Tame Impala is one of my choices for secret 7. As i've been a fan of the band for quite some time, this is a good opportunity to design a sleeve which communicates the band in a creative way.
The research gathered helped get an idea of who the band members are and their influences towards music. Below is information I found on the background of the band and how they started out, Kevin Parker who fronts the band writes, records and produces his own music, this is represented through the music as its very alternative and is classed as a psychedelic rock/dream pop. The bands influences range from The Beach Boys to the Beatles and other iconic psychedelic artists from the 60's.
Tame Impala is Kevin Parker's psychedelic rock band. On the recording side, Parker writes and records almost all of Tame Impala's music, and live Parker plays guitar and sings. Essentially, Tame Impala is Parker's recording project.
After sending off approximately 20 songs, many of them later leaked to YouTube, that Parker had recorded as far back as 2003 to different record labels, Tame Impala was signed to Modular Recordings. After the release of their 2008 debut EP, Parker revealed his intentions for recording: "Most of the songs on the EP were never meant to be heard by the rest of Perth, let alone the rest of the world. They were just recorded for my own listening sake, and burning a CD of it and putting it in my car and giving it to my friends."
After much touring in 2008 and 2009, Tame Impala's debut album, Innerspeaker was released to widespread critical acclaim in 2010, winning a J Award and a Rolling Stone Award for Album of the Year, and 5 nominations at the ARIAs. Parker's ability to take many elements of '60s psychedelic rock, and give it a distinctly modern twist, creating a new and original sound was praised. Parker also received a WAMI Award for Best Guitarist and an APRA Award for Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year.
In a display of Parker's work ethic, work on the next Tame Impala album Lonerism had already started before Innerspeaker was even released. Lonerism was released on 5 October 2012 to widespread critical acclaim, winning many Album of the Year awards from the likes of NME Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine and Triple J. Lonerism marks an extension of Parker's music, featuring synths and poppier melodies, and also a more lavish, lush and expansive sound. Commenting on the new-found sound, Parker said that "[Lonerism] will be the kind of music that I felt as though I wanted to make during Innerspeaker, but I felt that it was too much of a jump. Back when I was doing Innerspeaker, I felt like I should make an album with only guitars, and use no synths, because I felt like it was a compromise to what we do. But I now know that it's not." At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 he won two trophies, Engineer of the Year and Producer of the Year, for his work on Tame Impala's Currents (July 2015); the group won three further categories at the ceremony: Album of the Year, Best Group and Best Rock Album.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Parker_(musician)
This is the single that Secret 7 have chosen for us to design a sleeve for.
Lyrics:
Someone said they left together
I ran out the door to get her
She was holding hands with Trevor
Not the greatest feeling ever
Said, "Pull yourself together
You should try your luck with Heather"
Then I heard they slept together
Oh, the less I know the better
The less I know the better
Oh my love, can't you see yourself by my side
No surprise when you're on his shoulder like every night
Oh my love, can't you see a child on my mind
Don't suppose we could convince your lover to change his mind
So goodbye
She said, "It's not now or never
Wait 10 years, we'll be together"
I said, "Better late than never
Just don't make me wait forever"
Don't make me wait forever
Don't make me wait forever
Oh my love, can't you see yourself by my side?
I don't suppose you could convince your lover to change his mind
I was doing fine without ya
'Til I saw your face, now I can't erase
Giving in to all his bullshit
Is this what you want, is this who you are?
I was doing fine without ya
'Til I saw your eyes turn away from mine
Oh, sweet darling, where he wants you
Said, "Come on Superman, say your stupid line"
Said, "Come on Superman, say your stupid line"
Said, "Come on Superman, say your stupid line"
Above are examples of albums and single artwork for Tame Impala. As the band have a strong 60's psychedelic influence, this is apparent throughout their artwork and reflects what the music is trying to communicate. As the music is very dream-like and pop rock, the use of paint splashing and running through different colours suggests the creativity and freedom within the music. The use of imagery in the artwork also have been taken using a polaroid camera of some kind which really reflects the 60's and 70's when film photography was emerging. This could suggest that the music has been preserved from those times and is now being released back in society for people to regain a taste for psychedelic rock and the creativity it expresses.
Etta James - At Last
Etta James was known worldwide for her powerful ballads and timeless music. The classic song 'At Last' remains one of the most recognisable and timeless soundtracks, it reaches out across all generations and still has the same effect now as it did back then. Etta's powerful and raw vocals alongside a sweeping orchestra help build a song that has remained in peoples minds today. I would like to capture and communicate to the audience these elements without giving too much away.
The song became Etta James' signature song and was the third in a string of successful songs from herChess Records debut album At Last!. In April 1961, it became her second number 2 R&B hit and crossed over to pop radio, reaching number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite its modest pop chart standing, the song is well-known and is still played regularly on oldies radio stations. The James version reached the top 40 in Cashbox and Music Vendor.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Last
From research I found the song is not originally sang by Etta James, but was first sang in a film named 'Orchestra Wives' in 1942 by singers Ray Eberle and Pat Friday. From research I found that in 1942 the RCA Victor studio recording of "At Last" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra featuring Ray Eberle on vocals was released as a V-Disc or Victory Disc by the U.S. War Department during World War II in October, 1943 as No. 12A. V-Discs were sent to American soldiers and military personnel overseas. Below is a clip from the movie itself featuring the song being sang by the actors.
Lyrics:
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh yeah yeah
At last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream, that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh yeah yeah
You smiled, you smiled
Oh and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
for you are mine...
At Last
Etta James version:
Looking into jazz posters from the 50's and 60's helped initiate some ideas. It was useful to discover what posters were designed like in the same era as Etta James, I felt it was most appropriate to take note of the design style as it reflected how design responded to music movements in the 60's. Using block colours and bold type communicated more of a classic but fun style, reflecting what type of jazz they were promoting. It brings energy to the posters helping them engage with the information it is offering, taking elements from these posters I would also like to design something that uses minimal shapes and bold colours to communicate to the audience as it is the most effective.
