(dis)Covering (un)Covers: The Suburbs ~ Si Sauvage / Roxy Music ~ Country Life

Please note, this post contains NSFW (Not safe for work/youngsters) images.
Click below to reveal them.

The Suburbs ~ Si Sauvage

Record Label: Self-released through kickstarter (no label)
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Si Sauvage - this relatively recent album was released by The Suburbs. It is rather special in numerous ways. It is the first album the band has released in 27 years (longer than I am old at the moment of writing this), features most of the original band members, it was launched through a kickstarter project and it has a lovely cover.

The designer, Kii Arens, had a brief musical career around the time the Suburbs were around. In fact, his stage debut was in 1986 where he opened for them. For the cover's design he wanted to go back to the success period of the Suburbs, the '80s.

From StarTribune (Kii Arens talking):

"The '80s decadence, [that was] so fun to be part of. The over-the-top stuff, pomposity, sexuality – the world suddenly deciding Adam Ant had talent."

"[The Suburbs] paid attention to what they looked like on stage," he said. "I wanted to make an album cover over the top and push the buttons. We seem to be becoming a little more conservative. I don’t think that belongs in the realm of rock 'n' roll."

What is (or what I find) particularly interesting about the piece is that it vaguely resembles the cover of Roxy Music's Country Life. Roxy Music was one of Chan Poling (Suburbs frontman) his favourites.

Roxy Music ~ Country Life

Though in my opinion the cover is relatively mild compared to some older albums, it is true that nowadays we seem to have returned to less shocking imagery. Kii Arens:

“I’m glad the band allowed themselves to use this more daring cover,” said Arens, who also shot more traditional portraits of the Suburbs. “There was talk about cropping the panties but Chan said, ‘No way! The panties are staying in.’ Good for him!”

In case you were wondering, the models are Irina Voronina (Playboy centerfold 2001), and Leigh Yaeger, an artist.

Roxy Music ~ Country Life

Record Label: Island, Polydor (UK) Atco, Reprise (US)[1]
Release Date: November 15, 1974

Photographed by Eric Boman, this cover was considered rather controversial at the time of release. It was subsequently censored in multiple countries, including the United States, Spain and the Netherlands. This was done by simply taking the back of the album, which was a picture of just the woods, and putting it on the front. Michael Ochs (some photographic archivist of mainly rock and roll) therefore called this "most complete cover-up in rock history".