Too tough to pick just one, I mean LCD’s self titled, Obscured By Clouds, All Things Must Pass, Crush, Longwave, The OOZ, pretty much every Kurt Vile record… all goated in my eyes. I’ll use my cop out answer to highlight 2 of my favorite contemporary album artists.
First, local dude Perry Shall, who has designed many releases on Dan Auerbach’s label Easy Eye Sound. Some great Shannon & The Clams covers, an overlooked but incredibly solid Radiator Hospital album — I especially love his portrait style covers. I certainly ripped that template when designing the bootleg cover in the pinned post on my page. Which leads into artist #2…
Andrew Savage of Parquet Courts fame has also designed each of the band’s releases, plus an Ultimate Painting split on Woodsist, plus I’m pretty sure both of his solo albums. Light Up Gold, Human Performance, Wide Awake!! C’mon… check out the portfolio section on his website, too, for some paintings from over the years. Asked To Leave and In Texas No Less are two of my faves.
Aug 22, 2024
Related Recs
Since coreydubrowa claimed the most iconic Peter Saville album cover, I figured I’d claim the second. Rarely does an album cover look as good on your screen as it would framed on a wall in your den. Peter Saville might be one of my fav graphic designers ever, and I actually was only lead to Joy Division & New Order because of his work, not the other way around. Fascinating how sometimes music leads you to art, and other times art leads you to music.
Aug 21, 2024
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Ten by Pearl Jam is one of my all time favorite classic/hard rock slash grunge albums. Hole’s album Live Through This is more of a melodic grunge/alternative rock, but a solid female vocal album. I feel like it never really got all the flowers it deserved because it was a female vocalist at the same time. I just ignore the fact that it’s Courtney Love lol. I’ve said this in a rec before and I’ll say it again: I will listen to ANYTHING that Chris Cornell worked on lol. He was a part of a few 90s grungy bands, so if you haven’t already definitely check out Soundgarden, Audioslave, and/or Temple of the Dog. Superunknown by Soundgarden is probably one of the best known. Some are popular enough, but ones I feel were all pretty quintessential 90s albums that were a great part of the sound.
Jan 19, 2025
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It's no secret that I'm Power-Pop-pilled.
and Real Heads already know this, but the Perfectly Imperfect spray logo is uhh... heavily inspired...by an obscure archival Teenage Fanclub t-shirt from the early 90s. That being said, I'm new to The Toms & this album, I'm just happy to have discovered it. Isn't the best when an artists comes out the gate with a debut that already feels like a Greatest Hits compilation? Unfortunately none of these songs ended up being hits, but they damn well sound have been.
This becomes even cooler when you consider that The Toms (which is really just a dude named Tom from Jersey) recorded all 32 songs in his garage over just 3 days. Legend shit for real.
My favorites are "Other Boys Do," "I Did The Wrong Thing," and "Passport to Heaven," but if I'm being honest I truly love every track on here. i LOVE this album.
Oct 12, 2023
Top Recs from @jackmadden
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Get a haircut, get rid of some clothes you haven’t worn in years, get a new houseplant, get in touch with the changing season, get grounded, get stoned, get in touch with some old friends, get some ice cream, get going
Mar 25, 2024
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Overnight low of 62° and it’ll start raining soon :)
Apr 12, 2024
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Friends you met out in the neighborhood at a bar or park or cafe or wherever a couple times and struck up a rapport with.
You don’t have eachother’s phone numbers, no social media info.
I have a couple friends like this and it’s been such a nice social change up. Always a pleasant surprise to bump into them out and about.
Jan 24, 2024