Welcome to Round 2 of the Album Cover Portrait Playoff.
If you missed Round 1, check it out here.
Pick whichever cover/portrait you prefer, focussing on the art rather than the artist, on the visuals rather than the music. In the comments section, list your ‘winner’ for each of the eight matches.
Feel free to include comments or reasons for your choices. They were a fun part of Round 1.
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MATCH 9 – Lennon vs John 
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MATCH 10 – Page vs Numan
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MATCH 11 – Mayall vs Martyn
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MATCH 12 – Mann vs Quatro
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MATCH 13 – Mitchell vs lang
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MATCH 14 – Zappa vs Case
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MATCH 15 – Jackson vs Garrett
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MATCH 16 – King vs Lauper
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Vinyl Connection appreciates the input, feedback and engagement of its followers.
Thank you lines-people, thank you ball-kids.
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Jeez! Can’t believe you’re actually making us work!
On portraits alone I go for Elton, Page, Martyn, Mann, Mitchell, Zappa, Garrett, Lauper.
that Herbie Mann cover … thank God it isn’t a bigger record, is all I can say!
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I’ll go:
9 – Lennon
10 – Numan
11 – Mayall
12 – Quatro
13 – Lang
14 – Case
15 – Jackson
16 – tough call, I’ll go King
fun!
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I like the idea but I am too tired to list all my favs – there must be an easier way.
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Telepathy?
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ok – I tried it that way – did you get them?
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Yep! So far you are the only vote for Herbie Mann!
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9–Tough choice, but I’ll go with Lennon, because of the puff of cloud cushioning the album name and artist
10–Jimmy Page, great shot of a wizard with his instrument
11–Mayall: the texture!
12–Quatro, but it’s not so much a vote for him as one against the Herbie Mann cover….it looks too much like porn!
13–Joni, beret over cowboy-style topper
14–Zappa; love the letters of his name perched on the staff at the bottom
15–Jackson; great retro look
16–Carole King, by a landslide…such an evocative cover.
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9. Elton (darker & moodier)
10. Page (I like both albums & covers, but I saw Page at a club on that tour and it’s a cool cover for the late-’80s)
11. Martyn (this was a close one, but it reminded me of the great title track so that won me over)
12. Quatro (because it’s not a sweaty shirtless Mann)
13. Joni (I like how you pit two great Canadian female artists against each other here; both good covers but Joni’s is more iconic)
14. Zappa (because this was one of two records that got me into Zappa in high school)
15. Jackson (one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists and an homage to a great jazz album…no contest here…plus this tour was the first time I saw Joe in concert)
16. King (because I prefer muted to bright & garish; “it’s too late” for me to change my mind about this one)
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[…] This is Round 1, the top half of the draw. The bottom half is here. […]
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lennon
page
martyn
mann
lang
zappa
jackson
lauper
and zappa and jackson on top, i’d say, hehe
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Lennon
Numan
Mayall
Quatro
Mitchell
Zappa
Jackson
King
Brilliant set of post here. This is the sort of game I can get into. I’ve always been intrigued with album art, whether I like what’s inside the sleeve or not.
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Righto! Here goes …
9. Elton (there’s something about that cover that’s just ace. And I did buy that one on the strength of the cover!)
10. Page (always liked that cover)
11. Mayall
12. Mann (that’s just too dreadfully awesome / awesomely dreadful a cover)
13. Joni
14. Zappa (I like that he seems to be unhappy at the taker of the photo – perhaps saying “say cheese” or suchlike)
15. Jackson
16. King (I’ve always thought it’s such a ‘cosy’ cover)
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John, E. (the shadows)
Numan (the glow)
Mayall (but I really didn’t like either of these)
Quatro (but really an anti-Mann vote)
Mitchell (travel/dream imagery)
Zappa (color scheme)
Jackson (great composition)
Lauper (if shirtless Herbie Mann were doing this klutzy dance pose, he might’ve gotten my vote)
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Weighing in with a tie-breaker selection…
John (moody)
Page (movement)
Martyn (grass and decapitation together – no contest)
Quatro (marginally less chest hair)
Mitchell (the road’s her middle name)
Zappa (line ball)
Garrett (scary energy!)
Lauper (she bops)
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So, the results…
JOHN def Lennon (5-4) Slightly surprising win for Reg Dwight over his fancied opponent
PAGE def Numan (6-3) Jimmy’s ju-ju beats Gary Nu-nu
MAYALL def Martyn (5-4) John’s Roots edge out John’s selfie (Martyn took the photos himself)
QUATRO def MANN (6-3) Herbie’s undoubted sex appeal just wasn’t enough
MITCHELL def lang (7-2) A timely burst of positive energy going Joni’s way
ZAPPA def Case (8-1) Gotta wonder about Franks (oc)cult powers
JACKSON def Garrett (7-2) Clearly not enough Aussies participated!
KING def Lauper (5-4) Three of the four female matches were really close. Here, Carol lifts the trophy
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Jackson vs Garrett?
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Obviously the suspense is killing me!
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The Tournament Referee has, of course, been locked in a room and force fed 72 hours of Billy Joel.
And you have earned loads of VC bonus points for your sharp line calls.
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The original plan was to create a ‘finals’ round, but I think we’ll leave it here.
Thanks to all who visited (Round 1 had 50+ views; Round 2, 30+) and especially those who joined in with choices and comments.
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[…] the album cover Portrait Playoff (One and Two), I considered having a satellite event where the artist portrait was not a photograph, but a […]
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