Recently in Strange Connections Category

It has been several months since my last installment of Strange Connections. This is a category that features album covers that have an unsual connection to something. The connection can be to another album, a work of art, or just about anything that seems funny or unusual.

This strange connection involves two albums that are both being released in the U.S. on July 20, 2010. I think that they should be sold as a package.

Twenty years ago, I worked in a bookstore in Los Angeles and was given a booklet by the late Charles Bukowski. It is called Bring Me Your Love and was illustrated by R. Crumb. The booklet (at 15 pages it can’t really be called a book) has been a prized possession ever since.

Bring Me Your Love is a short story about a woman named Gloria who is institutionalized. The R. Crumb illustrations are unforgettable. One that is etched in my memory is of Gloria punching herself in the face (right).

In addition to books and comics, R. Crumb has illustrated the covers of several notable album covers, such as Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) in 1967.

Today, I was browsing through the AAX gallery and saw a very familiar image. AAX user flickeringlight had uploaded an album cover for an artist that I’d never heard of before.

From online research, I have been able to discover that Moderat is a collaboration between electronic groups Apparat and Modeselektor. Their album was released in April 2009. I’ve listened to a few samples on various websites and I really like their single Rusty Nails.

I don’t know if there is a connection between the illustration for this album cover and the one done by R. Crumb. It could very well be just a coincidence that the two are so very similar. What do you think?

Posted by: cjmal

Posted by: infiniteloop

Recently, Joe Jonas performed on stage dressed as Elvis Presley — complete with wig and rhinestone-covered white jumpsuit.

Twenty-five years ago, the great Annie Lennox did the same thing at the 1984 Grammy Awards. Lennox shocked the crowd when she appeared on stage to perform Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) with her partner Dave Stewart, dressed in Elvis drag.

The verdict from the “timeless moments in pop music” jury? Joe Jonas = Clown. Annie Lennox = Immortal Goddess of Rock!