Elaborately Packaged Music (1 Viewer)

[Denny Oubidoux]

My copy of this record arrived today and I've just opened it for a look. The packaging is extremely irritating, I didn't look at it before I bought it.

The white inner sleeve (containing the marbled grey vinyl) is wrapped in a thick cardboard fold-over thing which has two obi-strip type things around it (so you have to take both off to get the record out. This is all wrapped in another outer cardboard wrapper that is also closed by two of the obi-strip things. The whole lot is covered in messy painting and writing which is made too difficult to bother reading by all the paint and DIY shit.

Do you love this kind of stuff? I find it a pain in the hole. I buy these things to listen to them, not look at them or spend all day opening and closing (I'm fussy about putting the records away again after I listen to them). I'm already suspicious that the music is incidental to a work of visual art but I haven't listened yet. It was only €17.50 so that wasn't too bad. Roy Harper's excuse for charging €45+ for his last album was that the cardboard was very lavish.

The other day I got a new cd which came in a cardboard box which could easily have held 4 or 5 cds in little wallets but the box had a tray something like a jewel case tray to hold the cd. The booklet is a little thicker than average but would probably have fitted in a jewel case too. Pointless.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Is there no "I don't buy physical music" option?

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

lol

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

I used to hate when I'd buy a CD and the artist had put it out on some wanky packaging that wouldn't fit on the fucking CD shelf

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

One of my bands put out an album in an a4 size plastic sleeve - I threw my copy away

 

[nooleen]

those pointless extra cardboard sleeves on CDs annoy me

 

[dunderhead]

can't think of too many over the top releases I own. the one I do have is this 5xLP collection of African Music.

wooden box is a bit too small and splintery. hassle getting it out. as a result it unintentionally hasn't been played for over a year I'd say. knew I loved the music on mp3 before I bought it though. would not buy blindly because of over the top presentation.
do like the mondo releases lately. but they are just really cool artwork. coloured vinyl though, not a fan. (their movie poster prints are usually really impressive too)
VINYL

 

[nlgbbbblth]

what is the album Shaney?

 

[rettucs]

the image has disappeared @Shaney

 

[nlgbbbblth]

awkward stuff I have

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime
Aphex Twin - Drugz
Primal Scream - Screamadelica 20th
Various - Brain In A Box
Various - Can You Dig It

 

[nlgbbbblth]

For box sets it's almost expected now.

It's ok but what I don't like is when they have flimsy holders for the discs. Jewel cases should be used instead

For regular albums it can be a pain.

i.e. Spiritualized's Ladies and Gentleman on 12 separate 3" discs. Paul Weller's Modern Classics spread over a set of 7"s. Waste of time.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

I don't mind it if the record still sells for a reasonable price and is easy enough to take out and play. But it seems to be almost more about the packaging than the music for some releases,and with the price of some is it any wonder people download?

 

[Lili Marlene]

I dislike big boxset versions of new albums. Fuck that, what if it's a really average album, why would you want the fancy version?


because you're a fan I guess.

 

[hydromancer]

Depends sometimes it seems like a gimmicky way to charge a bit extra for collector nerds other times it is more of an object but there are also some just good packaging ideas i think i geuss it's not to hard to get a bit ridiculous with it though.

 

[pete]

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

It really depends. On one hand, there are artists like NWW and The Hafler Trio who make absolutely fantastic releases that pair really well with the audio. On the other hand, Neil Young has put out a $100+ box set of his new album which features the same album in three different formats (an LP, another LP and a bunch of 6" records). I love Neil Young but fuck that.

 

[shidheat]

the ones that come to mind for me are the spiritualized cd's i have: pure phase, lagwafis and let it come down. the covers are ruined from being jammed in here and there because they didn't fit on the shelf properly or whatever. i don't tend to have the same issues with vinyl since the ones with the unusual packaging usually (well all mine...) fall into the 12*12 dimensions or thereabouts, even if they come in a box.

the most interesting one i've come across recently (though i don't have a copy) is the durutti column's debut, whose cover is made out of sandpaper - the idea being it will destroy the other records in your collection.

 

[ann post]

I love artwork, especially on 12's.

I was just contemplating what it would infer if all records ever had generic covering, fonts and packaging.

This means we'd just have to deal with the music and nothing else - it possibly would sort of improve what goes on tape to some extent.

 

[Jerry Twig]

As long as it's accessible and doesn't drive the price up, great. Otherwise, not great.

I would have thought that's fairly obvious like.

 

[shidheat]

I love artwork, especially on 12's.

I was just contemplating what it would infer if all records ever had generic covering, fonts and packaging.

This means we'd just have to deal with the music and nothing else - it possibly would sort of improve what goes on tape to some extent.

there's a bit of this with electronic music, 12" records in particular. the covers are generally just plain black stock. sometimes there's cover artwork but then it's generally stock sleeves from the label. occasionally there's full artwork but not the norm. the decal is the only consistent place where there's artwork and it's generally some variation on a label's logo plus credits. not really much to look at. promotional white label versions have no artwork whatsoever, and they're common. the artists themselves often operate through different monickers... seeking anonymity? it's the reverse of brand awareness. it's probably about the fact that they were marketed to dj's who'd generally trash the sleeve anyway.