Soundtrack of Our Lives Presents: The 2009 Album Cover of the Year

Ctrl-V

Animal Collective was an early contender for The 2009 Album Cover of the Year, sure. Black Lips made an admirable stab at it. Neko Case and Antony each turned in rather kick-ass submissions as well. But pardon us as we refuse to acknowledge that there are 10 more months left in the year, and instead proclaim this, the cover for Soundtrack of Our Lives' forthcoming record (March 3), Communion, The 2009 Album Cover of the Year.

Take your time and soak in that image for a moment. There are many reasons to shower befuddled love upon it. First of all, what are those docile retirees smiling about? Is it that they just got out of the hot tub? Are they psyched about the sure-to-be-nutritious smoothie-type-thing they are each about to imbibe? Perhaps they just got their teeth-whitener endorsement checks in the mail? Ignoring the two stars of the cover, though, let's turn to the wholly inexplicable watermark (which is, in fact, on the actual cover) that appears to read something like "OEOC." What does any of this mean? Is this album cover like a fine piece of art, interpreted differently by everyone who views it? All we can say for sure is that it's The 2009 Album Cover of the Year.

Leave your thoughts, interpretations, observations and T2K9ACOTY nominees in the comments, and stay tuned for an update.

Ctrl-V

Trailer Stash: S. Darko, Knowing, Funny People, more

Ctrl-V

Matt and Kim Storm Charm City

8 Comments

Click to leave a comment.

By Ogglethorpe on February 27, 2009

Huh? A lame pharmaceuticals ad photo beats Neko? For Chrissake, just look at her.

By bryan on February 27, 2009

morrissey already won that prize.

By j2 on February 27, 2009

That OEOC thing seems to be on most of their album covers - I don't know what it means, though, and Google doesn't seem to know either (it's lumped into the artist name on a bunch of results, and I'd originally assumed it was the Swedish translation, but they're far from each other).

But yeah, it is indeed an amazing album cover - my friend told me they're drinking shampoo in a Dove commercial.

By Jonas on March 1, 2009

its greek, [theo] and means god.

By Dfactor on March 2, 2009

I Love TSOOL, but this is a ridiculous cover. It's got nothing to do with the band, rock and roll or anything. It's a horrible choice. I hope they rethink it.

By Hannah on March 3, 2009

I can't lie. This cover creeps me out. Reminds me of Coraline...Yeah, it's really creeping me out.

By Paste News on March 4, 2009

Ha! I showed this to all the other interns as soon as it came in! The cover's awesome, but the liner pics are equally wonderful: all the happy, upper-middle class, multi-ethnic families with white picket fences and whiter teeth.

By jimbo on March 12, 2009

It does stop you in your tracks...I think the dude looks like Rob Lowe, which makes it even more eerie. I'd have to vote for Neko, given the choices above. But for sheer 'aw...' points I give the nod to Lisa Hannigan's "Sea Sew" - how can you overlook an album cover knitted by mom, patches sewn on by the artist and the lyrics & liner notes hand-stitched by both of them? Oh yeah, and the music is fantastic.