10/11/06 10:11 PM
It seems like such a minor detail, but I have to say that the small packaging change that Kranky Records instated last year sometime has thrilled me. The label started experimenting with cardboard sleeve packaging as far back as Pan American’s 360 Business / 360 Bypass and Godspeed You Black Emperor’s Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antenna To Heaven double CD, but now it seems like the aforementioned packaging has turned into their primary mode of delivering music.
As mentioned above, this is a rather silly, minor thing, but it makes me happy for several reasons. The first of these is that their packaging now feels largely like a mini LP. Obviously the artwork is not as large (and they still make LPs of all their output), but in pure tactile ways, their small sleeve releases are quite nice. Secondly, their CDs and packaging simply take up less room on my shelf while still being plainly visible. Like a lot of people, I’m starting to accumilate quite a collection of CDs, and the slim packages from Kranky still fit on the shelf nicely (with readable spines) while some other companies insist on not only putting releases inside jewelcases, but including cardboard slipcases, etc. I’m not a huge treehugger (well, okay, sort of), but it just seems kind of wasteful at this point in time.
So that’s my little ramble. Kranky has always been one of my favorite labels, and their new understated (but nice) packaging is just one of several reasons why.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:41 am
While I completely agree with you on the route that Kranky is taking with the form of their sleeves, the execution (especially with the last few releases I have collected from them) have left me wanting so much more. Yesterday I received the new Tim Hecker album in the mail and was utterly underwhelmed by the packaging. The photography was stunning, but the actual design and execution felt like something from a first year design student. Sloppy and poorly thought-out typography (Kranky seems to be using a very boring font for their ‘house’ typeface) and a terrible intigration of text and image. Sure, the front cover of the TH album is fine, but the rear and the inside could have been much better realised.
I am not saying that kranky is necessarily doing a bad job; more than anything, its a bland job. Covers may be nice, but the rest of the work feels uninspired or lackluster (and vice-versa). For a label that has recently re-invented itself, putting out some of the best contemporary electronic and drone based music, it just amazes me that nothing more has been done with their packaging to truly bring the experience into one fantastic experience.
C’est la vie…
October 17th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Agreed that some of their designs leave a bit to be desired. I have the Hecker as well and like you said, the photography is nice, but the overall execution (to me, the inside photographs don’t really fit very well) sometimes leaves something to be desired.
I’d say some of the most successful designs in the new sleeves have been the Boduf Songs, as well as the new Benoit Pioulard. The latter is especially stunning, and both of the aformentioned may or may not have to do with both being matte packages rather than glossy ones (the recent Brian McBride is another example of the new design that both looks and “feels” nice in your hands).
Heck, one of my favorite recent Kranky releases is one that broke from this new trend altogether (the recent Windy & Carl). The photography on that one is killer, and the typography is simple, yet effective.
October 30th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
thanks for the nice words, always appreciated. a few notes: we do not make LP’s for all of our releases, in fact we do very little vinyl these days. it’s hard enough to sell interesting music on CD, duplicating releases on a format that is even more difficult to sell would fill our small warehouse space quickly with unsold vinyl and kill us financially. and in regards to artwork, each and every title we have ever released has been designed by the artist themselves without any editorial control from the label.
thanks again.
joel
November 18th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
I personally think that kranky has stepped up their packaging a notch however subtle. I started noticing it last year with Periphery album, or Dead Texan the year before. It’s not real tangible but the new Boduf Songs – Lion Devours The Sun is the proof in the pudding. I personally love the photos on Tim Hecker’s disc and this understatement comes approved by him. Just check out his other releases for additional verification. I applaud kranky for adapting and continuing to find cutting edge artist to keep their tools sharp. Where would we be without them? and their reasonable pricing? I shudder to think. Then there’s always the catalog they update as a caring, closing statement.
December 4th, 2006 at 8:33 am
Are the photos on the Tim Hecker cover a Christian Boltanski reference? http://www.likeyou.com/gfx/christian_boltanski_kmwol06.jpg
December 4th, 2006 at 8:45 am
I don’t believe so. From what I can see of the Tim Hecker artwork artwork, it looks like a picture of some sort of either WWI or WWII photograph memorial wall.
I’m not positive that’s the case, but it’s my best guess.