This is great. Makes me think of all the hip hop artists in the ‘90s who paid homage to classic jazz LP covers, which was always interesting because of the richness of jazz samples present in rap music at that time. (Ego Trip’s Big Book of Rap Lists has a great two page spread of some of the highlights in that trend.)
In my view, time is a big factor here - when there’s 20+ years between the two records, and especially when the original is a classic album, it’s very clearly homage. Also when the composition is almost identical, it’s clear the more modern artist is not trying to fool anyone. Presumably in most cases the original album or artist was a big influence on the artist paying homage.
But when there’s only a couple of years between them and the executions are somewhat different? (As in your Weyes Blood / Chloe example), then it gets murkier...
You could add Ween's "The Pod" and Leonard Cohen's "Greatest Hits"... or Bruce Springsteen's "The River" and Haruomi Hosono's "Hosono House" AND Mac Demarco's "2"
re: Dusty Ray — kinda shady to sell your art to two different artists to use for their album covers.
Shady indeed if they didn’t tell the musician in question that it had already been used previously for an album cover. But if they were honest about that and the musician chose to move forward with it, then it’s on them.
I immediately thought of Waylon Jennings' '77 "Ol' Waylon" album which deliberately (as i recall) homaged the Stones' '68 "Beggar's Banquet."
An excellent parallel and an astute choice on Waylon's part, emphasizing the commonalilty between the Stones' ethos and what was happening in the outlaw country movement.
And of course, the # of people who have homaged Beatles albums, esp With the Beatles with its at the time revolutionary indie-pop esque black and white portrait (The Knack come to mind), and of course, Sgt. Pepper. Ringo even homaged that one.
This is great. Makes me think of all the hip hop artists in the ‘90s who paid homage to classic jazz LP covers, which was always interesting because of the richness of jazz samples present in rap music at that time. (Ego Trip’s Big Book of Rap Lists has a great two page spread of some of the highlights in that trend.)
In my view, time is a big factor here - when there’s 20+ years between the two records, and especially when the original is a classic album, it’s very clearly homage. Also when the composition is almost identical, it’s clear the more modern artist is not trying to fool anyone. Presumably in most cases the original album or artist was a big influence on the artist paying homage.
But when there’s only a couple of years between them and the executions are somewhat different? (As in your Weyes Blood / Chloe example), then it gets murkier...
You could add Ween's "The Pod" and Leonard Cohen's "Greatest Hits"... or Bruce Springsteen's "The River" and Haruomi Hosono's "Hosono House" AND Mac Demarco's "2"
re: Dusty Ray — kinda shady to sell your art to two different artists to use for their album covers.
Shady indeed if they didn’t tell the musician in question that it had already been used previously for an album cover. But if they were honest about that and the musician chose to move forward with it, then it’s on them.
I immediately thought of Waylon Jennings' '77 "Ol' Waylon" album which deliberately (as i recall) homaged the Stones' '68 "Beggar's Banquet."
An excellent parallel and an astute choice on Waylon's part, emphasizing the commonalilty between the Stones' ethos and what was happening in the outlaw country movement.
And of course, the # of people who have homaged Beatles albums, esp With the Beatles with its at the time revolutionary indie-pop esque black and white portrait (The Knack come to mind), and of course, Sgt. Pepper. Ringo even homaged that one.
My favorite example of this is Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox and Chuck Berry’s New Juke Box Hits. Never seen it confirmed anywhere but it’s too close