Critique Request: CD Cover Art

[esocyn]

Hey all, I apologize if this isn't proper etiquette on this forum as a first post, but I plan on participating beyond this thread. I just wanted to break the ice by requesting a critique of some artwork I'm doing for my music project. I have no formal training and that will become readily apparent when I post the artwork.

The two I'm going to post right now I'm probably going to just consider mock-ups. The background I used was a screen capture from Google maps and the watermarks are as clear as day, so I'll probably try to find another background picture to use or just take one myself. But, for the time being, I want to get comments mainly on how the colors go together and just how they look in general, besides the watermark issue

CD Cover A:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/wacojesus/SprawlCoverArt2.jpg

CD Cover B:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/wacojesus/SprawlCoverArt.jpg

Thanks in advance for the comments, suggestions and critiques. I'll be working on the rest of the art for the project this weekend. If you need me to elaborate on the concept, if that would provide context or what have you, then I'd be happy to do so. :)

[Randomhero]

The first one looks a lot better, the centering is off (unless you weren't trying to center the text, which you should). The second on looks more like a dirty cloth was wiped across it. The main thing I have against it is it shows absolutely nothing about the band/singer/group or anything about what type of music he/she/they might play. If I saw the CD in a store I would probably just pass right over it without even noticing.

I also don't know wether the band name is SPRAWL or day/wind, generally unless it's a really well known group you will want the band title to stand out and be obvious so if someone glances over it the name catches their eye.

Thats just my 2c. As a first attempt it's not bad, but you might want to think more about the selling points of a CD cover.

[esocyn]

The first one looks a lot better, the centering is off (unless you weren't trying to center the text, which you should). The second on looks more like a dirty cloth was wiped across it. The main thing I have against it is it shows absolutely nothing about the band/singer/group or anything about what type of music he/she/they might play. If I saw the CD in a store I would probably just pass right over it without even noticing.

I also don't know wether the band name is SPRAWL or day/wind, generally unless it's a really well known group you will want the band title to stand out and be obvious so if someone glances over it the name catches their eye.

Thats just my 2c. As a first attempt it's not bad, but you might want to think more about the selling points of a CD cover.

Firstly, thank you for the response.

Yeah, I agree about the spacing. I can see it also. May I ask a question, though? What is your favorite CD cover? I mean, just to get an idea of how a band might present itself and it's concept. A lot of the bands I listen to sort of have abstract concepts or iconography on their covers (like Neurosis, for example.)

[Randomhero]

Haha, wow, thats a tall order. Probably...

http://www.thegenrefiles.com/images/sergeant_peppers_lonely_hearts_club_band.jpg

Simply because the more you look into it the more there is to find. But thats an unbelievably good album cover haha.

Here is a pretty good example of an album cover that might make you do a double take.

http://www.stumblebumstudios.com/images/features/tool_10000.jpg

Tool is obviously a very well established band, so they don't need much on the CD to tell you about them.

So lastly this is the kind of album cover that distinctly represents what the band is about, punk rock.

http://www.punkrockcds.com/images/Rancid-AndOutComeTheWolves.jpg

I hope that helped a little :D.

[esocyn]

I can see where you're comin' from. Thanks. But, I'd like to pick your brain just a tad more, if you don't mind. The project I'm doing is ambient/industrial. The concept revolves around suburban sprawl, which is the reasoning behind using the picture I did. What would you think of the following CD covers?

http://www.ondarock.it/images/cover/neurosis.jpg

http://robosexual.typepad.com/photos/album_covers/red_heart.jpg

http://www.southern.net/southern/band/BMICE/pics/NEU47M.jpg

http://www.synthtopia.com/Articles/images/Structures_from_Silence.jpg

ETA: You can tell me to shut up at anytime. I'm just tryin' to study different examples and what not -- separate the effective from non-effective.

[Randomhero]

I've never actually heard of any of those bands so this should work pretty well.

Neurosis - Instantly strikes me as a metal, maybe some industrial aspects to it. Its mostly represented in the typography, the colors, and the weird mutated horse.

Red Sparrows could be a lot of things, most likely an alternative or indie sound.

Battle of Mice - Electronic, maybe techno, kinda looks like an Anime toon in the background.

Steve Roach - Could be anything, I'm gonna go with chill, laid back melodies.

I hope I was kinda close lol.

[esocyn]

Actually, you were pretty close for all of them except Battle of Mice. It def. helps me look at the covers from a different angle.

Neurosis is an experimental metal band, Red Sparowes is an instrumental rock band, Battle of Mice are an art/sludge-metal band and Steve Roach is an ambient composer.

Thanks for the help!