KID ROCK’s Eponymous Album “KID ROCK”

Assignment: A Verbal Picture: Describing An Image In Words

KID ROCK’s Eponymous Album “KID ROCK”
URL to image of album cover:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a9/Kidexplicit.jpg/200px-Kidexplicit.jpg

At first glance, the album cover may seem a bit simplistic; however, the artistic value of the cover lies within its subtleties. As with any eponymous album, the cover in part inherits the responsibility of speaking to the very spirit of the artist as well as their creative works. The cover of the self-titled “KID ROCK” album effectively achieves just that. 

The predominantly black cover features KID ROCK standing with his back turned toward the viewer. Set off behind the artist and partially obscured from view by the same is the artist’s pseudonym “ROCK”. It’s written in all capitals using a bright white, bold and block styled font. Although the lettering is large, the way it’s worked into the image does not detract from the artist who is the true intended feature of the cover. The artist is glancing back over his left shoulder with his chin slightly tucked in a skulking manner. The top portion of his face is partially obscured in the shadows beneath the rim of a black fedora with a small crimson and yellow feather pinned to the left brim. Cascading across the artist’s back are a series of shadows varying in intensity. This lighting effect is perhaps the result of a single bulb just above the artist and out of photo’s view. The light source centers on his upper back where he proudly brandishes a tattoo that truly embodies the spirit of the artist himself and his music. An American eagle with its wings spread wide stretches the width of the artist’s entire upper back. The words “AMERICAN” and “BADASS” sandwich the eagle from both the top and bottom. They are contained within traditional banner styled tattoo ribbons and are written in all capital letters with a font similar to that which is used on US currency. Aside from the tattoo and the black fedora, the artist is wearing a pair of denim blue jeans with a microphone seemingly holstered in his left rear pocket. He has his left thumb tucked into his front left pocket, which supports his hand at an angle that mostly hides it in the shadows. His right hand is far more visible hanging just below the small of his back in a menacing manner. Tightly clenched in his right fist is a set of vintage brass knuckles; as if just waiting to sucker punch, the very society he has turned his back on.

This cover speaks to the very spirit of KID ROCK and his music. The way his back is mostly turned toward the viewer could perhaps be symbolic of the artist himself turning his back on a mainstream society. The intensity of the cover speaks to the intense nature of the artist’s personality and music, while the subtlety speaks to his laid back approach to his life and lyrics. The way he displays a bright crimson feather in the brim of his fedora is almost cocky in nature and is reminiscent of a seventies disco style. Perhaps most telling of what the album has in store is the “Parental Advisory” stamp located in the lower right corner warning potential listeners of the no holds barred listening experience that awaits them.