Horizon by U2, Rubber Soul by the Beatles, The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails, Weezer by Weezer, Coda by Led Zeppelin, The Cross of Changes by Enigma.