Or they just wanted something "Awesome and sexy. dude" on the cover of their album. Whatever.
While I've been doing this I've noticed a few interesting things. The first is that if one band uses a theme, no matter how niche, so will others. That's why I've been able to do entire posts about Blindfolds, Mermaids, Women with Scythes and so on. More on that in a minute.
The other is that you can tell a fair bit about the band depending on what their cover girl is doing. A woman in a ballgown weeping in a fountain just doesn't suit a hair metal band ...although a close up of a woman's thong-wearing butt is a different matter entirely.
For today's post, the theme is "Girls waiting by the roadside." Or in the middle of the road. Or in close proximity to a road. "Roads" basically.
It took a while but eventually I ended up with enough covers that used this theme to make a post happen.
What's really interesting is that you have some covers that are very close to each other in idea and execution but the artist still put a different spin on each one.
I like to think that album covers are a snapshot from an ongoing story. So what stories are being told here?
King Company - One For The Road (Finland 2016)
A country gal with a most alarming bra heading off to make her fortune in the big city.
She packed so light, she didn't even take a shirt with her.
The band are classic hard rock
The next three both feature hitch-hikers showing a bit of leg ...and a bit of cheek as well.
Gypsy Rose- Poisoned By Love (Canada 2012)
I have no idea how this title matches this cover.
A little digging reveals that Gypsy Rose had a minor hit with the song "Poisoned by Love" in 1990 then got cut loose by their label. When frontman Michael Voss was offered a chance to release some Gypsy Rose material in 2012, he clearly decided to use a title that brought back memories.
Gypsy Rose seem to sit on the line between Hair Metal and Melodic Rock.
Smoke Healer - Highway Meets the Sky EP (USA 2017
Smoke Healer are stoner metal with a lot of 70s groove.
Hardbone - Dirty 'N' Young (Germany 2011)
"Hey baby. Wanna ride? Get in!"
"Oh yeah? And where am I gonna sit? Your car is already rammed."
And that's how the bass player ended up walking home.
Hardbone are gritty hard rock & roll that sound like they ought to be Aussies.
Lohrs- The Devil In Disguise (USA 2014)
Now this is why picking up hitch-hikers isn't always such a good idea.
You just know this is going to end with our poor sap losing his car, his money and everything bar his socks.
Lohrs seem to be perfect if you crave something in the Black Crowes sort of vein.
The next two tell a different sort of story. Less "Country Roads" and more "Horror Movie"
As Winter Falls - Road to Nowhere (Slovenia
2012)
Indulge me a moment. Look at the album cover again. Does that look like somebody going to a better life or does it look like somebody walking away from the life they had?
Like the cover the music is also a contrast to what we've seen so far. Darker and angrier.
No point running away. Can't hide.
Might as well face your fate and walk into the light.
Sunstorm are another project from Melodic Rock MVP Joe Lynn Turner.
If you have any themes you'd like me to use, or any covers you think would fit here, let me know in the Comments below.
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