EC Album Covers: From the Iconic to the Moronic

[wordnat]

Trust – A minimalist classic. EC’s entire personality is somehow contained in that simple shot.
Get Happy!! – A brilliant homage to a cooler time.
This Year's Model – Punk rock with a sense of humor. This ain’t your dad’s LP….
Almost Blue – Yes, it’s a rip-off of some old jazz LP I can’t recall right now, but it’s still a stunner in its own right.
When I Was Cruel – Almost as funny as TYM.
King of America – Too cute by half, perhaps, but it works.
Punch the Clock – If only the music popped like the sleeve….
My Flame Burns Blue – Another homage, and another winner.
My Aim is True – So ugly it’s beautiful.
Goodbye Cruel World – Hello desolation.
Momofuku – Truth in advertising: off-the-cuff grooviness.
National Ransom – SP&S redux. Not sure how I feel about this one yet….
Spike – Truth in advertising: all style, no substance.
The Delivery Man – Someone’s trying too hard.
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane – I’m just not a Tony Millionaire fan….
Armed Forces – A bunch of elephants.
North – The heartbroken troubadour, out a-wanderin’ and a-wonderin’. And it’s raining, of course.
All This Useless Beauty – Useless.
The Juliet Letters – Even the band looks bored.
Il Sogno – Declan MacManus: Hipster Accountant.
Brutal Youth – A missed opportunity. Great photo, but it looks like it was slapped together in 10 minutes – and what’s with that lame font?
The River in Reverse – Marginally better than PFM.
Kojack Variety – The Homage That Failed.
Imperial Bedroom – False advertising, thankfully.
Blood & Chocolate – see IB.
Painted from Memory – Almost as good as TRIR.
For the Stars – Blind date from hell?
Mighty Like a Rose – Truth in advertising, unfortunately. Absolutely hideous. And the cover sucks, too.

[wardo68]

Great ones:
Trust – "A minimalist classic", said wordnat. I agree.
Get Happy!! – Nice and garish.
This Year's Model – Love that stare.
Taking Liberties - it's backwards, of course.
Almost Blue
Spike

Not awful:
Imperial Bedroom
My Aim is True

Hubris:
King of America
Punch the Clock
The Delivery Man (Deluxe Edition)
North - but still evocative
Mighty Like a Rose
The River in Reverse/Painted from Memory - different hat, different collaborator, same concept.

Huh?:
When I Was Cruel
Goodbye Cruel World
My Flame Burns Blue
The Delivery Man
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane/National Ransom - tie for ho-hum
Blood & Chocolate - I would have much preferred Elvis's photo from the back cover.
All This Useless Beauty
The Juliet Letters

Low budget, low inspiration:
Momofuku
Kojak Variety
Armed Forces (US version) - but still works for me
Brutal Youth