With the advent of the CD’s diminished dimensions, album art has never quite been able to replicate the panache of vinyl. Maybe that’s why vintage record covers continue to fascinate musicologists and designers alike. The 1970′s German band, Faust, was experimental not just musically, but visually–exploring unconventional ways to present and package their albums at a time when it was barely a consideration for most musicians. This 1973 album, The Faust Tapes, is a spare and sophisticated piece, featuring a signature optical composition by the British painter Bridget Riley, who is currently the subject of a retrospective at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery. Now, if only I could get my hands on one of these beauties.
