Comments on the Community 2 sleeve submissions

I’ve enjoyed having a look through the cover art entries for “Community 2”.  I have tried to narrow it down to 3 or 4, but it was difficult, however there is one, which I personally feel works especially well.  Here are my thoughts….

Design by Manumatic.

This one really does it for me, for a number of reasons.  There is the obvious leaf reference, which ties in nicely with volume 1, as well the original NO releases.  The simplicity of the overall design is also something that really appeals to me, as I always seem to find less is more, and that is something that has been an integral part of the NO/JD identity, so it makes sense to me that the tribute album carries the same kind of aesthetic.  The real deal-breaker for me though, is the clever use of text.  Overall this design has a nice balance, and a clean, punchy look, which works well.

 

Design by Steven Hankinson.

Again this one is a nice simple idea, and the reference to Peter’s “Waste” artwork works well.  I guess that when it comes to a tribute album the artwork should be a kind of tribute too, and so it’s for this reason that I’d shortlist this entry.  The use of text works well on this design, and has that degree of ambiguity that can be found in the graphic design of NO albums.  It doesn’t give too much away at first glance, which creates a curiosity that makes you want to find out more.

 

The 2 below are also designs I would like to see short-listed.  They both have a lot going for them, and it was difficult to choose between them.  I think between these and the 2 above there are 4 different directions it could go in, and I must say it really would be difficult to choose between them, so a vote by all makes sense.

 

Design by Nicolas LeBlanc.

I thought this design had the most "Joy Division" feel about it, which is why I picked that one, because I thought it bridged the gap between the two (that subconscious crossroads feeling).  The others were leaning more towards NO so I thought that JD needed a bit more representation, and I thought that the black and white gave it a nice edgy feel.

 Design by Todd Marsee.

I hope that is of some help, and I must say it was really difficult because they all have their strengths, and ultimately it just comes down to personal preference, but I would put the 4 above into the shortlist.  I will be interested to see what everybody else thinks, because as is always the way, everybody has their own idea of what would make a good album cover, and it’s impossible to please everybody (I should know!).  Anyway I am, as ever, impressed by the contribution by fans when it comes to New Order, and I’ll really look forward to seeing/hearing the finished article.