If you find yourself wondering what the hell I’m doing with a Berlioz album, then you really haven’t been paying attention: I love batshit crazy album covers.
This cover illustration reminds me of something a younger me may have doodled on acid, which makes sense: Berlioz’s masterpiece is about an artist loaded on opium. For those who weren’t fans of three-eyed, four-breasted Nick Gilder lookalikes, an alternate cover with an abstract design also was released.
Charles Munch conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra is a quite popular recording of this piece. It has been re-released several times in many formats with prices ranging from 5 to 100 dollars U.S. As befits my cruddy collection, my copy lands at the five dollar end of the spectrum.
Here’s the big question: Does this opium-addled sleeve belong in the Bad Album Cover Hall of Fame? Leave me a note and let me know.
I think it should be in the Cool Album Cover Hall of Fame. But then I’m a sucker for the Olsen twins.