Oh Chili, I know that you and T-Boz had to file for bankruptcy a few years back but is this the best they could give you for your new cd? Poor Chili has been hit with a photographer from Smooth and some faux-metallic type courtesy of Ford for her upcoming solo album. You’ve got to hope this isn’t really what it will look like but it seems as though it will be. Dumb, dumb, dumb, that summarizes it pretty well. Apologies to Beck for posting this before him.
My interest in Beck’s music is not only based on the music but also how he addresses the visual aspects of his music. For Guero Beck released a normal cd with traditional packaging, but he also released a hardbound book that featured a dvd featuring motion graphic interpretations of his music by D-Fuse. Then for The Information a cd was produced with normal packaging but it also included a set of stickers that you could use to create your own original cover and it was packaged with another dvd – this one was slightly disappointing when compared to the D-Fuse version.
Now Beck has re-released Odelay with a re-interpretation of the original packaging manipulated by Mat Maitland of Big Active, London, the team that also produced The Information. An additional set of 4 postcards come bundled in the gate-fold paperboard package. Damn the Brits for always doing better design than we do. The cd also comes bundled with a re-release of the original version of Odelay and a special disc that combines B-Sides and remixes by Unkle and others.
I picked up the cd about three weeks ago and though I thought it was a bit pricey at $30 when I saw that the back cover featured a scribbled message that said “Property of Michael” I knew it was meant to be. I suggest picking it up especially if your copy of Odelay looks like it has been cleaned like a brillo pad like mine.
Steven Heller writes an interesting blog posting for The New York Times about Obama’s use of Gotham for his campaign.
Brian Collins analyzes the brand building of Obama in the interview with Heller:
“I don’t think that Gotham adds any personality to Senator Obama’s brand. I think it just amplifies the personality that’s already there. In fact, the typeface would work just as well for John McCain or Hillary Clinton, for that matter.
With that said, though, there’s an oxymoronic quality to Gotham, which is why I think it’s become so popular. It has a blunt, geometric simplicity, which usually makes words feel cold and analytical (like Univers), but it also feels warm. It’s substantial yet friendly. Up-to-date yet familiar. That’s a tough hat trick. And Gotham has another quality that makes it succeed: it just looks matter-of-fact.”
I would certainly vote for Gotham as President, I just ask that it tracks itself a little bit. That’s some tightly Gotham in there. Personally I don’t know how well it works with the serif, I think the serif is applied better in applications and reads much more friendly and personable.
Thanks to DK Uva
Lella and Massimo Vignelli have teamed up with Acme Writing Products to produce a limited edition pen. Produced in a quantity of 500, the Zigrinato is available for purchase through Acme’s retailers.
It seems as though they have also produced a set of cufflinks titled “Alphabet”.
Found in Blackbook
