Best Album Covers - 2007
I told iTunes to make me a Smart Playlist of all the albums I added in 2007, and from those I selected these, my favourite record sleeves of the year. You should do yours, too.


Pet Shop Boys - Disco Four

One fan said it best: "So minimal, it's hardly there." Clever, too, with the four lights making the number 4. Also like how "Disco" is typed out in tiny gay rainbow colors, subtly contrasting the whole thing kind of playfully.


Daft Punk - Alive 2007

This may have resonance only if you've been to Daft Punk's pyramid-based light show of the apocalypse, but I think it looks quite good on its own. Properly retro, ominous, exciting, and instantly recognizable -- I love iconography. You know now and forever these symbols are Daft Punk even without the Daft Punk logo.


Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust

I'm a sucker for in-photo props representing what would otherwise be plain text, a la Depeche Mode's Singles collections. Kind of a male M.I.A. thing going on visually, and a cute kitten.


Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is (EP)

I know this doesn't seem very remarkable but it's one of those sleeves I just catch myself staring at for a few minutes, trying to figure out exactly what's going on and seeing other accidental images instead. Lovely colour/composition/etc..


M.I.A. - Kala

I really love M.I.A.'s "fuck you, I made this in Microsoft Works 17 years ago!" kind of approach to graphic design.


Soulwax - Most of the Remixes...

Pay attention, Hard-Fi. This is how you do ironic/pissy "we can't be bothered to design a cover/we think graphic design's a load of bullshit" covers. It's also cool because, according to Wikipedia, the album title is 100 characters longer than Fiona Apple's When The Pawn..., which had previously been the longest ever album title.

SUCK IT, FIONA!


Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Of course, another iconic, non-logo cover. Plus, the whole package is really cool. Great tactile stuff going on, and they integrated the design well into their live shows. I'm a big fan of continuity of design <--- possibly made up that phrase.


Feist - The Reminder

Crisp, cool, pretty. Makes you want to give it a listen. Fits the music perfectly.


The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night

Even when the Chems don't make a classic album, they always make a classic album cover. I think this one's somehow iconic without actually containing any iconic music.