A new month, and a new pair of albums to find &  frame!  Who would’ve thought that my first twofer month would be such a doozie!  I had been thinking of some of the challenges this project would throw my way: expensive or impossible to find vinyl, years where there were two or even three albums that were competing for the top spot, or what to do if it’s an album I already own and is in good enough shape to use without having to do any hunting at all?

Well I got a taste of a lot of those monkey wrenches this month, when the randomizer threw me 2008 and 1986.  The trade-off is I’ve got a chance to listen to a lot of good music this weekend, as I (more or less) finalized my decisions.

2008 was a pretty decent year in music, though my problem wasn’t so much in isolating my top albums so much as it was a logistical struggle.  My favourite album of 2008 was Aaron Collier’s Love, and as much as I’ve come close to wearing out that CD, unfortunately there is no vinyl version for me to frame.  This gave me the dilemma – should I print a 12″ x 12″ version of the artwork on cardstock and frame that?  I think that would be more than a little dishonest within the framework of this project.  I’ll just have to continue gushing about the electronic opus my dear friend unleashed upon the masses that year, instead of simply pointing to a framed cover on the wall.  You’d think with one dilemma out of the way that would be it, smooth sailing from there on in.  Ha ha, no.

My number two choice is available on vinyl, and in fact I already own it.  I pre-ordered it when I was living in the UK and it arrived as a deluxe set complete with all sorts of deliciously limited goodies.  Unfortunately for this project, however, the box set contained the vinyl records and sleeves, but not the album cover. The box bore the image from the regular edition vinyl release, but I’m pretty sure I can’t cram said box into my frame, so I’m faced with either buying a second, regular vinyl copy of this album, or returning to my list of 2008 releases and looking at choice number three.  Due to its popularity, choice number three is the kind of thing I could walk into a store tomorrow and pick up without so much as the slightest difficulty, but this raises another issue.  When an album is available from an artist that is still kicking, should I make the effort to purchase it from the artist’s website directly to maximize their chunk of the change, from a retail store to maximize my convenience, or from eBay to maximize my savings?   I’ve got an idea, but am interested to hear your thoughts.

1986 was thankfully less of a problem.  Another Depeche Mode year hehe, but maybe m’colleague would be tempted by the Transformers Soundtrack?  Aaron might’ve swayed me towards our mutual love of the Labyrinth OST, which is surprisingly easy to find on vinyl. In the end though I think both of them would wholeheartedly appreciate my selection.  I believe I own this one as well, and when I head home later today I’ll check out the cover’s condition.  Might be a ridiculously quick turnaround for the 80s half of my monthly quota at least!

Any guesses as to my 2008 and 1986 choices?  What are your fave albums of those years?  Drop me a comment, and I’ll be back to post the results of this month’s album art challenge in the next few weeks.