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Sounds Of The Universe

PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:39 pm
by latebar
Am disappointed with the sleeve, must be the ugliest DM sleeve ever![}:)]

What do u guys think?

http://www.amazon.com/Sounds-Universe-D ... 638&sr=8-1

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:32 am
by MetaMatrix
i like it - as much as the one for the new psb album ! [8D]

"music is organized noise !"

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:55 am
by MARV
I'm sorry to say, it's a pretty weak design [V]

<a href="http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/marvymarv/?action=view¤t=41fjBIR21vL_SL500_AA240_.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/marvymarv/41fjBIR21vL_SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

That Helvetica at the bottom is the least inspired typographical solution I've ever seen in my life. What's Anton trying to do, make an anti-design statement?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:47 am
by Sean
[:0]

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:53 am
by Retro_NRG
Looks like the artist was inspired by a bunch of Pickup Sticks
<IMG SRC="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2400/2475683496_477e7d4cd8.jpg?v=0">

BTW.. has anyone else seen their <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=52704787" target="blank">latest vid</a> for 'Wrong'? (Pretty dark, disturbing & faithful to the song IMO)


<MARQUEE><h5>Moving @The Speed of Life</h5></MARQUEE>

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:53 am
by tenohtwo
Worst DM album cover, in my opinion. Looks like Tinkertoys on an ashtray. The title font definitely cheapens it more.

1002

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:46 am
by Judas101
Ditto!! I could have made them a better Album cover lol..
Sound of the Universe!!? Where's the solar system? Milkey way? stars? UFO & Martians lol..




<a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/depeche%20mode/sober0406/depeche-mode.jpg?o=20" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m1/sober0406/depeche-mode.jpg"></a>

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:29 am
by Mechi
It's a rather bad looking cover in comparison to the rest of them (the thing is that DM's albums have some of the best designs ever to account for... Violator, Some Great Reward, MFTM). Well, the cover for Ultra is not that great also. But this is far worse.
The video for Wrong is good in my opinion. So is the song.
Hope that I'm able to see them live this time.

http://www.fotolog.com/mechi2mechi

PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:39 am
by MetaMatrix
imho the worst covers of dm were the ones for the "martyr" single & the "best of ... vol. 1" compilation - total crap ! [}:)]

btw : if u think that the "sounds of the universe" cover is already bad , what do u actually think about the new psb & thomas dolby covers ? [;)]

<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/sazjhs.jpg">

<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-UAkrsVEL._SS500_.jpg">

[?]


"music is organized noise !"

PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:47 am
by MARV
[quote][i]Originally posted by MetaMatrix[/i]
<br>btw : if u think that the "sounds of the universe" cover is already bad , what do u actually think about the new psb & thomas dolby covers ? [;)]

<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/sazjhs.jpg">

<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-UAkrsVEL._SS500_.jpg">

[?]


"music is organized noise !"
[/quote]

The PSB cover design elements utilize the space far more thoughtfully. The relationship between the meanings of the text and the check mark are sensible and creative. The typographical treatment is understated and subtle, quietly intense and gives balance to the asymmetrical check mark. The negative space all around is palatable.

The Dolby cover isn't quite challenging but then again it isn't all that aesthetically offensive either.

Depeche Mode have a very rich history of very well thought out brand imaging and it was my great pleasure to meet Anton Corbijn not just once, but twice. He even autographed my copy of his books Strangers and Star Trak. He has been a great source of inspiration in my own work as a graphic designer.

I can probably draw a relevant dichotomy between the stick-like elements of the DM cover with what I saw on their stage setup at the German Echo Awards. Hopefully that was a glimpse as to what their tour rig will look like - I thought it looked pretty damned marvelous. But still, I remain of the opinion that the Sounds of the Universe cover looks weak. It looks rushed and amateur-like. All the pieces of the design are struggling. I do love the title though; it's deliciously arrogant a la Music For the Masses. I think what bothers me the most is the text on the bottom. It just adds nothing to the overall design. It actually takes away.

In spite of how I feel about this album cover, I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the family of covers for this campaign and seeing how they'll all relate.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:24 am
by Retro_NRG
For such a grandiose title, it seems anathema for DM to opt for such a simplistic composition.

IMHO, seems that this typifies the diminishing need for relevant album art as we transition further from a physical (tangible) to a digital (intangible) packaging of the music product medium.

For us aging album art purists, at least draw from something that could better allow one's imagination to contemplate the semantics of the title as it relates to the artwork. Given DM's artful lineage, might a <a href="http://www.bergoiata.org/fe/digital3/Digital%20Blasphemy%20-%20Blue%20Hibiscus.jpg" target="blank">melding of previous thematic imagery </a>be a better way to go?





<MARQUEE><h5>Moving @The Speed of Life</h5></MARQUEE>

PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:31 am
by tenohtwo
That PSB art looks like a Peter Saville job. He really went to the outer limits of creativity on New Order's last album:

<img src="http://991.com/newgallery/New-Order-Waiting-For-The-S-320341.jpg">

1002

PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:36 am
by djcraig
Did we just experience a rare Mechi sighting?



<a href="http://www.djcraig.net/los_angeles_dj">DJ Craig</a>

PostPosted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:34 pm
by Mechi
Yes indeed, everyonce in a while I come to see what's going on here... especially comments on releases like this one.
I'm busy but since lately I'm not sleeping well... I spend more time on the computer.



http://www.fotolog.com/mechi2mechi

PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:07 am
by MetaMatrix
quite an interesting analysis of the cover designs , marvymarv !

[quote][i]Originally posted by marvymarv[/i]
I think what bothers me the most is the text on the bottom. It just adds nothing to the overall design. It actually takes away.[/quote]

i agree that the way the album title is presented on the cover is indeed weak , but i also don't like the "D" , which is actually an "O" , in the band's name lettering !
apart from it the main "colored sticks / black circle" image isn't that bad imho ! [;)]

[quote][i]Originally posted by marvymarv[/i]I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the family of covers for this campaign and seeing how they'll all relate.[/quote]

well ... in case of the "wrong" single cover we already know that it's not really that different to the album cover idea ...

<img src="http://blog.geyrhalter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/depeche-mode-very-wrong.jpg">

erm ... oops ... "wrong" cover , sorry ! [}:)]

<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-DEFZ0lnxwQ/SagLMioURJI/AAAAAAAAA1s/jLYGIdENjtM/s320/wrong_prerelease_cover.jpg">

however ... the psb design is simple & effective , while the td design looks a wee bit "uninspired" to me @ least !

[quote][i]Originally posted by tenohtwo[/i]
<br>That PSB art looks like a Peter Saville job. He really went to the outer limits of creativity on New Order's last album:

<img src="http://991.com/newgallery/New-Order-Waiting-For-The-S-320341.jpg">[/quote]

some people still claim that the peter saville design for the last new order album was a more or less clear statement that he jus' didn't liked , what the band had come up with on that album & so his design says "No" to it ! [:D]

in the case of the new psb album it's obviously the opposite now ! [;)]



"music is organized noise !"