John Foster takes music packaging very seriously. He has deconstructed the design of the recording industry through his personal work and his books, Maximum Page Design (HOW), New Masters of Poster Design (Rockport) and the upcoming For Sale: Innovative Solutions in Packaging Design (HOW) as well as a monograph of Sub Pop’s Art Director, Jeff Kleinsmith, slated for publication by the label in 2008.

He will be poking and prodding various albums on a weekly basis so please be sure to keep an eye out!

This week’s victims:

The Breeders “Mountain Battles”

Is it worth listening to no matter what it looks like? After a veeerrrry long hiatus, the sisters Deal has made their return under The Breeders moniker. No more sloppy Amps record and free of the Pixies revival for a moment, Kim Deal finds a middle ground between her projects of the last decade. Those hoping for a full return to “Cannonball” or “Divine Hammer” glory might leave a tad disappointed but those (like me) praying that this kicks that Amps and last Breeders record straight in the hind quarters will be in for a treat. While 2002’s “Title TK” had a few charms to call it unfocused would have been kind. Here the band simplifies things even further and all for the better.

The moments on this record that I am still not settled with (but may over time) are actually the most listenable portions. A version of “Regalame Esta Noche” truly sung by Kim (we always knew she could sound like this) and the overlaid wall of vocals that is the opener “Overglazed” are ear candy, yet remind me of one undeniable truth: I like my Breeders a little bit dirty. It is in the muffled drums (remember when Kim disbanded the group and was trying to teach herself the drums for a year in the 90s?) and the ping pong guitar lines of “Bang On;” the recorded in different rooms spookiness of the drums/vocals of “Night of Joy,” and clumsy propulsion of “German Studies” that pull me in. When they get to “Spark” I realize that they have perfectly merged Chicago post rock with the arty detached nature of fellow 4ADers like His Name is Alive. That Kim still has the balls to declare a recording done with all of the mistakes poking out and performing the jobs where melody and gloss would normally prowl, shows that she is far from treading on her reputation. For all of the recording chances Black Francis/Frank Black likes to take, he always surrounds himself with perfectionists. Kim and sister Kelley are as inventive as ever but truly no more accomplished at their instruments than in 1992. For once, their rhythm section plays it smart and keeps it simple. By the time we reach the muffle snare pop of “Walk It Off” I am sold on the return - pretty little warts and all.

Credit: “Art direction and design: Vaughan Oliver/v23, Photography: Marc Atkins/panoptika.net”

Any signs of creative interference in the design process by the artist? 4AD releases need label approval but v23 has a pretty free reign (hard earned.)

Does the look fit the sound? It does in an abstract manner. Does it look like a 4AD release? You know it does. Is Vaughan Oliver one of the main reasons I, and many in my age group, became a designer? Most certainly! I can easily recall hours spent holding Surfer Rosa (on vinyl of course) in my hands or a Wolfgang Press album or virtually any of the wonderfully arty records the label put out in the 80s. His choice of photographers and sublime use of type forever informed a generation. Here, he continues a fairly recent marriage of imagery with photographer Marc Atkins, whose work has graced many a 4AD disc in the past two years. The choice of what appears to be breaking sheets of ice (one can never be sure) creates friction and odd casts of light that seems to fit the band in an abstract manner. I don’t think that pulls together in the way that the sensational “Pod” cover had with it’s blurred shot of a man swinging a handful of eels from his groin but in all honesty that would be pretty hard to top for this group.

Instead we get a neat little booklet tucked inside that takes a photographic study of the ice collision and attaches it to each track. Some are met with more intensity and color and there feels like an underlying connection there. The cover comes unadorned with type (it had a sticker of course) and the heavy shadows and red in the background hint at a darkness the sisters have always flirted with and shows an adept analysis by Oliver when compared to his “Last Splash” work or even “Pod” for the band. The use of a UV varnish to gloss up the photos also showcases his delicate touch. My only quibble is in the final production of the booklet, as mine was trimmed far too close to the top but that happens when you take risks now and again. The final product ends up as a nice tight package. Simple and dark and a little bit arty.

Final score (out of 10): 8.0 design 7.0 for the music

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