Brian's New Album Cover

[Aegir]

Despite what Mike Love said in "Endless Harmony," it was the combination of optimism and melancholy that sold the original Beach Boys songs so well. There was a feeling like it was the greatest moment ever, and that we have to hang on before it's too late.

I never really looked at it that way, but now it seems like the only interpretation.

It won't be long 'til summertime is through...

[Mr. Wilson]

I personally dont care for the cover...TOO LOUD..!!

[elnombre]

I like it a lot - in fact its the first of his solo album covers (besides SMiLE) that I have liked. It should definitely stand out on the record store shelf (record stores still have shelves, right?)...perhaps the poppies will be printed on the slipcase of the CD/DVD combo to reveal something else underneath?

[elnombre]

By the way, curiously enough Amazon has the vinyl edition listed for August 19th. Probably just a mistake?

http://www.amazon.com/That-Lucky-Old-Brian-Wilson/dp/B001BN731Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1216104021&sr=1-2

[Rocker]

Like the cover alot. It looks really fresh and "full of life".  I agree, it reminds me a little of "Wild honey" too.

[MBE]

By the way, curiously enough Amazon has the vinyl edition listed for August 19th. Probably just a mistake?

http://www.amazon.com/That-Lucky-Old-Brian-Wilson/dp/B001BN731Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1216104021&sr=1-2

Sometimes they do that to boost sales. Perl Jam's Vitalogy (SP?) made top 50 on the charts just as a vinyl release.

[Roger Ryan]

By the way, curiously enough Amazon has the vinyl edition listed for August 19th. Probably just a mistake?

http://www.amazon.com/That-Lucky-Old-Brian-Wilson/dp/B001BN731Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1216104021&sr=1-2

Sometimes they do that to boost sales. Perl Jam's Vitalogy (SP?) made top 50 on the charts just as a vinyl release.

I read somewhere (maybe in the same Rolling Stone notice) that the vinyl will come out a couple weeks before the CD version.

[donald]

Brian's production people really should consult with us before doing anything.

[brianc]

Exactly!

[TdHabib]

I like the album cover a good deal-whoops all over GIOMH, which was a horrible album cover from Peter Blake of all people!

[LostArt]

From someone who didn't get to see That Lucky Old Sun in concert (yet), does this cover resemble anything that was in the visuals for the concert?

[the captain]

I like the album cover a good deal-whoops all over GIOMH, which was a horrible album cover from Peter Blake of all people!

I agree: that was the worst BW cover of all time, in my opinion.

[the captain]

I like the album cover a good deal-whoops all over GIOMH, which was a horrible album cover from Peter Blake of all people!

I agree: that was the worst BW cover of all time, in my opinion.

Oh wait, the xmas album cover sucked, too. My eyes still hurt from that.

[mikeyj]

I like the album cover a good deal-whoops all over GIOMH, which was a horrible album cover from Peter Blake of all people!

I agree: that was the worst BW cover of all time, in my opinion.

Oh wait, the xmas album cover sucked, too. My eyes still hurt from that.

Ain't there at least two versions of that cover? I have a shiny one, but wasn't there the non-shiny one as well? At least it appears that way on some websites.

I agree though, the GIOMH cover sucked big time.

[brother john]

What are you talking about?

The "Smile" album art is incredible, and Brian was totally involved with the creation behind that. Besides which, I think the album sleeve for the "Surfin' U.S.A." LP is amazing (definitively inspiring a bevy of imitations in 1963). The "All Summer Long" album cover is bossanova era perfection, as well. And what is not to like with the cover of Today!" or "Pet Sounds"? I also love the covers for "Smiley Smile," "Sunflower," "Surf's Up" and "Holland." It seems to me that Brian and/or the Beach Boys are prefectly capable of delivering a fine piece of album jacket art.

I'm astonished that anyone considers BWPS album art as good - its incredibly cheesy and utterly out of sync with the music inside, and looks as if it was designed for the supermarket shelf. I look at the BWPS cover and think of low-fat spread (margarine) or mouth freshener. The little steel engraved vignettes inside are cute, but the main logo sucks a big fat one.

[shelter]

Basically it's just ugly, but at the same time I love how it looks so sunny and retro. So I like it. Even though it looks like a design for on an oilcloth.

[Dancing Bear]

The whole gallery.
I don't know, it's not the worst BW solo cover by a long shot.

[XY]

Yes, SMiLE looks really like a washing powder box for extra white results. 
Here's the single:

[shelter]

I think BWPS looks OK... WIRWFC is easily the worst out of these covers, followed by Imagination... BW88 and the two live albums look pretty bad too. I do like GIOMH's cover art a lot, and OCA is actually one of my favorite album covers.

[Aegir]

GIOMH is without a doubt his worst album cover.

[Smilin Ed H]

BW 88's pretty good.  The BB were never the best for cover art, but I'd take 88 as one of the best (easily the best solo cover) - with KTSA, Symphonic Sounds, Knebworth (all versions),  the Christmas albums (all of them), GIOMH, Rarities (the one with the Brad Elliott liners), Spirit of America and the almost frightening Endless Summer -  plus various compilations featuring someone on a surfboard (excepting Warmth of the Sun, the melancholy glow of which I rather like).

The covers for the individual CDs in the GV box set are even worse than GIOMH!

Best, um, probably Surf's Up, Wild Honey, Friends, All Summer Long, Surfin' USA, POB, Holland, Sunflower, original SMiLE (though I don't particularly mind BWPS, it's just not good), Bummer in Paradise (if you have the right version), and, uh, BW 88.

[Jay]

The cover of TLOS looks like a cheap bootleg cover to me. 

[XY]

The cover of TLOS looks like a cheap bootleg cover to me. 

Personally, I'm often surprised how much effort bootleggers put into artwork & packing.
Perhaps it would be an idea for the next time to run a fan cover contest or something like that.

Like BW '88 the best. And "Sweet Insanity" would've been nice as well:

http://bp3.blogger.com/_SrdmfrAElJ8/Ru_1muzI4II/AAAAAAAAAHs/27t0pE0_3Zw/s320/sweetinsanity2.jpg

Really cheap looking is "Pet Sounds Live". I mean - sorry for sounding big headed - I create something like that in 2 minutes with photoshop.
WIRWFC is some kind of standard design. Saw a similar cover from at least 2 other artists.
They tried to get a good cover for GIOMH, unfortunately Blake wasn't able to create another Pepper. Wouldn't surprise me if this was the most expensive artwork for a BW solo album.

[Jay]

My question about the TLOS cover is, what the heck is with the oranges? Is there something about it in the lyrics? It's been a while since I've listened to one of the audience tapes of it.

[TonyW]

My question about the TLOS cover is, what the heck is with the oranges? Is there something about it in the lyrics? It's been a while since I've listened to one of the audience tapes of it.

Oranges are to California as Pineapples are to Hawaii, as Cocaine is to Columbia and Heroin is to Afgahnistan.

South of LA is Orange County.