Some really nice graphic design in album art this year.  Striking or subtle, it was all there. These are 17 or so of the best. Not sure if I was just attracted to them, but covers with circles in the design seemed to predominate…

[click image to enlarge]
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Feist: Pleasure
There’s probably a good story behind this photo…

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Stars: There Is No Love in Fluorescent Light
The light of modernity shines no love on the poor. Even when they live in model train diorama-like settings.

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Starsailor: All This Life
Aliens want Winnebagos.

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Noam Pikelny: Universal Favorite
When you create your universe, you can always be the universal favorite.

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Cloud Nothings: Life Without Sound
I can actually hear the absence of sound in this cover.

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Hayden Pedigo: Greetings from Amarillo
Dynamic guitar music for laundromats (just be careful with the bleach…it can ruin a good spruce guitar-top finish.)

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Tift Merritt: Stitch of the World
Surreal and down to earth (down to tree?) at once. In a world where drums fall from the sky and lodge in trees…

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Trummors: Headlands
Kinda art-deco, kinda hippie, kinda cool.

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Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn: Echo in the Valley
“I see a banjo silhouetto with a man / Scaramouch, scaramouch, will you do the fandango?”

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Offa Rex: The Queen of Hearts
British/American acid folk revivalists had an appropriately late 60s/early 70s style hallucinatory cover.

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Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy: Glow and Fade
“The leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone…” Well, not in outer space…
Art by sci-fi artist Bruce Pennington.

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Camille: Oui
It’s convenient when you can just levitate everywhere. Much easier on the knees.

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Ha Ha Tonka: Heart-Shaped Mountain
Burning down the mountain.

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Cage the Elephant: Unpeeled
The only way to eat a grapefruit.

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Sarah Bethe Nelson: Oh, Evolution
Oh, evolution, you confuse me with this intriguing image.


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Various: Pop Makossa: Invasive Dance Beat of Cameroon
The title says it all. Beware the invaders!


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As Paul Kelly waves in vain to Karen Elson, we look forward to the album art 2018 has in store.
(Karen Elson: Double Roses / Paul Kelly: Life is Fine)