Consulate's Alan Lopez on the Visual Storytelling of Album Covers
October 1, 2025
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, record stores were like an oasis for the imagination. Even when I had no money to buy anything, a trip to the local shop always provided temptation through album cover art. Once I was able to visit the larger stores in NYC, like Tower Records on West 66th or East 4th, the floodgates opened. The album art always provided an entry point, and sometimes a complement to the music. Here are a few that have stuck with me through the years.
Massive AttackProtection (1994)
Protection sucked me in and made me a lifelong fan of Massive Attack. The beats and downtempo melodies forged a genre unto themselves. Imitated but seldom duplicated. The cover builds on the simpler, flammable-materials sleeve of their debut album, Blue Lines. It is layered thick with 3D graffiti-inspired artwork; the italicized font and barcode are the cherry on top. The imagery echoes the feel of the music—handmade, cut up and delivered with a gorgeous feel. Artwork + Design: 3D and Michael Nash Associates.
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