1. Print Production Case Study (2)
The purpose of albumcoversis to use art workto ‘commercialise’the albumandmake ita sellable
productwhilstaidingthe ‘brand’of the artist.Inindie rock,there isa noticeable divide between
artistswhoseekthisformof brandidentityandof those whodon’t. Inmy previousanalysis,Iopted
to analyse the formerof these waysof presentingalbumcoversandinthisone,Ishall investigate
and dissectthe featuresof one whichusesbrandidentityinanattempttoforge the image of the
artistfurther.
Florence andthe Machine originatedfromLondonandhave proliferatedintothe limelightwiththeir
unique soundaftercombiningsoundsfrompop,soul androck toform a unique soundwhichdefined
the band as standalone inthe indie rock genre. Florence +the Machine releasedtheirdebutsingle,
"Kisswitha Fist,"onthe Moshi Moshi label inJune 2008. This wasswiftlyfollowedwiththe critically
acclaimedalbum,Lungs,in2009. It isfrom thisalbumwherebyIshall analyse the albumcover.The
band’smusicwas laudedbyorganisationslike BBCwhoinvitedthe bandtoappearon showssuch as
‘BBC Introducing’ withhasaidedthe emergence of the band.The leadsingerof the bandisFlorence
Welch,whomisresponsibleforwritingandperformingthe songsdistributedbythe band.Their
debutalbum,Lungs,wasreleasedin2009 andremainedinthe charts for28 consecutive weeks.
Lungs wonthe 2009 Brit award forBestBritish Albumandhave continuedtoconsolidate themselves
at the summitof theirrespectivegenre. Fromobscuritytostardom, thisbandhas risenanddefied
all the odds indoingso.Florence Welchandthe othermemberscontinue toachieve andbreak
records.Theirmusichas featuredonpopularAmericanTV Show Glee,whichprovidedthemwith
furtherrecognitionglobally.Lungswasthe band’sdebutalbumandone whichpropelledtheminto
the eyesof the mainstream. ‘Lungs’soldover63,000 copiesinthe firstweekof release andwas a
mainstayinthe charts as aforementioned.
Thisalbumcoveris an example of abstractart and uses
symbolism, andthe connotationsof thatsymbolism, to
depictthe themeswithinthe albumandtell astory.
For example,the Victorianstylebackground
symbolisesthe feeling of despondencythatisoften
associatedwiththe indie rockgenre.Inthisaspect,itis
conformingtoitschosengenre,andby contrastingthis
withlife andprosperity,itdisplayshow the bandare
seekingtorevive the genre.The incorporation of
naturalisticelementsinthe woodsandflowers
connotesfeelingof lifeandpeace.Furthermore,they
are a necessitytothe survival andupkeepingof the
world,muchinthe same waythat humanbodies
require lungstosurvive andfunction.These two
componentsare linkedthroughtheirrelationshipwith
oxygenandthese are arguablythe ‘lungsof the earth’.
Thiscontrast betweenatime periodwhichhaspassedandlife showsFlorence andthe Machine’s
attemptto revive the more authenticstylesof indierockina more contemporarystyle.This
2. combinationof life anddeathisreallyengagingandone whichisstrikinglytolookatas an aesthetic
but whichcarriesa huge amountof symbolicweight.
The inclusionof replicalungs onthe outside of the bodyissomethingtographicallydisplaythe title
of the albumandby optingto place the typeface below these lungscreate alinkbetweenimageand
title.The placementof thistypeface,locatedwiththe placementof the lungsinsideherbody,
createsthislinkforthe audience tocompare and understandthe meaningof the music.The textis
suitable tothe genre andis SansSeriff whilstbeingappropriate incolour.The white connotesa
puritywhichismarriedwithFlorence’sindirectaddressasshe isseeminglylostinthe emotionof her
music.The simplicityof the writingmakesitaestheticallypleasingandmakesitabundantlyclearas
to the title of the albumwhilstconformingtothe genre.It reinforcesthe ideathatlungsare crucial
to bothlife andmusic. The borderusedemulatesthatusedbyJake Bugg inan attemptto comply
and linktootherartistswithinthe genre;she hasadopteda similarapproach.The thickblackborder
connotesthe distance atwhichthe musicis awayfrom hegemonyandthe mainstreammusic
industry.The typographyof the artistname is reinforcedthroughouttheirworkand hasbecome a
beckonof theirbrand,thisreinforcestheirbrandidentity,whichfora smallerband,ispivotal to
buildinganaudience.
The blockingof Florence Welchinthe image goesagainstthe traditional rulesof compositionand
defiesthe rule of thirdstheory.The avoidance of thisrule toconnote how the bandare optingto go
againsthegemonyasoppose toconforming tothe mainstreamapproachof music.Aspreviously
mentioned,the indirectmode of addressdisplaysherdesire toconcentrate onher musicbutit also
displays reluctance tobe recognisedona global scale isa graphicdisplayof herdesire notto let
fame change heror dilute hermusicintocommercialisedpopmusicwhichdoesn’tapplythe themes
nor the emotionshe seeks.Hercostume isloose andeccentric,whichhelpsdepictapersonaforher
audience andthiswackyand individual personalityshe hasdevelopedaideswithherbrandidentity
and issomethingshe hasreinforcedtoheraudience. The placementof the artistontothe front
coverwill aide withherbrandidentity asthe audience will now recognise herwhichwill helpwith
herestablishinganaudience.She isalsoconformingtohergenre throughthe applicationof black
nail polish.Thiscolourisoftenassociatedwithindierockandthus the audience willassociate her
withthis.
Thisalbumcoverwas the firstfor Florence andthe Machine and thusthe inclusionof anartistwas
more pivotal thanThe Killersalbum‘DayandAge’,astheyare yetto establishthemselvesand
generate asignificantaudience tobe considerheavyweightsinindependentmusic. Thisalbums
aidesherto developanaudience andthe techniquesusedhelpthis.
