Australian Album Art in the 80s Part 2: Photo Noir

Black and white photography is possibly the easiest and most effective way to elevate a single image to the status of ‘art’. With stark contrasts, rich tones and the expressive interplay of light and shadow, there’s no better way to define the mood of a photograph than to strip it of its colour. Black and white photography commands attention, it implies meaning and depth and the viewer can’t help but take its subject matter seriously. There have been some incredible examples of monochromatic photography used in album art over the last few years from Antony & The Johnsons to Massive Attack but the 80s certainly saw their fair share too, particularly in Australia.

The great Nick Cave has always been a prime candidate for the black and white. His early persona of the dark and tortured poet is expressed beautifully in this portrait, used as the cover of the second Bad Seeds album The Firstborn Is Dead (1985). The photo was taken by German photographer Jutta Henglein, who also took a number of studio shots of Cave and band during the recording of the album. In this image, it appears as if Cave’s entire body has been swallowed by darkness, leaving only his head and hands visible. There’s a dignity and artistry to the image that’s undeniable, and it’s made all the more powerful by the complete absence of any typography or illustration. The album itself is infused with Cave’s love of the blues and Southern America, with the title refering to Jesse Garon Presley, the stillborn identical twin of Elvis.

Of course not all black and white photos require seriousness and gravitas – as proven on John Farnham’s 1986 landmark album Whispering Jack. Former Little River Band vocalist Farnham had enjoyed modest but flailing success in his previous album however Whispering Jack was a monumental success featuring hit after hit single as it quickly became the highest selling record in Australia by an Australian. The cover shot was taken by Melbourne photographer Louis Petruccelli and features Farnham himself whispering into the ear of a young woman. There’s nothing innocent about this cover though and on the back we see the aftermath with the woman slapping Farnham across the face, presumably due to his indecent whisperings. It’s a cheeky cover, composed beautifully with minimalist typography and not a splash of colour to be seen. Interestingly enough, Whispering Jack was the first Australian-made album to be released on CD – another landmark event for the 80s.

Wendy Matthews’ album Emigre (1989) again puts the artist front and centre with a moody black and white shot only this time it is framed with a series of abstract photos featuring flowers, pomegranates and close-up shots of Matthews’ hair, neck and back. It’s a beautiful cover, feminine and poetic, and it’s deftly finished with some bespoke typography. A somewhat gothic, almost religious looking W is flipped upside down to form an M, and flipped again on its side to make an E.

And finally we have the classic album Starfish (1988) by The Church, which features the band’s biggest hit Under The Milky Way. The cover of Starfish features not one but four moody black and white photographs, each with a different member of the band. These photos were taken by noted music and lifestyle photographer Caroline Greyshock and they’re presented in raw form as negatives, complete with film strip borders intact. These images are sandwiched between the handwritten band name and album title finishing quite a beautiful, understated and completely monchrome cover.