Science 7 - LAND and SEA BREEZE and its Characteristics
Arctic Monkeys Debut Album Digipak Analysis
1. Whatever people say I am, that’s what I’m not
This digipack is for the Arctic Monkey’s
album “Whatever People Say I Am,
That’s What I’m Not”. This was the
band’s debut album so this digipak
would have been important to the
bands image. The colour scheme
through the digipack is a consistently
black, grey and white colour which
reflects the bands alternative/indie
rock genre so people who don’t know
who they are already get a feel of
what sort of album this is going to be.
2. The front cover
The front cover of the album is very simple. It is a medium black and
white close up shot of a man smoking a cigarette. The man looks like
your average confident working class man, which could be how Arctic
Monkeys could be trying to portray themselves. He is smoking, staring
straight into the camera. This simple cover is also effective as it makes
it makes the album appear more relatable and intriguing for their
target audience and could also convey that their music is more real. In
addition by using an unknown average man for the cover of the album
could also signify that this album is all about the music and not the
fame for the Arctic Monkeys. The man also make the target audience
feel like this album is more personal to them as there is not a
photoshopped celebrity in expensive clothes on the front, this is more
real and more engaging for whom the band are trying to target.
3. The back
On the back of the album is the same medium close up shot
of the average man yet this time his head is lowered and he is
wiping his eyes. This could relate to the title of the album
“What People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”. On the front of
the album he appears care free and confident and that’s what
people see him as however on the back he is not that, he
looks troubled and possibly upset over something. The back
cover keeps in with the simple theme of the digipak.
In the top left hand corner in small white sans serif font is the
track list. This ties in with the simplistic style of the covers.
4. The disk
The actually disk for the album resembles an ash tray. This relates to the
image on the cover of the man smoking. The pile of cigarettes on the CD
cover could symbolise that the Arctic Monkeys music, and this album
will be addictive, just like smoking is addictive. The CD is also in black
and white which is consistent with the overall style of the Digipak.