'a promise' album cover

[collin]

anyone know the significance of the guy on the cover of the cd?

[dr. strangelove]

he explains it in the interview on pitchforkmedia, but basically it was a hooker that jamie picked up in vietnam

pitchforkmedia.com/interviews/x/xiu-xiu-03/

[Nidhogg]

I really, really like the story behind that cover.

[dr. strangelove]

i really like that story too, but i think the shorter version that i posted is funnier it's still the truth!

[collin]

on another note, a friend of mine just pointed out to me that on the cover to 'knife play' there's a dead horse. i'd never seen that before... i mean all i saw was like houses and stuff. did anyone else see the horse?
and there's a comic inside... i don't get it... i think it's kind of like the warhol painting with the girl drowning and wondering whether or not she should call her boyfriend [brad?] for help.

[dr. strangelove]

that was SO off topic! can't you read the subject heading?

just kidding. thank you so much for pointing out that picture. i've alwasy wondered what the cover was, and your mention of the horse/cover made me pop out the case (haven't seen in a while, since all the tracks are in my mp3 player). that is kinda disturbing, but the cover makes more sense now. and is that a 2 liter bottle in front of the horse?! this album all makes sense now! it's about the horrors of not recycling!

as to the comic, i thought it was very appropriate. while the artistry is simple, i thought the story suggested the anxiety present throughout the album. oh, and the painting you mentioned is by lichtenstein, if it's the one i'm thinking of. here's a link to a picture of the painting(it's an print shop website; this is not a promotion- just an easy link):

www.biggallery.com/art/byimg/AA054842.htm

i'm not quite sure that i see the connection with the comic, though. could you explain your thoughts?

[fender]

i remember seeing it on amazon.com before it came out, & thinking there is probably a good story behind this one.

[collin]

yeah thats the painting... i just guessed that it was warhol...
well i was just looking for something to compare the comic to and it seemed to me that both the girl in the comic and the girl in the painting are making irrational choices. well, i guess the girl in the comic is sort of seeing all the possible things that could happen to her boyfriend [death and whatnot] and then in the case of the painting, the girl isn't really considering her options because she's obviously trying to prove something to 'brad' [she feels that death is the only way].
maybe i'm totally wrong on this one. i'd be willing to accept that. just trying to relate it to something...

[dr. strangelove]

actually, that's an interesting connection. i didn't read the comic as irrational doubts, bu perhaps that's because i've been in a similar situation. of course, those thoughts really are irrational though, as noone can predict the future. and we've all probably been in a situation where we've done irrational things to spite someone. :)

[Stuci Firme]

I noticed Vice magazine gave A Promise props for Best Album Cover in last month's issue. If that means anything.

[XAdamDX]

hold up... where is this painting on "knife play"?
on my copy of the cd:
front cover - Dead horse photo
inside cover - comic my lauren andrews
cd tray - weird red photshoped tear drop picture

somebody fill my clue-less ass in.

[dr. strangelove]

XAdamDX said:

hold up... where is this painting on "knife play"?
on my copy of the cd:
front cover - Dead horse photo
inside cover - comic my lauren andrews
cd tray - weird red photshoped tear drop picture

somebody fill my clue-less ass in.

colin was just suggesting that the comic inside reminded him of that lichtenstein painting, but he wasn't sure of the painting so i linked to an image of the painting i thought he was referring to.