Album typography

As an extension of the previous exercise I’ve decided to look at some of the typefaces used in my CD collection and make some brief observations.

This is hand drawn lettering. The jagged nature of the letters means there is a degree of contrast. All of the letters sit slanted and also feature a slanted apex. The legs of the h become descenders to create some symmetry with the capital S. Another feature worth mentioning is that the counters are squashed to the point of becoming lines. This is very personalised lettering and evokes the dark character of Black Sabbath’s music.

The album title features hand drawn script lettering. If you have heard Cocteau Twins’ music then you will understand how this design perfectly illustrates their music. It is dreamy, wispy and ethereal. One thing worth noting is how there is disparity between the cap height and the x-height.

The title here features two distinct styles. The first letter of the first and third word are drawn in a handwritten style that is very ornate and difficult to read – it is also interesting how the g is the only letter that isn’t capitalised. The rest of the title features a very condensed serif typeface that has squashed counters but is complemented by extra letter spacing. Other interesting characteristics include the short arms and downward facing beaks on the T. I guess this lettering says ‘mysterious’ and ‘nuanced’ to me which is how it evokes the character album.

This typeface is fascinating because of the broken construction. It is also in an inline style. There is minimal letter spacing which also gives it a pictorial quality. The s has been deconstructed so much that it features two simple shapes and loses its legibility; despite this, it is a very iconic logo.

This is a serif typeface that is probably ITC Tiffany Heavy [1]. The most distinguishing feature is the extreme contrast in weight. Another point of interest is the leg of the R which is a very unusual shape. There are also slanted serifs featured.

This typeface is called Novel Gothic [2]. The first thing you’ll notice is the triangular nature of the typeface, and this extends even to crossbars and arms. The typeface is a heavy and blocky weight. A very bold and provocative typeface that mirrors the musical content of the album.

This looks like a typeface called LTC Broadway according to my use of Adobe Capture. Another typeface that features extreme contrast. This time it is almost geometric in nature. The S looks like a musical symbol which may or may not be an accident. It looks refined but also bold and challenging.

References

1. Font Meme. 2020. The Future (Leonard Cohen) Font. [ONLINE] Available at: https://fontmeme.com/the-future-font/. [Accessed 26 August 2020].
2. Fonts In Use. 2015. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis. [ONLINE] Available at: https://fontsinuse.com/uses/8429/bitches-brew-by-miles-davis. [Accessed 26 August 2020].