Thursday 7 January 2010

Classic Albums??

Today the Royal Mail released their New Year stamps, featuring ten classic album covers, supposedly ten of the most iconic (British) album covers of all time.

I think this means iconic covers, rather than iconic albums. Or it should. I have issue with a couple...








It may just be me, but when I think of the phrase "classic album cover", there's one specific image that springs to mind.







Nope. They went for The Division Bell. Still Pink Floyd, and I think actually the better album, but Dark Side of the Moon is (/was until recently??) Britain's best selling album and has one of the most recognisable album covers ever. It should be there. Really.

Issues with Coldplay - Rush of Blood to the Head and Blur - Parklife along the lines of "err, what????" Both fail both in terms of being classic in any way, shape or form.

I'm not completely ignorant as to the world of music, and so I would sort of expect to have HEARD of a classic album. This is not true of New Order - Power, Corruption and Lies. Chocolate box stylee doesn't do anything for me. I'm missing something, clearly, enlightenment would be appreciated.

Rolling Stones deserve to be there, but is Let it Bleed really their best album and/or cover?
Or am I just feeling animosity towards a picture of a cake by the deplorable Delia? Hmm.

The Clash - London Calling. Classic album, recognisable cover. Guess it works, but meh. Less meh would be: Sergeant Peppers? Revolver? Abbey Road? Anything else by the Beatles?

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells.
Fair do's.

Led Zeppelin - IV. I guess so, and they got Jimmy Page to unveil the stamps. whatever that entailed. Wahey.

Primal Scream - Screamadelica. Can't really argue although I'd like to.

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Cannot argue, wouldn't want to.

The stamps are very impressive, they have been purchased. What to do with them remains undecided.


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1 comment:

Stipey Sullivan said...

Power, Corruption & Lies is an iconic album. Although a Joy Division one would have been better. Picked more for the pretty picture.

I voted for Roxy Music's Country Life. Sadly I was ignored.