Top 20 Countdown - no.8

For 2009

no.8 - Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream

Weird band this one, one of the two founding members does not even go touring with them! Even if it lasts only for this album though, it is sure one of the best this year, full of catchy, dance and pop tunes. Endless fun!

For the 00's

no.8 - Daft Punk - Discovery

The album that changed dance music in the past decade, the group that launched a thousand imitators. French do it best - mais oui!

Panorama Design 12th & 13th of December 2009

The sixth edition of Panorama Design, is organized by bi-monthly magazine +design at the Art Centre (Garyttou 53, Chalandri, Athens) on the 12th & 13th of December 2009. This is the most successful institution of its kind in Greece. Tickets for previous years were sold out days before the start of the two-day conference. It's success is due to the quality of all events organized by +design magazine and to it's simple yet complete concept: Creative people of every stature and dynamic (from the multinational ad agency to the lonely freelancer), from across the spectrum of visual communication (advertising, publications, branding, Internet, illustration, multimedia, etc.) in Greece. And apart from getting together, they talk, do presentations of their work and post their thoughts about the market's reality.

This year's event includes as usual two important foreign speakers, an element that completes in the best possible way the look of a "full schedule". Furthermore, on Sunday, before the start of the regular programme, a meeting will be held with themes of informative and practical content for the creative community.

What about the covers? no.9

For 2009 - Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much

Richard Hogg, Zuleika Penniman(Mika's sister) Da Wack(his other sister, Yasmine) Claire Bushe and Sophie Blackall did some the illustrations again for Mika's 2nd album. But the main one responsible for the look of it is of course Mika himself. While I do like the style, it does not distinguish it from the previous one at all; in fact, when I first saw it, I thought I was seeing the old one. So no originality there, but instead, I like that he is so creative he does his covers as well. Here is what he has to say about the packaging of his album:Speaking of packaging, I write to you from my paper laden desk that I have not allowed anyone to clean for over 7 weeks. Its covered in bits of art, drawings, cut outs, samples... all prep work for the new album art. Its being done much the same way as last time, by my sister DaWack, Richard Hogg and I. As many of you know, over the past few months I have been purging visual references from children's picture books, from the 40s to the 70s. There's something dark and magic about a good picture book. The way those characters never leave you and attach themselves to a particular time of your life. The only thing I can compare it to is smells. I was once nearly kicked in the balls on the street for asking a complete stranger what perfume she was wearing. When she asked me why I cared, I told her it reminded me of this bitch at school's mum who told on me after I was caught stealing her

daughter's stationary when I was 7.

The new artwork, is well, odd, rather amazing but gloriously weird. Suffice to say I'm rather excited about it. We will be adding new babies to our family. Hairy babies. Ha!

For the 00's - Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

Another artist who does her own covers! Art direction and concept for the album is by Natasha, as well as the booklet artwork. The cover was photographed by David Benjamin Sherry and the sets were designed by Tony Hornecker (he does amazing sets and has done Kylie's X album photo shoot sets among others). Graphic design is by Andrew Murabito (he has done almost EVERYONE) and the photographic production was done by Dan Sanders. The digipack version (above) is the best. The whole affair conjures an otherworldly atmosphere, perfectly expressing the concept of Natasha's music.

Top 20 Countdown - no.9

For 2009

No.9 - Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much

He does indeed know too much! This guy is amazing! He managed to release an album much better than his first one, full of feel-good tunes that keep you humming and feet-tapping for ever! Let it Rain then!

For the 00's

no.9 - Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

Natasha Khan released her second album this year. It speaks to the heart and the mind with equal strength to the point of possession. I am certain we will be listening to even greater stuff from this lady.

What about the covers? no 10

For 2009 - no.10 - Röyksopp - Junior

The last sketch is unused art from Leslie David

Well, the photo on the cover is by Stian Andersen, who has done quite a bit of album cover photography in Scandinavia (A-ha anyone?). The rest of the photographs are from Jan Alsaker, Paul Wesley Griggs and Samantha Rapp. But the star here is Leslie David, the graphic designer behind the whole thing. His work is reminiscent of the 80's but with a contemporary vibe. And he is one of the artists that still puts pencil to paper and that counts a lot for me.

For the 00's - no.10 - Morrissey - You Are The Quarry

First of all I think this is the first time Moz appears dressed in a suit on an album cover. Secondly the title is not in quotation marks for the very first time in one of his albums. He looks like an American mob member, brandishing a Thompson sub machine gun, which is the typical weapon of everyone in the prohibition era, also known as the Tommy Gun. The logo of the record company (Moz's own) is the same gun, black on pink except on the cover. The photo is taken by the famous photographer Greg Gorman. Gorman prefers working in black and white so it is a bit of a departure for him. There is a version with grey instead of pink background used for the Deluxe Edition of the CD.

Apart from the cover though there is not anything worth mentioning from the rest of the album design - there is none. Simple lettering and colours (yellow inside, pink outside). The design credit goes to Morrissey along with Scott King (who did Roisin's "Overpowered"). They probably got tired after doing the cover and called it quits. Shame.

Top 20 Countdown - no.10

For 2009

No.10 Röyksopp - Junior

Röyksopp's "Junior" is not the best electropop album of the year (that honour goes to another one later on the list) but very very close to it. Brilliantly combining elements of their previous work and with the perfectly fitting voices of Robyn, Lykke Li, Karin Dreijer Andersson and Anneli Drecker, they move forward by making their sound fuller, more upbeat and precise than ever before.

For the 00's

no.10 - Morrissey - You Are The Quarry

Moz has been productive since 2004 in this decade, releasing a string of albums that keeps affirming his exalted status in music. This one though is the best of the bunch. And it contains some of his best songs, like I'm So Sorry, Let Me Kiss you, First Of The Gang to Die... absolute genius.

The Archive, Episode 3: Supersurfaces

Episode 03: SUPERSURFACES

Opening: Friday 11th of December 2009 at 20:00 Free entrance

From the 12th of December 2009 until the 17th of January 2010 the entrance will be allowed only to members.

Episodes curators: Katerina Kotzia, Korina Filoksenidou

Catering Supporter: LES LAZARISTES, Domotel

The third architectural event to be hosted in The Archive space takes us through a journey to the endless world of supersurfaces. They are compositions derived from folding and transforming a single surface of paper or other flexible material.

The initiative and part of the show's material comes from the research work of the Special composition laboratory Supersurfaces taught by architect Sofia Vyzoviti at the Architecture department of the University Of Thessaly. An installation that is combined with the special characteristics of the space will be presented at The Archive.

The opening of the show mark one more creative meeting of The Archive members. Carteco, the company behind this original space and supporter of the Episodes is bound to regularly renew these rendez vous by hosting architectural events worthy of our attention.

What about the covers? no 11

For 2009 - Montt Mardié - Skaizerkite

Patrik Berg designed this one. The title means a person suffering from hybris and was also the name of a New York gang from the 40's (aka Sharp Boys). Both definitions fit with Monty's image of course. The design is simple and minimal, with the photograph of the front cover standing out. The packaging is a gatefold carton.

For the 00's - No.11 - The Organ - Grab That Gun

This cover reminds me a lot of Piet Mondrian paintings. The graphic design is by Randy Iwata, Jenny Smyth (group member-organ), Mo Salemy, a Vancouver-based artist and David Cuesta, a Canadian designer.

Top 20 Countdown - no.11

For 2009

No.11 - Montt Mardié - Skaizerkite

Unfortunately his best and most coherent album to date is his last as a solo artist. Montt Mardié (aka David Pagmar) will be a member of the group Monty from now on. But that does not stop me from enjoying this precious collection of gems. He's Swedish of course.

For the 00's

No.11 - The Organ - Grab That Gun

They made only one album and then called it quits. But what an album! Brash, combining pop and new wave elements with modern music sensibilities, it manages to sound superb despite a seemingly monotonous palette of strong guitars and droning organ sounds. Canadians...

What about the covers? no 12

For 2009 - No.12 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

vinyl sleeve art front/back

vinyl inner sleeve art

AllMusic in it's review of the album says "It's Blitz!'s images of a woman's hand bursting an egg and fleshy tomatoes and mushrooms spread across an otherwise empty pizza box are surprising, immediate, and strangely sensual, and that goes double for the actual music". Indeed. The photography by David Belisle is what makes this album cover stand out from the rest this year, probably making it cover of the year. And by spot-varnishing the egg splash, they make it stand out even more! The inside of the album looks like a pizza box with the cd itself being the pizza and the band member's heads replacing mushrooms and stuff on it. There are also some photos by Autumn DeWilde and Eric Uhlir. Art direction is by Seb Marling and Karen O.

For the 00's - no.12 - Underworld - Oblivion With Bells

inner concertina Japan

inner concertina USA

inner concertina UK

John Warwicker is the art director on Oblivion. His company, tomato, is responsible for some of the most inspiring design around us today (check their projects and you will understand what i 'm talking about). The inner sleeve is a concertina which had different inner images according to the country of issue (europe, japan, us). The whole feel is perfectly co-ordinated with the music inside the cd, urban, atmospheric, modern. The tomato team also does Underworld's video clips.

Top 20 Countdown - no.12

For 2009

No.12 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

Karen O and her group deliver their poppiest album to date and hit gold. Keeping everything that is Yeah Yeah Yeahs and infusing it with pure pop with a twist of dance in it, they make an album that is at the same time familiar yet new and unknown.

For the 00's

No.12 - Underworld - Oblivion With Bells

The emperors of electronica returned with a vengeance with this one, putting to rest any doubt about their creative streak being strong. It is a record I have danced with many times and will keep on dancing with it for years to come.

What about the covers? no 13

For 2009 - No.13 - Morrissey - Years Of Refusal

Design practice No Allegiances is responsible for the design and packaging. Mexican folk art and vintage California drove the art direction of Years of Refusal. Working around a photograph taken by Jake Walters of Moz holding a plump, drooling baby, they echoed the subtle Mexican sounds in the music by using typography inspired by José Guadalupe Posada, one of Mexico’s most famous illustrators and printmakers to give everything a kitschy frontier feel. To accentuate the chiaroscuro of the cover image and painting, the LP and special CD / DVD versions were run on fabric-textured stock which makes the record feel like an oil painting hanging in the Louvre that you shouldn’t have just touched. The CD / DVD version comes in a mini LP gatefold and was again made by London Fancy Box who did a fantastic job of putting together a solid, high quality package.

Band photography by Travis Shinn. Bodegon Con Jarra de Vino, 1914 (oil on canvas) by A. Fuentes, photography by Arturo Osorno / INBA / The Bridgeman Art Library

The adorable baby, with its cheeky little expression so at odds with Morrissey’s stern gaze, is the son of Charlie Brown, Morrissey’s assistant tour manager. Anticipating speculation about his latest cover, Moz had already drafted a response on the sleeve notes to The Years of Refusal:

“If you ask why the new album has the title it has (‘Years of Refusal’) and why on the cover he is holding the baby, after holding on previous covers the violin and the gun, because after all people will want to know, or more rumours will spill into the world and its voracious, agitated internet shadow, the sigh will almost crack into real annoyance. If you sail close to the gale force wind and bring up the sticky situations he finds himself in when he talks of his mythical old England, its disappearance and/or cultural and commercial conversion, and heretically flirts with the flag, and faces expulsion from the entertainment scene, then the sigh and the awkwardness will know no bounds.”

For the 00's - No.13 - Radiohead - In Rainbows

The artwork is by Stanley Donwood, who has worked with Yorke in designing all album artwork since 1994. For this one, Donwood experimented with a photographic etching technique, putting prints into acid baths with various results. During the recording of the album, Donwood regularly put up images in the studio and on the studio computer, letting the band interact directly and comment on them. He also posted images daily on the band's website, though none of the images were used in the final album artwork. Describing the album cover, he said "it's very colourful—I've finally embraced colour! It's a rainbow but it is very toxic, it's more like the sort of one you'd see in a puddle." The band decided not to release the cover for the digital release of the album, preferring to hold it back for the physical release. The "discbox" release of the album includes a lyric booklet, containing additional artwork by Donwood.