Album Covers That Look Like ECM But Aren't

[Joe]

[AndrewHill]

This one's on Emanem:

On PSI:

Another Timbre:

[Van Basten II]

Well the label Kind of Blue seems to brand their CDs like an hommage to ECM

[brownie]

[brownie]

It probably sounds like an ECM too

[brownie]

[BFrank]

Ride "Nowhere"

Tom Verlaine "Cover"

[Rooster_Ties]

Here's some infamous ones...

Edited April 13, 2010 by Rooster_Ties

[David Ayers]

Classics. I pre-ordered Sammich direct from ECM and I'm still waiting for it. Apparently production is delayed as they are just adding a few more layers of reverb and echo to take off some rough edges (they've been working on this since 1966, apparently, but it seems it still packs too much 'wallop', a technical term among ECM engineers - those guys are dedicated to perfection). In the meantime I've been looking for an original vinyl but no luck so far.

[clifford_thornton]

RT, those are wonderfully sacrilegious.

[RDK]

And don't forget the other way 'round...

[Joe]

the original cover to Larry Young's MOTHER SHIP

Wes Montgomery, ROAD SONG

US, NO LINE ON THE HORIZON

[jeffcrom]

Here's some infamous ones...

That's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Here's some infamous ones...

That's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

Same here. Priceless! Thanks, Rooster Ties!

[brownie]

[CJ Shearn]

[king ubu]

Are those couw's ECM designs? Or AfricaBrass'? Both are missed here!

I disagree with most of the others... the types used are so much mor accidental and uglier than ECM's!

Not that I'm a huge fan of ECM's design, but 99% of their covers do achieve a clarity that is rare. Even with covers I don't like it's usually like - no denying that!

[David Ayers]

Are those couw's ECM designs? Or AfricaBrass'? Both are missed here!

I disagree with most of the others... the types used are so much mor accidental and uglier than ECM's!

Not that I'm a huge fan of ECM's design, but 99% of their covers do achieve a clarity that is rare. Even with covers I don't like it's usually like - no denying that!

Echo the first sentiment, strongly.

And yeah you are right - these ECM-alike covers [i mean the real ones, not the wonderful pastiches] are poor - they show up the virtues and consistency of ECM even if you *don't* really admire the Nordic Twilight aesthetic ('it's dusk, and here I am, all quiet and alone with just the echoes of distant feelings and fading memories...')

Edited April 14, 2010 by David Ayers

[Rooster_Ties]

Are those couw's ECM designs? Or AfricaBrass'? Both are missed here!

Pretty sure they're couw's designs. Sammich!

[king ubu]

They're effin' hilarious!

Will have to let couw know that we had a good laugh again about these!

[Joe]

Are those couw's ECM designs? Or AfricaBrass'? Both are missed here!

I disagree with most of the others... the types used are so much mor accidental and uglier than ECM's!

Not that I'm a huge fan of ECM's design, but 99% of their covers do achieve a clarity that is rare. Even with covers I don't like it's usually like - no denying that!

Echo the first sentiment, strongly.

And yeah you are right - these ECM-alike covers [i mean the real ones, not the wonderful pastiches] are poor - they show up the virtues and consistency of ECM even if you *don't* really admire the Nordic Twilight aesthetic ('it's dusk, and here I am, all quiet and alone with just the echoes of distant feelings and fading memories...')

Tough crowd.

[king ubu]

Are those couw's ECM designs? Or AfricaBrass'? Both are missed here!

I disagree with most of the others... the types used are so much mor accidental and uglier than ECM's!

Not that I'm a huge fan of ECM's design, but 99% of their covers do achieve a clarity that is rare. Even with covers I don't like it's usually like - no denying that!

Echo the first sentiment, strongly.

And yeah you are right - these ECM-alike covers [i mean the real ones, not the wonderful pastiches] are poor - they show up the virtues and consistency of ECM even if you *don't* really admire the Nordic Twilight aesthetic ('it's dusk, and here I am, all quiet and alone with just the echoes of distant feelings and fading memories...')

Tough crowd.

The psi in post #2 above comes closest, I think.

This just proves that no matter what you think of the music (or the design, in terms of liking or disliking) of what high quality ECM's cover designs usually are (there are exceptions, I'm sure...)

[brownie]

Two things ECM and various Spanish labels have in common: they raise controversies.

Another lookalike cover for the tough crowd:

[Joe]

Are those couw's ECM designs? Or AfricaBrass'? Both are missed here!

I disagree with most of the others... the types used are so much mor accidental and uglier than ECM's!

Not that I'm a huge fan of ECM's design, but 99% of their covers do achieve a clarity that is rare. Even with covers I don't like it's usually like - no denying that!

Echo the first sentiment, strongly.

And yeah you are right - these ECM-alike covers [i mean the real ones, not the wonderful pastiches] are poor - they show up the virtues and consistency of ECM even if you *don't* really admire the Nordic Twilight aesthetic ('it's dusk, and here I am, all quiet and alone with just the echoes of distant feelings and fading memories...')

Tough crowd.

The psi in post #2 above comes closest, I think.

This just proves that no matter what you think of the music (or the design, in terms of liking or disliking) of what high quality ECM's cover designs usually are (there are exceptions, I'm sure...)

Only mostly joking. really.

What I find fascinating about the ECM aesthetic is how it has modulated over the decades while still remaining recognizably "ECM." Those 70s overs seem to me to have a bit more warmth to them, even though the photographic content has remained pretty much the same... in the 80's, there's quite a bit of scribbly / hand-drawn stuff, along with covers (FIRST AVENUE) that could almost have been slapped on the long-playing debut of some No Wave... the 90s, very cenotaph-y at times, stark typography and color fields... and the 00s, back to atmospherics, this time more somber.

Edited April 14, 2010 by Joe

[A Lark Ascending]

Here's some infamous ones...

They are wonderful!

What we now need is something like Jarrett's 'Hymns/Spheres' with one of those late 60s/early 70s BN covers showing a funky Harlem temptress.