Album Covers

What is up with epic album covers lately? Will 2011 be the year of epic album covers?  Take a look at the album artwork above- it is for Ben Harper's new album 'Give Till It's Gone' (if you couldn't tell).  This is awesome for several reasons:
1) The red white and blue.  You can't argue with patriotic colors.  Seriously- try.
2) The artwork lines up with the message of the album name in a great artistic way.
3) Its simplistic.

It seems like album artwork in 2011 is no joking matter.  I know it really makes no difference on the music itself, but it looks awesome.

Take a look at this one, from Daniel Bashta:
 This album cover is great because:
1) It has a lion head with the body of a man screaming fire while beating a war drum standing on a mountain of skulls.
2) It is a worship album with a lion head/man body screaming fire while beating a war drum standing on a mountain of skulls!!!
3) It is a great use of colors.
4) Bashta's song 'Like A Lion' has gained popularity by being covered by David Crowder and by Kristian Stanfill.  This album artwork definitely is a representation of that song in a great way.




Or what about this one from The Script from their album "Science and Faith"

This album artwork is good because:
1) It shows the balance that they are trying to describe in the title.
2) It is simplistic.  It isn't a overused photo of the band looking in different directions.  It is simple not in the design but in the lack of unneeded things.  I can't put a finger specifically on it, but I like it.


So what about you?  What album artwork do you really like this year?  What don't you like?