Dirtclodfight - The Reckoning EP out now

Eugene, Oregon-based band Dirtclodfight has released The Reckoning EP.
Digital version available now for only $5 here.
Cover illustration by Bob Kurthy

Red Wilder Blue CD package

Here is a CD package I did a fairly quick design for.
It is an album recorded in the 1970's now finally being released, thanks to the son of one of the musicians and the spirit of Christmas.
Pretty cool gift.

A collection of Gazilcher album art

From the Gazilcher Tumblr page:

Album art is a term sometimes used (shame on us) for the tiny pic that accompanies an MP3. I am of the generation that covets it’s collections of vinyl eased out of gatefold sleeves. I just looked at the MP3 album art as a different animal. A teensy weensie, possibly imaginary one, but a different animal.

I saw it as a continuation of the traditional artform of adolescent, aspiring musicians in creating their own artwork for albums that would probably never see the light of day. Hand drawn on a TDK SA-90 cassette j-card, for example.

Gazilcher album art is rarely for an album at all. A different “cover” can be created for each song. Also, because they are typically viewed at a ridiculously small size, I sometimes harken back to the days of having to create illustrations and typography for video games in a crude, blocky pixel medium.

Gazilcher music downloads

Gazilcher now has a page where you can buy & download songs...

Well, Ok, 1 song for now.

More to follow in your choice of format; MP3, FLAC, & many more.

Here is part of the page, embedded in miniature:




Click here to go the actual page.

Post-It™ note album art

I have a piece posted in the Post-it™ note album cover art gallery on the mini-site for The Pineapple Thief's new album Someone Here is Missing.

If you want to spot mine, it's the only one with 4 colors (so far).

I quickly sketched it out from memory, using whatever pens & pencils were at my desk. After submitting it, I looked up the original, and of course I was way off.

While your there, check out some samples from the new album. It's the best stuff I've heard from them yet.

Isaiah Ikey Owens on iTunes

Looking for Lauryn Hill in Lakewood; the solo release from Isaiah Ikey Owens (keyboardist for The Mars Volta & Free Moral Agents), for which I did the cover artwork is now available on iTunes.

Looking for Lauryn Hill in Lakewood Update

[Edit 10-17-14:
Click here to buy this release via iTunes, as the links below no longer function.]

Here's an update on the upcoming digital download solo release from Isaiah Ikey Owens (keyboardist for The Mars Volta & Free Moral Agents), for which I did the cover artwork:

Ikey says it should be available on iTunes within the next couple of weeks. I came across a couple of streaming/downloadable preview tracks, bearing the artwork:



In case these music players don't "embed," here are some plain ol' links:
710 Stomp
Bazooka Where Are You?

Prog illustration, Part 2

Last year, I submitted an illustration to a contest (previously mentioned here.) It didn't win.

The winning design, chosen by none other than Mark Wilkinson, was to be used for the sleeve of a compilation CD accompanying an issue of the British magazine Classic Rock Presents Prog.

I listened to the CD, and at certain risk of sounding like a sore loser, it is pure crap, save the Steven Wilson song (from his album Insurgentes, which I've had since March? of last year.) But that doesn't matter; I really wanted to have some of my art involved in the world of progressive rock, regardless.

Anyway, here's the illustration:
[click thumbnail to enlarge]



Prog fans may spot a 2-level Genesis reference in the dress design...

I'm painfully aware of a few mistakes, such as the configuration of keys in the front keyboard, etc., so spare me.

Here is a link to the winner.

Stuff in the works

Just a few things have come up:

1) A piece of artwork I did a few years ago may finally see the virtual light of day.

I did a piece for Mars Volta keyboardist Ikey Owens' solo project Free Moral Agents (MySpace, Facebook).

Rumor has it that the title (and therefore accompanying artwork) caused a bit of controversy resulting in the project being shelved. But, now it's going to be used for digital/online-release-only album art, if all goes well.

I'll post links on where to get it as soon as it's available.

2) I'm going to play drums with Lake Dolores on Sat. April 25 at Alex's Bar. It's been a long time since I played a show, especially with them. It should be fun.

I will ask (since I'm only what one would call a touring member) repeatedly when we are going to practice and what songs we are going to play. Knowing this band, these questions will probably not be addressed until the night of the show. Hopefully this time will break the stereotype! :-)

We're honored to be opening for (what I consider to be an all-star metal band) Project Shepherd.

More details, and *hopefully* a flyer later...

3) I may be doing some lettering and production work for Paul Sharar's forthcoming graphic novel opus Manning Town. Although my work on this will be subservient, I am a big believer in Paul's talents, and so it's an honor.

My first QR Code artwork

I doubt these will get you anything if scanned, but...



(If it isn't obvious, the above image is based on Barry Godber's artwork for the cover of King Crimson's album In the Court of the Crimson King)





(Do I have to explain this one?)

CalProg, Part 2: The Loot

(More to be added later, w/ links)

My 2008 CD: Menthol Ziggurat available

My 2008 CD: Menthol Ziggurat available

I sealed off my first batch of solo music in a 16 song CD entitled Menthol Ziggurat.

Here is the pixel art cover I made for it...



Here is the track listing:
1) Rowan's Run (intro theme)
2) The Heart Motorik
3) Menthol Ziggurat
4) Relative Happiness
5) Ten Speed
6) Hick Tickler
7) Distance 1
8) Distance 2
9) Neighborhood Watch
10) Royalty in Exile
11) Deroon, Chapter 5
12) The Decree of Ponzoos, Part I
13) The Decree of Ponzoos, Part II
14) Flashlight
15) Wright of Passage (R.W.-R.I.P.)
16) (work in progress)

It is a home-burned CD-R.

I will mail you a copy for $5.
PayPal to bobkurthy at hotmail dot com

Happy New Year!

---

Yesterday, on the last day of my "vacation" from work, I began working on new stuff...

New song callab w/ Marco uploaded

[This post has been edited; MySpace never completed processing of the song in question.
Meanwhile, the song budded a sibling...Both will uploaded to my music profile over the coming weekend.]

I have completed 2 more song collaborations with Marco.

The Decree of Ponzoos, Part I



"Liner notes:"
Narration written and spoken by Marco (as The Chronicler)
Music composed/performed/programmed by Bob Kurthy

I would describe this as triumphant galloping metal with rad, embarassing keyboard "guitar" solo.

~~~~~~~
The Decree of Ponzoos, Part II



"Liner notes:"
Narration written and spoken by Marco (as The Chronicler)
Music composed/performed/programmed by Bob Kurthy
Guest vocal by Rowan Kurthy
Psuedo-Frippertronic Macaw growls by Wolfgang (as The Wamox)

I would describe this as "Stoner Metal" (<--Sabs to Butthole Surfers) con one-legged flautist.

Enjoy

More "album art"

From my music page blog:

I uploaded another song to my music profile player:

The Heart Motorik



My son laid down a track for this one, en utero.

Enjoy

~BK

...and also...

Menthol Ziggurat art...
...enlarged.

quick web "album art"

Here are some quick web "album art" graphics I whipped up for my own music, which can be heard on my MySpace music profile:

Title: Rowan's Run


Title: Flashlight


Title: Relative Happiness


(general artwork)


(general artwork for collaborations)

New Nobody album-cover artwork by Me

Here's some recent artwork I did for an album cover.

artist: Nobody
album: Revisions Revisions: The Remixes 2000-2005
label: Plug Research
release date: Oct. 31, 2006

DISCLAIMER: The graphic elements in the bottom-left ("stereo") & upper-right ("Plug Research") areas of the cover were added by someone other than myself ('post-Bob').