Covers

I know, I know, we're all sick of end-of-the-year blog lists. But I've been looking at best-of and worst-of music lists for 2009 and I haven't seen my picks represented. Pitchfork elected the worse album covers of 2009, but among them there are some I thought were pretty good (even though Dark Meat's When the shelter came probably is the worst album cover of the decade.)

Without getting too much into the merit of the music, here are some of the album covers that made me excited this year. And the ones that didn't.

The best

Madonna - Celebration

Iconic as the songs in this collection.

Basement Jaxx - Scars

I like how the Jaxx always incorporate some animal elements in their cover art.

Pet Shop Boys - Yes

Pet Shop Boys + white background = great album! A clever cover, as Neil puts it.

Tori Amos - Midwinter Graces

Pitchfork crapped on it, but I actually like how she looks like a superhero.

CFCF - Continent

A simple cover, but very evocative.

Céu - Vagarosa

Beautiful light.

Secos & Molhados - Sempre

This is an old picture for a greatest hits collection, but what a great shot of Ney Matogrosso.

The worst

MSTRKRFT - Fist of God

The album is pretty good -- Toronto's own Daft Punk -- but the graphics look cheap and amateurish.

Franz Ferdinand - Tonight

Weak album, uninspired cover.

Joss Stone - Colour Me Free

What a mess. Who is managing this girl? I'd be trying to escape too.

David Guetta - One Love

That's what happens when you spend too much on guest appearances: no money left for album art. Dude looks like Adrien Brody on a bad hair day.

Flaming Lips - Embryonic

Is this what I think it is?

Air - Love 2

I used to like Air more when they were behind the scenes and we didn't see them so much. They look so tired in this unimaginative cover.

Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment

Is it Rihanna gone white? Simon Lebon circa 1984? David Bowie in Labyrinth?

I don't know, but the graffiti font is classy.

Looking forward to 2010.