* BUMPER CHRISTMAS ALBUM POST * NEW ALBUM ARTWORK : kelly clarkson - wrapped in red, mary j blige - a mary christmas & tamar braxton - winter loverland

So, I held back from posting these albums (even though they were announced over two months ago...), as I was not about to be talking about sleigh bells and bellies like bowls full of jelly while the Summer was still hurr, ya hurr? But it's mid-October now, so I can be coaxed into some Christmas cover chit chat...but lets do it in one big post ;)

Kelly C's album artwork history has had some hits ('Breakaway'/'My December') and misses ('All I Ever Wanted' - ugh, the colour blocking...) and I think her festive release falls on the hit side of the fence. You can get away with a lot of cliche sap when it comes to Christmas visuals (looking at you Mariah), but KC keeps it 100% classy and it's working for me. Loving the little flair of the original-type of "red" and the more understated feel of the whole thing. 9/10

Mary wins on the album title front - ain't nobody going to beat some wordplay! The artwork is pretty much standard fair and could of done with some Kelly-esque typography to jazz it up. 6/10

Tamar only released her debut album a hot minute ago and already she be jumping on the Christmas market #GetMoney #RespectTheHustle! I feel she's gone for a less garish cover this time round, to match the content - but it just feels a little too wimpy to me :/ Liking the fonts though T! 6/10

NEW ALBUM & SINGLE ARTWORK : tamar braxton - love & war & all the way home

I know what she's going for...but I just feel it's a little too sloppy. You can tell the image is flawless behind and I'm loving the Janet Jackson 'Discipline'-era typeface...but it's just not readable with that read and the layering done the way it is. But the music will be killer, so we'll call it a draw.

Maybe something like this, the cover for her latest single 'All The Way Home', would've worked better?

NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : tamar braxton - the one

! updated ! NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : tamar braxton - love and war

Hmmmm... love that the song is getting lots of attention (it shot to number 1 on the main US iTunes chart in one day...which is unheard of for an R&B song) but for me the artwork is still a mess. Quickly the "square version" has appeared, after the song originally included the artwork as a freaking rectangle. But now we have some awkwardly cropped-ness going on with the new image (her head's nearly clean off!) also it's now in colour when the b'n'w worked better and they're still trying to make that awful typeface happen...everybody now...IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT - as I said before, whatever brings R&B back to the forefront is a winner to me, so congrats to Tamar and let's hope she continues to create gems like this song.

NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : tamar braxton - love and war

UPDATE : They've updated the artwork...still isn't great...check it here!

TODAY I HAVE HAD THIS SONG ON REPEAAAAT! Toni's youngest sister, Tamar, has finally unleashed her new song and it is a straight up, R&B slow jam killa - I can't get enough of it!! I can get enough of that mishapen artwork though...gurl, iTunes only lets you have a square, so make it 500x500 or nothin'!

p.s. Yes, the typefaces are generic messes too, but if she's saving R&B with this song - I really don't care!