05 Best Book Covers of 2015

2015 has been a great year for readers. There were some fantastic books with some brilliant writers. Not only with storyline, there were some amazing artworks with book cover illustrations. There were many magnificent achievement on art illustration and The Poster World felt it should find out which five book covers were exceptional compared to others. Let's find out. 

1. The Girl on the Train (2015)

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The book created an astonishing sensation on US and immediately became a bestseller. It created so much buzz even DreamWorks Pictures immediately bought the rights of this book. But have you noticed the book cover illustration? It's a masterwork by graphic artist Gretchen Achilles! As the fonts are moving we can understand we are on a moving object, perhaps on a train. It blends fabulously with the title of the book. A beauty on motion!

TPW Rating- 5/5
 
2. A Spool of Blue Thread (2015)

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

At first impression it doesn't look like a book cover, but at second glance you get sure that it is brilliant idea for a book cover. It's not easy to follow the name only and place a blue thread spool on the table with a camera ready for photographing. Cover illustration helped by spectacular fonts blend perfectly with the idea of everything Anne Tyler wanted to portray on her 20th novel.

TPW Rating- 4/5 

3. Finders Keepers (2015)

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

A true bloody cover of a Stephen King book! It is the second book of King's current Bill Hodges trilogy, on first of which he wrote one of his classics named Mr. Mercedes. Just look at the cover man! It's blood dripping over on a book. Definitely there are dangerous mysteries inside the book. Gory and classy!

TPW Rating- 4.5/5    

4. Twenty Years Eight Months & Twenty Eight Nights (2015)

Twenty Years Eight Months & Twenty Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

Magic realism returns with a bang! Rushdie with a novel always means something special. Cover of the book also has a 'Rushdie' feel to it. On a quadrangle shape there are certain hints of story line. Background color and the catchy fonts are also creating feel good atmosphere into it. Seriously magical!

TPW Rating- 4/5

5. A Manual for Cleaning Women (2015)

A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin

The genius minimalist cover of the year! This book is a story collection of writer Lucia Berlin edited by Stephen Emerson. The cover illustration shows that it doesn't take many elements to give look to a book. It's as simple as a key ring. Soft colored background creates a beautiful contrast with the key ring. Calm and quite!

TPW Rating- 4.5/5

03 Album Covers from Adele Discography

Adele is a popular and acclaimed singer-song writer of British origin. Her career kick started when one of Adele's friend posted a demo of her singing on Myspace on 2006 and since then the rest is history. After a commercially and critically successful demo album named 19, she never had to look back. She achieved extraordinary successes throughout his career by acquiring almost all possible awards and also wrote her name on Guinness Book of World Records.

The album covers of Adele are quite simple as those actually depict only the facial expressions of her. But also express her age and maturity as a singer and celebrity. The Poster World brings to you all three of her album covers and rate them as per the total output.  

1. 19 (2008)

Copyright- XL Recordings

Adele released her first album 19 on 28th January, 2008 with great commercial and critical success. Songs like 'Chasing Pavements','Hometown Glory' and many more topped charts on many countries of the World. At the age of only 19, she gained instant fame and awarded on different ceremonies. After this album many critics were assuming the World is getting it's new International star. The cover design of the first album doesn't show the full faced Adele, instead it does give an impression of a calm and quiet Adele. Obviously for any woman 19 is an important age, as it is a transition period when a girl turns into woman. That's a possibility for the down to earth look of her. It's mystique and subtle.

TPW Rating- 3.5/5
 

2. 21 (2011)

Copyright- XL Recordings and Columbia Records

During the production process of this second album by Adele, she was suffering from personal problem as during that time she had broke up with her boyfriend. But as the album ultimately finished, it became another commercial and critical success. The album also made it's name on Guinness Book of World Records by topping UK Top Chart with two two consecutive albums and songs. Again on the cover Adele looks like on a restful mood and looking down as before. Black and white face of Adele makes the album look like a little bit desolate and tragic. Fonts are really good.

TPW Rating- 4/5
      
3. 25 (2015)

Copyright- XL Recordings

Third album by Adele wouldn't have been possible if she hadn't change the decision of quitting music industry. She was going through a long patch of non-creativity and couldn't write songs for a long time. It took some time to reset Adele's mind to do music again. The album released on 20th November 2015 and gained commercial success. Her song 'Hello' released on October and was an instant success with 436 million hits on Youtube for the video (by the count on 21st November 2015). Another simple cover by Adele with her face straight to the listeners and audiences. Does it mean maturity or presence with a certain personality? May be.

TPW Rating- 4/5 

City and Colour Discogrpahy on 05 Mindboggling Covers

This 9th December 2015 City and Colour released it's fifth album titled 'If I Should Go Before'. City and Colour is a one man band consisting of Mr. Dallas Green. Green started his musical career with a band named Helicon Blue. Later he joined a post-hardcore band named Alexisonfire. After that Green started releasing his songs on Internet and later he compiled almost all of these songs to release as his first audio album. Songs of City and Colour are highly motivated by it's lyrics and stylist acoustic approach.

The Poster World (TPW) looks into all the album covers by City and Colour, and tried to give ratings for those album.

1. Sometimes (2005-07)

Copyright- Dine Alone Records

The album cover looks more like a logo of an insurance company. But the sparrow like bird looking towards the skyline and all those arrangements around it on the cover, make it colorful and charming. Faded Grey-greenish background helps the bird in front to truly lighten up itself.

TPW Rating: 4/5   

2. Bring Me Your Love (2008-09)

Copyright- Dine Alone Records, Vagrant, Shock

This second album by Color and City was more of a folk oriented album. Instruments like bass, harmonica and banjo were used on the songs. This album art has similarities with another album cover art by Iron & Wine. This cover actually depicts the central figure behind the band- Dallas Green. Somehow this peaceful imagery blends with the songs of the album.

TPW Rating: 3.5/5   


3. Little Hell (2010-12)

Copyright- Dine Alone Records, Vagrant

Yes this looks like a surreal imagery but believe me it is not. It's nothing but a tulip field situated outside of Alkmaar, Holland. But this art is actually taken from an Allard Schager's photo named 'Fields of Gold'. Not sure if anyone ever used this kind of album cover ever. But it is really glorious and enchanting!

TPW Rating: 5/5  

4. The Hurry and the Harm (2013)

Copyright- Dine Alone Records, Cooking Vinyl 

Again on a cover we can see Mr. Dallas Green. This time he is facing the audience straight. It looks like a vintage album cover with the black and white tone of it. It seems like the band gone totally opposite of it's previous work.  Not as classy as previous covers.

TPW Rating: 2.5/5

5. If I Should Go Before You (2015)

Copyright- Dine Alone Records

This time Mr. Dallas (hope it's him) is showing his back in front of listeners. A certain subtleness is present on the picture with suited booted Mr. Dallas and a house from 17th Century I guess. The whole idea almost repeat it's black and white tone of previous album. Little fonts are catchy and simple.

TPW Rating: 4.5/5  

Top 03 Covers from Ransom Riggs Books

Ransom Riggs is an American fantasy writer and also a film maker. He has earned reputation writing the famous book series named Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The book made The New York Times Best Sellers. Later two other sequels were added to the series named Hollow City and Library of Souls. These books have some amazing covers and all of them looks like real photographs with the weirdest possible idea. All of these book covers are featured on The Poster World's latest post.   

1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

'The Gravity Winning Cover'

Fascinatingly innocent and weird! A cover to cherish! Nothing else to say. Really!

TPW Rating: 5/5

2. Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children

'Hollow or Hole'

She looks like a girl from Tim Burton movie I guess! No, guess what Tim Burton really is making a movie on this series. This cover is bizarre and interest growing.

TPW Rating: 4/5

3. Library of Souls: Third Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children

'Wings'

This boy looks like one of the smaller angel from the great German movie by Wim Wenders 'Wings of Desire'. Cover of the third version of the series is less uncanny than the previous ones. This is a bit common but still offbeat than many other covers of recent times.

TPW Rating: 3/5 

03 Great Album Covers from Mumford & Sons Discography

Critically and commercially acclaimed Mumford & Sons is a British band concentrates their music on alternative rock and folk rock genre. Four members of this band have very good hand on different types of musical instruments and it reflects on their music also. With the first album Sigh No More (2009), Mumford & Sons achieved Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011. Their next album Babel (2012), won prestigious Album of the Year on Grammy Awards. As a band Mumford & Sons have made their name with exquisite lyrics and soothing use of instruments and music.

The Poster World would bring to you album covers from 03 released albums by Mumford & Sons.

1. Sigh No More (2009)

Debut album by Mumford & Sons. Cover was taken from the front side of a furniture store on famous King's Road, London. Few of the mad followers of the band are always present at this particular shop. Four of the members are present there on the window and if you take a close close look you would see there is someone on the left window on the first floor. OK. Do they want to mean something we don't know? Who knows? Whatever, the cover is cool and should say 'simplicity at it's best'.

TPW Rating: 5/5
  

2. Babel (2012)

What is this babel thing? It means a confused kind of noise, which is typically made by few voices. Few voices? I guess it could be a band. Previous cover of the band had a mysterious face into it; the same goes on with this poster. Look at the background. All the human face are blurring but look closely to the left window. Yes, a face is looking straight at the camera like the band. It could be the face of the producer Markus Dravs or may be someone else. As a whole the poster is puzzling and composed.

TPW Rating: 5/5 

3. Wilder Mind (2015)

 

This is a minimalist approach on the cover by the band. An empty bench. It is an album where they wanted to get free from the traditional acoustics and from folk genre they were used to play. They left their long term producer Markus Dravs on the way. Does this cover (with the bench) represent the idea that they are actually leaving their roots and staring towards cityscapes? May be, may be not. Cover is refreshing and says a lot by not saying. 

TPW Rating: 5/5

Roman Polanski Series - 06 Amazing Posters of Repulsion

I can recall, it was one of the last days of film school and my teacher was telling something about Polanski's 'Repulsion'. Suddenly the teacher asked me to name one thing of the protagonist that actually attracted people blindly to her. I guessed right. It was her blond hair. That's my introduction to the deep,fascinating as well as puzzling world of Repulsion.

This is the first film of Roman Polanski's great 'apartment Trilogy'. It tells the story of a blond young girl, who is alone on her apartment because her sister went to a vacation. But in the mid-time that young girl starts having some weired traumas around her.

There were various posters made for this film, for obviously the various locations of release for this film. With mainstream British release, there were Hollywood release, many from the festival circuits and obviously many made by the fans. The Poster World would celebrate 50 years of this great movie by enjoying different posters of this great classic. Let's get Repulsed!

1. The Popular One-

'Yaap! The screen's shocking reality!'

The most popular and marketed poster of Repulsion is basically a very well made one. Look at the straight razor and multiple faces of a blond woman around it. Faces have different reactions as it depicts or gives a hint that the girl probably is heading with different emotions. The thing that it is actually a gender based film, sexuality may be the main center point here, because to make sure that the poster maker was aware to show signs of male and female gender on the film title. Look at the background. The color of the background is light pink and by pink we know what it actually means. Don't we? 
 
2. Where Girl's Hair is Prominent- 

'Gaze everywhere'

Yes, the first thing I was attracted from this poster is the blond hair of the girl. Look, it's the first thing you would notice. Yes, it actually tries to say you something, and unfortunately you would only realize the contribution of hair when you see the film. There are two male heads with front faces behind the protagonist character, and they have different gazes. A blood cut went around one corner of one face to another corner of another face. It definitely ensures there are sufficient blood presence on the film.     


3. What's for Food-

'Meat'

I don't want to get into what's on the plate, but there's definitely meat, and meat what it's all about on the film. Look there also is a sharp razor to cut the meat. A hand is present there on the dark background. Hoping for some help I guess. The poster isn't actually overwhelming but has a minimalist approach compared to other posters. 

4. Another Popular Poster-

'Grey Hands'

This is another popular and highly marketed poster of the film, where a girl seems like floating on air and there are two hands on her body. The color used on the girl's body and also on the hand (which is bit Grey, same as the main background of the whole poster), is really interesting and intriguing. 


5. Look at the Hair Color-

'... and the razor'

The hair color of the girl on the poster is fascinating and would have been lovely if there was no razor included on it. Oh you missed it! Look closely and you would see a straight razor on it. OK, let's come into the hair color part. It's bit yellow, bit reddish and also has a mixed color of both two colors. Look at her face, it's blue and for this her hair colors are actually like exploding. Impressive poster! 


6. Or Is It All about Eyes-  

'Eyes only'

Here comes my favorite one. The poster says that it's all about eyes; all different eyes. It's black and white, and because of this we can't find the colors inside. But it actually questions us about the ultimate female gaze, how girls look at the world around themselves. It the girl is a virgin blond then she definitely has some extra thoughts. What do you think? 

Passenger Discography in 06 Magnetic Album Covers

A band named Passenger actually emerged to British music arena on 2003, when a guy named Michael David Rosenberg teamed up with another guy named Andrew Phillips in a quite place in Britain named Brighton. As a multiple member band, at the year 2007 they released their first album by the name Wicked Men's Rest and that's it! They broke up afterwards. Rosenberg decided to make a single career and chose the stage-name 'Passenger' to break into the industry. Since then Rosenberg aka. Passenger rewrote the history of modern folk rock. His 06 albums are rich of folk or Indie rock tracks and generally have highly positive reviews around the World.

The Poster World would look into all the album artworks by Passenger (the solo Rosenberg one) as all of their artworks are hypnotic and bit surreal. Let's have fun with some amazing arts.

1. Wide Eyes Blind Love - 2009

Debut album by Passenger 'Wide Eyes Blind Love'
[Copyright-Passenger]

A crow is caught in the middle of a life and death situation. Crows have been a favorite subject for Mr. Rosenberg as on a later artwork he again used a crow. But look at this crow. Does Rosenberg meant himself as the crow as his songs of this album been bit depressing (though i didn't feel so)? There is a possibility he might be going through a transition with his career at that time and it reflected on the cover.

2. Divers and Submarines - 2010

Deep down the sea level
[Copyright-Passenger]

This cover is really amazing! Look at the color and all kinds of stuff from deep sea. The cover actually has the power to force you to buy the album, not a matter if you have or haven't heard previous albums. Mr. Rosenberg is an avid art enthusiast and he made sure that his cover should as soft and easy his songs. This super cool cover artwork really made me to write about the album covers of Passenger.

3. Flight of the Crow - 2010

Crow and Suitcases
[Copyright- Passenger, Inertia]

The start of the joint cooperation by David Rosenberg himself and brilliant artist Sarah Larnach, for all of the next album covers. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the magical brilliance of this cover. It's just exquisite in every possible sense. Look at the shapes, colors and gravitational placements of those suitcases. Look at the big crow carrying a long grass or something like that. Even that unknown thing is colorful. The fonts of the artist name is same as the previous cover, but the placement of that name is great.

4. All the Little Lights - 2012

There are mysteries behind little lights
[Copyright- Black Crow]

Another beautiful work by Sarah Larnach. She says on her blog that, the real cover is not just a flat image, but it is made of 5 different painted layers and also outlines. The whole process generation for this cover art was inspired by the printmaking she did on her art school. There were also some extra papers with this album, where Larnach drew few lightening images, So all are not only little lights.

5. Whispers - 2014 

Whispers I
[Copyright- Black Crow]

This is probably one of the best album covers you would see in recent times. This whispering tells more and more than it actually shows. Larnach speaks out on her blog about the cover and says that Rosenberg came up with the idea at first and they cemented that idea with inspirational books from writers such as Blyton, Potter, Dick & Jane books. She also says that she got spoiled as she was working with such clever musicians who care about every aspect of their craft.

6. Whispers II - 2015

Whispers II
[Copyright- Black Crow]

Another classic cover by Sarah Larnach. It's the second edition of Whispers after the previous got huge acclaim worldwide. But this second edition was prepared to help the UNICEF by the profit margin of this album. The lady sitting on the bench was inspired by Larnach's own mother, who actually posed for this cover. Larnach wanted to make sure looks like 20. I am sure she is successful. Nice color, simple and beautiful artwork.   

14 Rocking Duran Duran Album Covers - Part 01

Duran Duran is one of the most influential and popular rock/pop band of not only UK, but also has fame among genuine pop lovers around the world. They were one of the most important bands of the MTV generated 'Second British Invasion' in Eighties. There are hints from different marketing point of view that they have sold more than 120 million records worldwide. Duran Duran was fashionable, free minded and liberal with nudity on their music videos. But they were also very ambitious as at that time they started shooting videos with 35 mm. They also established big screen projection on their concerts. Though the band's future was fading on late Nineties, they emerged gloriously and the old 5 members reunited big time. Still Duran Duran winning hearts of millions.

The Poster World would dig into all 14 studio albums by Duran Duran and their coming of age cover art works. On this first part we would discuss about their first 5 album covers from the self-titled debut album.

1. Duran Duran, 1981

Self-titled: Duran Duran

The first thing came to my mind after seeing this album cover was the famous poster of 'A Clockwork Orange'. May be it's bit inspired from that (or may be not). Fashion of Eighties is all over the band members look and dress up. They are standing, facing the camera with different style and trend of that time. Look at the red car and also the red background used. White and black dresses are really engaging a good chemistry. A regular classic cover.

2. Rio, 1982

Remember the lip of 'RIO'

Who is this girl anyway in the cover? This is my first impression after seeing the art work. An ever smiling face. A face you would fall in love easily. Obviously people felt in love with the music of the album. It became one the best British albums ever on different polls. It became so famous that even after thirty plus years the album was seen in a recent release of Tom Cruise named Oblivion. The cover is haunting yet keeping some mysteries on that smile.

3. Seven and the Ragged Tiger, 1983

Tiger based 'Seven and the Ragged Tiger' 

Not only it's a tiger themed album, the cover of it is also quite inspired by tigers. We can see tiger's parts on different corners of the album. The album name originally came from the idea that there are 5 members and 2 managers, so it would be seven and the ragged tiger is the other name of success. The album design also get inspired by these ideas, though the managers are not present on the cover. Or may be they are present by some symbols.  

4. Notorious, 1986

Bit gay cover of 'Notorious'

Inspired by the great film director Alfred Hitchcock and his movie names (like Notorious), this is Duran Duran's fourth album saw the light of a release after many difficulties surrounding the membership of the band. The cover art emphasized on only three members of that time excluding couple of former members. Though their look looks bit gay but in Eighties this cover was probably a super cool stuff.

5. Big Thing, 1988

Look at the Color and font size of 'Big Thing'

One of the big reasons behind the name 'Big Thing' is probably the big change in Duran Duran's musical pattern. In late Eighties the total musical scenario was changing, as more of a groove based ones, dance based music was becoming popular. Duran Duran chose that path and this decision in future would cause a fatal outcome. The font is not attractive at all on this cover. Colors are good but doesn't give a single information about the album. A below average cover in my opinion.

(To be continued)