Worst looking CD/LP artwork

[KevinP]

'Worst' applies to the pun more than anything else.

And let's not get started on the Mandala Effect.

[Peter Power Pop]

Seen over at the "What are you listening 2 now?" thread.

[T. D.]

Apparently that's a known painting by Brazilian artist José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior, "The Guitar Player".

Not something I'd hang on my wall, but I doubt it qualifies as fugly, as it's gracing the collection of a São Paulo museum.
WTF it has to do with piano music of a composer I've never heard of is quite another matter, however. 

[JBS]

Seen over at the "What are you listening 2 now?" thread.

I can't say I see anything wrong with that. Radames Gnattali's works mixed popular and Brazilian folk music, so a man playing the guitar is rather appropriate, even if the CD is devoted to piano music.

The painting itself is titled The Guitar Player and is by Jose Ferraz de Almeida.

[Peter Power Pop]

Apparently that's a known painting by Brazilian artist José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior, "The Guitar Player".

Not something I'd hang on my wall, but I doubt it qualifies as fugly, as it's gracing the collection of a São Paulo museum.
WTF it has to do with piano music of a composer I've never heard of is quite another matter, however. 

To me, it's like having an album of glass harmonica music and the cover shows someone holding a bouzouki.

[Peter Power Pop]

[steve ridgway]

[Madiel]

Apparently that's a known painting by Brazilian artist José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior, "The Guitar Player".

Not something I'd hang on my wall, but I doubt it qualifies as fugly, as it's gracing the collection of a São Paulo museum.
WTF it has to do with piano music of a composer I've never heard of is quite another matter, however. 

It does seem quite odd for piano music unless the music is deliberately evoking a guitar. Which can happen. Ravel's "Alberta del gracioso" is a famous example (and both fun to play and nightmarishly difficult, at the same time), arguably Albeniz also does things on piano which are in truth guitar-based.

But as has been discussed MANY times, this thread is supposed to be for ugly covers, not difficult to understand covers.

[Madiel]

A strong nominee for the thread.

[Florestan]

It does seem quite odd for piano music unless the music is deliberately evoking a guitar. Which can happen. Ravel's "Alberta del gracioso" is a famous example (and both fun to play and nightmarishly difficult, at the same time), arguably Albeniz also does things on piano which are in truth guitar-based.

Gottschalk's The Banjo and Moszkowski's Guitarre also spring to mind. In Gnattali's case, the guitar-based inspiration is less obvious in the music and not mentioned in the booklet. Nevertheless, I don't see the cover as ugly and incongruous as other people see it.

[Madiel]

I've just discovered David Hurwitz has a new video about this album. I haven't watched it yet but the title is "Decca Goes Insane".   

Edit: watched the video, it's pretty funny.

[Florestan]

The design is a mess. Thibaudet's photo should have been placed where the pants are, and there should have been no pants at all... 

[71 dB]

The design is a mess. Thibaudet's photo should have been placed where the pants are, and there should have been no pants at all... 

Is that called a De-pussy?

[Florestan]

Is that called a De-pussy?

Excellent one, Poju!     

[DaveF]

My copy - a Qobuz download, inserted above - is in a slightly less shocking shade of pink

Edit:
This appears to be the original, which has been so crudely colorised:

[71 dB]

Excellent one, Poju!     

Thanks Andrei! I am talentless/bad at so many things, but coming up with this kind of jokes is one talent I do have, inherited from my dad. 

[pjme]

The design is a mess

Ok, I agree, this is a silly, badly (vulgar, banal...) executed/constructed photograph. 

However, I did not know that Thibaudet and Westwood were friends and that for 2 decades she designed his concert costumes.
It is easy, I think,  to not like Westwood - but after visiting an exhibition (possibly in Utrecht or Düsseldorf some years ago) I was deeply impressed by the sheer vitality, fantasy and exquisite workmanship that was on display. 

[steve ridgway]

My copy - a Qobuz download, inserted above - is in a slightly less shocking shade of pink

Edit:
This appears to be the original, which has been so crudely colorised:

The red and blue down the side also clashes horribly - Entartete Kunst .

[Peter Power Pop]

[KevinP]

Trying to find something good in that cover is quite the challenge.