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 Woodentops “Hypnobeat Live”

Is it worth listening to no matter what it looks like? Recently I was kicked off of the DC Britpop Meetup Group. I have no idea why (although I never physically met anyone and just enjoyed the listserv – hmmmm….) I did find it humorous, but I missed one thing; seeing the setlists from ace DJ and britpop lover, Will Eastman. Will is a joy to see spin but even more fun – if possible – to chat music with. Wedged between bouts of bragging to one another about past shows attended, we drift into records that have been criminally underrated. One of those records reminded me of a favorite occurrence; when a band and designer become linked over their entire career. Like a funkier version of the New Order/Peter Saville relationship, The Woodentops went about making some of the most amazing (and underrated) music of the 80s, all the while wrapped in the artwork of Panni Charrington.

The songs of Rolo McGinty comprise a long discography and fans of the group may prefer to focus on other records (and for design sake I should as well) but it is the music that carries the day. With that in mind, I have to dissect the ultimate recording of the group; “Hypnobeat Live.” The Woodentops did well on the indie charts and saw Rough Trade support their efforts, but the records never seemed to capture the magic in the songs fully. A slew of singles and the fine “Giant” record behind them, the band were preparing their American major label debut when they recorded “Hypnobeat Live.” Played at a frantic pace – “are you ready Benny?” Rolo calls out before matching the drummer’s blistering intro with some crazed acoustic strumming – the songs take on a new life.

If this were a jam band, blues band, basically anything but an arty indie rock band, you would believe a live album might bring out the best in them. A studied exercise in pop craftsmanship such as this however – no one could have expected it. Starting with “Well Well Well” and picking up the pace from there to a version of “Traveling Man” where the band takes off with Rolo’s scat-like singing while Alice Thompson’s simple keyboards keep a bedrock to riff on, there is no looking back. Following is a breathtaking version of “Plenty” that I never tire of two decades later. When Rolo lets the crowd know he’s “ready to play some music – from under my stairs,” the roar of “Everyday Living” somehow pushes the speedometer further. “Good Thing” gives the couples a chance to hold hands before the final burst of “Move Me.” The end result being a masterpiece that pushed a respected band on the fringes of pop into a beloved collection for those that have been fortunate enough to own it.

Credit: “Sleeves by Panni Charrington”

Any signs of creative interference in the design process by the artist? No but the band clearly had a tight relationship with Charrington.

Does the look fit the sound? Charrington, a contemporary/collaborator of such influential British designers as Neville Brody and Vaughan Oliver, brought her distinct use of printmaking tools, primitive illustration, intricate montage and collage building, and an amazing integration of photography to the table. Covering all of them at times within the band’s output (and fully pushing all applications for the “Wooden Foot Cops on the Highway” disc that followed) it would be hard to argue against the symbiotic relationship artist and musicians shared. Charrington did a great deal of design, but the work for the Woodentops (even doing their backdrop images live which is what you see captured on “Hypnobeat Live”) was much more organic, whether type drawn right into the clay of the “Move Me” single or sculpted and plated in steel on the “Well Well Well” release. The two were forever married.

Leaving trendy haircuts and awful shirts behind, and losing their path following the underground dance success in the early rave culture with “Well Well Well,” The Woodentops instead will be remembered with one amazing album and a collection of unique and interesting sleeves.

Final score (out of 10): 7.0 design 9.0 for the music

Interesting side note: Carrington (now Bahrti) has become deeply spiritual but still offbeat and her work ranges from meditative gardens to films and even personalized eco-friendly car wraps.

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