About the list: The adjectives best, worst, essential, outstanding, magic, weirdest and disappointing are more or less included in the existing lists. Here is a new adjective and list. Spectacular means of the nature of a spectacle; impressive or sensational or that something that is spectacular, as an elaborate show or display. This list refers to both meanings.
|
No |
Cover | Song/Album | Artist |
Notes |
|
1 |
 |
Built with Bones (2007) |
Christian Williams |
Less is more. Built with Bones is the "Holy Grail" of all Gothic Country albums. The album cover is, not literally but figuratively, built with bones. Album cover art by Paul Rhyne. |
|
2
|
 |
Psalms for the Spiritually Dead (2010) |
Sons of Perdition |
The idea for the album was “overwhelmingly bleak”. The album cover is anything but bleak. The half-torso cover was created by the artist, illustrator, cartoonist and letterer Christoph Mueller. |
|
3
|
 |
I See a Darkness (1999) |
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy |
Skulls often appear in this genre. However, this skull belongs in the top decile and fits the pitch-black album perfectly. Album cover art by Joanne Oldham (mother of the artist). |
|
4
|
 |
Texxxas (2000) |
Adult Rodeo |
This album cover is more than qualified for a "Tipper sticker" (parental advisory label). The spectacular album art is designed by Adult Rodeo. The band name refers to a sex toy, among other things. |
|
5
|
 |
The Shovel and the Gun (2008) |
Creech Holler |
A hand, tattooed with a gun and the word "fate". The hand rests on a playing card with two crossed shovels, on the back cover: a gravedigger with a firm grip on a shovel. Designed by Gin Stevens. |
|
6
|
 |
José Arcadio is Dead (2009) |
American Sinner |
José is dead, but there's no wound on his corpse, and no weapon is ever found. The title refers to one of the characters in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's masterpiece "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Unknown origin. |
|
7 |
 |
Child of Calamity (2008)
|
Pine Box Boys |
Glowing moonlight, a man and a shovel. These three conditions can only mean one thing. A grave need to be dug. This is inductive reasoning. The album art was designed by Tabitha Lahr. |
|
8
|
 |
Fire & Hail (2008) |
.357 String Band |
A stunning piece of art. The original album cover painting by banjo player Joseph Huber was sold on eBay in March 2013. I let this one-of-a-kind chance go. You have to live with the choices you make in life. |
|
9 |
 |
Ballads and Mental Breakdowns (2008) |
Uncle Sinner |
This album was released in three editions with different album covers. This is the “Hand-version”. All album covers were designed by talented artist Agnieszka Ledochowska. The artwork is spectacular. |
|
10 |
 |
Grim Weepers (2017) |
Lonesome Wyatt & the Holy Spooks |
A very well-dressed man in purple with page boy hair cut, but with severe skin conditions and a distorted jaw. And with a tear in his eye. Lonesome Wyatt goes his own way, as always. |