Ahoy, dopers! After many months of hard work and waiting for pieces to come together, I’ve finally got everything I need to release my first studio album, “Ready or Not”. A friend developed a few different options for the cover art, and I decided to let the internets decide which one gets used. Have a look and let me know which one you like best. You’re also welcome to provide specific feedback if you’re so inclined. If it is of any interest, the title track can be heard here.
In order of preference:
2,3,1
In my musicology background, the “post-phallic rock guitar” was well documented by my colleagues. I think number three looks the most tasteful. Then number 1. Then 2.
Seriously? It looks like you’re using your guitar as a sniper rifle in number two…it’s kinda weird!
1, 3, 2
For whatever reason, seeing you do guitar-rifle makes me wonder if you actually know how to hold/play the thing.
As for your song…
I don’t listen to enough rock music to know what’s good, what makes a hit, etc. My background is classical, but I know enough rocker friends and guys who do fusion and
prog rock to have a GENERAL idea of how these things are supposed to sound.
The biggest deficit to my ears was a lack of drums. I could hear some percussion going on the side of the guitar I’m guessing, but it wasn’t enough for me.
Also, it’s a dickish thing to mention someone’s voice, yet for some reason it didn’t fit with the song. I feel personally that it needs to have that “raw,” “throaty” sound with it. Like a Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, or even a Brian Johnson. I don’t know enough about the vocal style to know if this is something you can learn or not, but I’m working under the assumption that it is!
Anyways, you probably don’t care about my opinion, and that’s cool. No offense was intended. But those were just the things that came to my ear after a first listen!
1
Joe
I like 1 best. Don’t care for the guitar as rifle shot, and I like your name right side up too. I’m at work so can’t listen to the music, but will when I get home.
Good luck. You having a CD release party?
I like #1, mostly due to the lighting on the photo, and the lettering fits the image well. The other two don’t look like real album covers to me.
#1.
Nice composition, nice colours, doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is, and probably reflects the content of the album.
I decided to post a reply before reading the other opinions. I usually disagree with most people on this sort of thing, but Zyada is with me here.
#2 is too posed-looking and fake. #3 is good, but not for the sound of the sample track; it looks more mellow and intimate.
That leaves #1. The backlighting and harsh contrast perfectly set off the assertiveness (aggressiveness?) of the music.
Now I’ll go read the thread to see how wrong everybody else is.
3, 1, 2
I’d vote 1 then 3.
I’d vote against 2. It looks like you’ve just picked up a guitar for the first time and you’re trying to figure out how it works.
1,3 … 2
Definitely #1. It looks most like a classic rock album cover.
#3 would be a good fit if the whole album sounded like the first 30 seconds.
Speaking of the music itself, I think it could benefit from the big rock sound a whole band could provide (with drums, bass, etc.).
#1. Good balance of letters and image.
Number two looks like a really bad Johnny Cash impression.
I’m picking three. Seems like the most natural. Was that the look you were going for, though? I think they’d all look better with more lighting. I think you might being going for the dark mysterious thing, but they just look they have unintentional bad lighting.
I gave it a listen. I would call this more of a country song… It didn’t really sound like a rock song to me. Do you you really need the first like 30 seconds? It really drags the song down.
Gonna be honest, I clicked out after the first two minutes. You’re a not a bad singer, but the sing didn’t hold my interest. Like I said, I wouldn’t call it rock if someone asked me.
I like #1. Don’t like the rifle pose, and also don’t like the image of you looking at the guitar while you play. Both evoke the feeling that you don’t know how to play…
1, 3, 2. The rifle thing in #2 makes you look immature.
1, 3, 2.
You need to have a pro engineer (a different one) revisit your overall mix. Then a pro mastering engineer (different person).
That’s me speaking as a longtime engineer and producer. As a musician, the playing is pretty good, and the song is solid enough. But have an unbiased third party look at the production itself.
You can PM me if you like for more details.