No matter where you live in the world and regardless of your native tongue, one single language unites humanity: music. In the words of the late American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” Without even needing to understand the words being sung, music has the power to move us emotionally. It’s part of what separates … Read More

During the infancy of stereo – particularly in the mid to late 60s – albums were mixed in mono and stereo, respectively. In many cases, the mono version was the main mix, with the stereo version being somewhat of an afterthought. Stereo was new, and engineers took the opportunity to experiment with spacial separation. In mild cases, the difference between … Read More

First introduced in the mid-1960s, gatefold album covers greatly increased the creative possibilities of album cover design. Effectively doubling the canvas size, both inside and out, cover designers could showcase seamless artwork, or extend a theme beyond what is initially seen from the front cover alone.  As the popularity of gatefold album covers grew throughout the 60s and 70s, many … Read More

Designing an album cover has been a well-respected job throughout music history, often considered just as important as the music itself.  Many of the best examples are as familiar to the eye as the music is to our ears.  In the days when vinyl was the primary music medium, getting the album cover just right was essential to commercial success. … Read More