Hey, Kate Hudson, get that octopus off your head!

The Almost Famous star clowns around for Alma, going “Beyond the Trends” to promote the company’s laser, plasma, ultrasound and other leading-edge health and beauty techniques.

“Look, your skin doesn’t need another trend. Or another snail,” she begins, as several of the gastropods cling to her face. 

The Academy Award nominee isn’t a big fan of donkey-milk baths, either. And don’t get her started on dove droppings or sea-life facials.

The treatment Kate prefers, of course, is from Alma, which “harnesses your natural beauty, renews the skin and enhances you with real energy, inside and out,” she says.

Anthony Mandler, best known for Beyoncé and Taylor Swift videos, delivers clean, sharp frames. They provide some smiles and let Kate’s charisma—plus Alma attributes—shine through.

It’s stagey in a good way, and uncluttered. Sort of minimalist, but with just enough props to enhance the story. Plus, a real dove lands in a nest perched on her hair. That’s gotta count for something.

“I’ve personally experienced Alma’s Harmony and Accent Prime treatments, and what I really like about it is that I could visually see the results on my skin,” Hudson says in campaign materials. “I believe in empowering individuals to embrace their uniqueness and feel confident in their own bodies, and Alma makes it happen.”

For months, Miller has collected old ads, displays and posters. “Hundreds of pieces have already been bought and removed from the internet,” the brewer says, encouraging “basement hoarders and fans” to visit this dedicated site and pitch in.

Do folks really “hoard” ancient ads in their cellars? Nestled next to their decorative empties from hazily remembered fraternity days, in a cobwebbed corner of moldy dreams?

“Miller Lite wanted to recognize that without women, there would be no beer,” says Elizabeth Hitch, senior director of marketing for Miller Lite. “To honor this, we wanted to acknowledge the missteps in representation of women in beer advertising by cleaning up not just our $#!T, but the whole industry’s $#!T while benefiting the future of women and beer.”

Glazer adds: “I know women have been erased from building many industries from the ground up, and yet I was still surprised to learn that they were among the first beer brewers in history. After years of treating women like objects, the beer industry has an opportunity to shed more light on just how powerful women’s contribution has been.”

CREDITS

MOLSON COORS
CLIENT: Molson Coors, Miller Lite
CMO: Michelle St. Jacques
GLOBAL VP, MILLER FAMILY OF BRANDS: Sofia Colucci 
SENIOR MARKETING DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Hitch 
ASSOCIATE MARKETING MANAGER: Kelsey Ott

ALMA 
CREATIVE 
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, DDB WORLDWIDE: Ari Weiss
FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN: Luis Miguel Messianu 
CO-PRESIDENT & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Alvar Suñol 
VP, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jorge Murillo
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Christian Liu 
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Maia Swift 
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Luis Nunez 
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Martin DeFerrari 
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Vanessa Castaneda 
COPYWRITER: Raquel Chisholm 

PRODUCTION
EVP, OPERATIONS AND PRODUCTION: Michelle Headley 
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION: Yeyo Marquez 
SR. PRODUCER: Mimi Cossio 
PRODUCER: Rudy Leschhorn
SR. BUSINESS MANAGER: Candy Cabrera 
DR. OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS: Rosi Pratts 

ACCOUNT SERVICES 
GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Karen Udler
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Jose Hawayek
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR: Stephanie Albrecht

C&E
VP, DIGITAL CONTENT & EXPERIENCE STRATEGY: Michael Sotelo
TEAM LEAD: ASSOCIATE CONTENT CREATOR: Michelle Robles
SR. MANAGER, CONTENT & EXPERIENCE STRATEGY: Rosaura Yapur 

STRATEGY
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Mauricio Cadena
ASSOCIATE STRATEGIC PLANNING DIRECTOR: Felipe Diaz-Arango

COMMUNICATIONS 
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: Victoria Lutgring 
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR: Martha Castro 

PRODUCTION COMPANY: STRIKE ANYWHERE
DIRECTOR: PETE MARQUIS

OTHER
PR AGENCY: ICF Next
MEDIA AGENCY: Connect
SOCIAL AGENCY: VOLT 

Daniel Correa and Bruno Trad are creative directors at alma, where they craft culture-focused work for global brands like PepsiCo, Google and Molson Coors, as well as local non-profit groups including Change the Ref and Tobacco Free Florida. Most recently, their Better with Pepsi print campaign that launched on National Burger Day became one of the brand’s most shared campaigns of all time. The iconic trio of images went on to become the agency’s most awarded campaign in its history.

We spent two minutes with Daniel and Bruno to learn more about their background, their creative inspirations, and recent work they’ve admired.

Daniel and Bruno, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

• Daniel Correa (DC): I grew up in a small town in Brazil called Varginha in the state of Minas Gerais. Fun fact is that the city is globally known for its “alien” appearances that happened back in 1996. I used to tell everyone I was the alien, but now that I live in Miami, I am actually an “alien” per the U.S. Government description of an immigrant.
•  Bruno Trad (BT): I was lucky to have grown up in cities with very different lifestyles. I was born in the countryside of Sao Paulo, and then I moved to a small, beautiful town called Holambra, which was a Dutch colony with only 8,000 inhabitants at the time. After that I moved to Sao Paulo, which is one of the world’s most populous cities. I spent ten years there with a crazy and chaotic life, amazing culture and gastronomy. And then almost five years ago I was transferred to sunny Miami. 

How you first realized you were creative.

• DC: I think it was the day when I came up with the idea of putting several lockers on my high school gates so they would have to cancel class. And they did. With an investment of a couple of dollars, this bold move generated tons of good impressions with the girls and deeply connected with all the back row slackers.
• BT: Maybe in school. I was always trying to find different solutions, and I found myself enjoying building things with my own hands. A good challenge really excites me, and the search for new ideas is what I’m passionate about in advertising.  

A person you idolized creatively early on.

• DC: Oliviero Toscani was always a reference to me. I think he was a visionary and a true pioneer in connecting brands to social causes. He was very criticized back then, but today we see most brands already embracing his approach.
• BT: To be honest, it’s difficult to pick one. When I was a kid I used to look at both of my grandmothers’ artwork. Vases, sculptures, paintings, all with care and a delicate craft, even in calligraphy. At the same time, I would spend hours listening to my mother playing the piano. And my grandpas were kind of life coaches for me, always there guiding me with the wisdom and patience of a lifetime. How I miss those conversations. And professionally, Marcelo Serpa and Erik Vervroegen were some of the guys that inspired me when I started in advertising. Their amazing visuals and different styles got my attention.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

• DC: Definitely when I came up with the locker idea.
• BT: Changing schools and cities a few times showed me so many different perspectives, experiences and styles of life.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

• DC: I would say Banksy but I don’t like talking about my own work, so another artist that I admire is Kurt Cobain. He was kind of an ambassador of Generation X (now you know my age) and his rebel style combined with his deep lyrics really connected with people tapping into discussions of personal reflection and social issues.
• BT: Elvis Presley, Pearl Jam and George Ezra.

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

• DC: A friend of mine recently recommended the “99 percent Invisible” podcast and I can’t get enough of it. The podcast talks about all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about. It has a journalistic approach with great storytelling that investigates how design influences everything in our lives. I highly recommend it if you want to have your mind blown.
• BT: Movie: King Richard
  Series: When They See Us and Vikings. 
  And for all the adland parents out there, lately I’m finding peace with the new CoComelon episodes. 

Your favorite fictional character.

• DC: Tony Montana. The cool thing is that I now live in Miami and like him, I also sell drugs, I mean products.
• BT: Indiana Jones and Rocky Balboa.

Someone or something worth following in social media.

• DC: I’m really enjoying the Miles Fisher (@milesfisher) page. He does an incredible job using deep fake to impersonate Tom Cruise. This is as real as it can get and also a little scary. But for sure it’s a lot of fun.
• BT: @colossal and @dulk1.

How Covid-19 changed your life, personally or professionally.

• DC: Covid-19 changed the way I perceive life. It gave me another perspective on the real important things. I think only when we are facing our biggest fears that we can really appreciate what we already have. So today, I try to live a life full of gratitude.
• BT: Like many, Covid-19 left scars in my life since I lost my grandfather last year. He was someone that most encouraged me to follow my dreams. Working from home also had a big impact in my daily life, as it gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my family in different moments of the day, and simultaneously be connected with more projects at work. Somehow it made my agenda busier, more flexible and sometimes crazy all at the same time. 

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.

• DC: One of my favorite recent projects is Ballots Against Bullets for Change the Ref. The project shines a spotlight on politicians who could’ve prevented mass shootings from happening had they supported stricter gun laws. Being a fan of true crime, it was interesting to incorporate an investigative approach to uncover real information about U.S. shootings, and connecting them back to politicians during the election. 
• BT: Hit Song for Tobacco Free Florida because I was able to meet Tony and tell a little bit of his powerful story: a singer who got throat cancer due to second-hand smoke. It was emotional work teaming up with him and a composer to create a full song called “When It’s Gone,” based on his personal experience.  

A recent project you’re proud of.

• DC: A very recent project that I’m most proud of is the Better with Pepsi campaign. In an era of technology and innovation, this project shows that you don’t need A.I. or millions of dollars to create a campaign that really connects with the consumer. A simple and well-crafted idea can be hard to find, but it also can be the most rewarding one.
• BT: Our campaign Better with Pepsi. And there is a special reason why I picked this one: Pepsi is one of the reasons why I decided to get into advertising. I can still remember early-on watching classic Pepsi commercials with superstars and huge productions. That really got my attention. And now having a campaign for this brand that spread all over the world gives me goosebumps.  

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.

• DC: Definitely most of Alex Bogusky’s work. Coke vs Coke Zero is one of the projects that really opened my mind to a completely different way we could approach creativity in advertising. It basically taught me that an ad doesn’t need to look and feel like an ad to connect with people, especially nowadays.
• BT: Be Stupid for Diesel, OptOutside, Brewtroleum and Gatorade replay, among so many others.

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

• DC: I really admire the work that Liquid Death is putting out there, like Loving Homes for Plastic and their 2022 Super Bowl ad. We see a lot of brand purpose work today but it’s really refreshing to see a water brand doing it with such an audacious and humorous approach. It works so well that I only drink Liquid Death now. Of course, I had to cut some costs to be able to afford it but it’s definitely worth it. 
• BT: Coors Light Flashlight by Mischief. A great idea with a nice way to poke the NFL. So simple and so good.

Your main strength as a creative person.

• DC: I would say it’s my passion. If you’re talented but don’t have passion, then that talent is kind of wasted. On the other hand, if you’re incredibly passionate with just a little talent, you can change the world… or maybe just create amazing ads. 
• BT: Resilience, passion, and positivity. I’m a half full glass guy. Good energy is contagious, and I believe the right atmosphere has the power to bring out the best in people.  

Your biggest weakness.

• DC: I still have a hard time saying no, but I’m getting better. The other day I received a call saying that I won a brand-new Ferrari and I needed to give them my credit card details in order to get the car. After giving it some thought, I finally decided to say NO, mainly because I’m a Maserati guy.
• BT: Anxiety. Seeing cool ideas come to life is what motivates me. But sometimes when the wait is too long it’s a little bit painful for me.

One thing that always makes you happy.

• DC: Saying YES (JK)! One thing that makes me happy is coming back to my hometown. I’ve lived abroad for a long time so it’s always inspiring to reconnect with my roots and appreciate the journey I chose. Also, pizza and my cats make me really happy too.
• BT: The little things in life, like my daughter’s happiness when she spots me picking her up from school, and my son’s smile when I teach him a new trick. Or a letter saying, “this is not a bill.” And professionally when I’m able to help a nice idea come to life.

One thing that always makes you sad.

• DC: I’ve been vegan for four years and vegetarian for seven, so animal cruelty is really something that makes me sad. Especially because today we can get all the nutrients we need from other sources. We aren’t cavemen anymore. I think in 100 years or so, generations will look back to our behavior and say “WTF were those humans beings thinking eating dead animals?”
• BT: Injustice and disrespect. Or if someone hits play on the song “Hurt” by Johnny Cash. I’ll be emotional right away.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

• DC: Do you mean what will I be doing when I leave advertising? (JK again, or maybe not). I think I would still explore something related to creativity like music, art or cinema. I can also see myself being a FBI or CIA special agent, using creativity to solve problems, but life threatening ones.
• BT: I have a dream to one day work with my brother. He is doing an amazing job in his greenhouses as a grower and working surrounded by nature sounds good to me.

It’s the understatement of the year to note that companies have gone all in on the branded-merch phenomenon.

Tropicana made toothpaste that goes well with orange juice; Fisher-Price‘s Chatter telephone now makes real calls; Orbit made smooching sweaters; and Heineken crafted a beer-filled B.O.T. to keep your beverage cold and creep your friends out.

For the holiday season, Miller Lite is adding heft to beer lovers’ Christmas trees with Beernaments, ornaments that hold 8-ounce cans of beer, preferably Miller Lite.

When hanging, distribute Beernament weight evenly upon each side of the tree … or just drink the beer first.

Ornaments come in a six-pack (beer not included) and cost $19.75 on Beernaments.com. Through Dec. 16, Beernaments will be available for purchase at random times during a three-hour window.

Miller Lite partnered with comedian Jimmy O. Yang to demonstrate how to crack open a Beernament then hang it on a tree. DDB Chicago, DDB San Francisco and Alma helped create the beer-filled orbs.

“It’s hard to find a perfect tree. But the perfect ornament? I gotcha,” says Yang. “Miller Lite Beernaments. Holiday decorations you can drink.”

Yang’s Christmas tree goes from tabletop and sparse to 8-feet tall and full of branches. Once a Beernament has been drunk, Yang hangs it on the tree using the beer tab and a hook.

Here’s hoping the can is rinsed out first or Christmas will smell like stale beer and candy canes.

“We really wanted to have fun this holiday season while staying true to Miller as a brand,” says Sofia Colucci, global VP of Miller family of brands. “We’re all about giving our fans new, unexpected and somewhat ridiculous ways to enjoy a beer. When we set our sights on the holidays, we knew we wanted to bring people together and facilitate real connections, but we still wanted to have a good time with it. What better way than by helping people decorate their trees with drinkable ornaments?”

The video is running throughout social media.

“Around the holidays, Miller Time is a moment when obligations are set aside, and you can just enjoy a Miller Lite around the tree with your friends and family,”  Colucci tells Muse. “We hope to spread a little holiday cheer and give our fans a reason to spend more quality time together.” 

As of late, the advertising industry has been holding important conversations around the effectiveness of multicultural marketing, which has in turn put a spotlight on culture agencies that specialize in connecting with communities on a more authentic level. But these conversations can only create progress and impact if they encompass the full scope of multicultural, which is unfortunately not the case, even as we approach Hispanic Heritage Month.

Many of these conversations are leaving out how brands should set themselves up for success with the largest group in the U.S., according to the latest data from the 2020 Census: Hispanics.

Looking at this valuable data, I can only picture how most multicultural agencies in the U.S. are in the process of developing charts or an infographic that makes sense of the Census. Whatever visual they use, I hope they will all detail some key findings that support this, most notably:

• The Hispanic population is already 18.7 percent of the U.S., now reaching over 62 million
• Fifty-one percent of the U.S. population growth in the last 10 years has come from Hispanics
• The Hispanic population has grown 23 percent since the 2010 census
• One in four children in the United States is Hispanic

These numbers stand out because there has been no denying that the Hispanic community is on its way to possessing a large chunk of the buying power in the U.S. But from a marketing and advertising perspective, the investment in reaching and influencing this buying power doesn’t quite add up.

Information published by the Hispanic Marketing Council, based on Nielsen’s research, shows that the entire Hispanic marketing media investment in 2020 was only 6 percent of the overall marketing industry investment. If the Hispanic population is around 18 percent (18.7 to be exact), then we can conclude that only a third of the required investment is put toward the Hispanic community.

And that just doesn’t make sense.

To engage this audience, which currently represents the biggest source of growth in the U.S., brand strategies and campaigns need to be undeniably upward instead of downward. What do I mean by this?

Develop brand concepts from the ground up.

Take into consideration relevant, meaningful Hispanic insights that translate into engaging campaign messages, all of which are anchored in culture and go beyond language. This will create a more meaningful and authentic experience for audiences while also demonstrating dedication to the consumer.

Stop retrofitting general market approaches.

Instead of adapting an old concept, start unlocking culture to authentically and fully engage with Hispanic audiences who are providing growth for the brand. Pepsi is a good example of a great turnaround once they went back into Hispanic specific campaigns, in addition to making structural changes to establish a Hispanic business unit with its own P&L.

Let the experts guide you.

It’s not so simple to learn the correct styles of emotional storytelling that will break down those barriers to audiences. The right agency knows what stories to tell and how to tell them correctly. They must be well equipped to incorporate those intangibles, subtleties and nuances that can make a world of difference when properly addressing the Hispanic community.

Diversification is the name of the game.

Look at a marketing budget the same way you look at a portfolio investment. See the entire pie and forget the crumbs. It’s time to put your money where your mouth is, but more importantly where the growth is already coming from.

Hispanic Heritage Month and the latest Census data offer a timely opportunity to better understand and develop a wider reach among one very influential segment year-round. It is also a reminder for brands to have the same amount or revisit their dedication to Hispanics while considering their overall commitment to the entire multicultural investment mix, including African American and Asian American. If they don’t manage this balance, they are sacrificing crucial ROI that other brands are seeing after taking this approach for years, such as McDonald’s, Toyota and Nestlé.

Simply put, if you’re not investing in Hispanic content, your marketing efforts are incomplete. The continued growth and impact of this community will be directly proportional to the pace and scale of its purchasing power, so investing in this loyal, fast-growing and highly influential consumer segment is what makes the most sense.

Gold records, Golden Arches … it’s all good!

Colombian reggaetón sensation J Balvin based his latest track on a marketing brief from McDonald’s and creative shop Alma. Dropping today, “Dorado” (“Gold”) celebrates the optimistic spirit of the community, with lines such as “Where there’s a Latino, there’s a party” and “I’m having fun with my people.”

Clocking in at a lean, upbeat 60 seconds, the song debuts tonight on Univision during a commercial break in the 21st Annual Latin Grammy Awards. After that, fans can spin “Dorado” exclusively on the McDonald’s app.

Balvin appears in a cute “Dorado” promotional clip, portraying a basketball player and an abuelito (grandpa), among others. The full video’s also an app-sclusive, but you can sample the flavor in these trailers:

Balvin collaborated with director Colin Tilley, who worked on videos for the singer’s multi-platinum Colores album. The project represents an expansion of the relationship between Balvin and Mickey D’s, following last month’s introduction of a signature J Balvin meal at shops nationwide.

For the song, McDonald’s tasked Balvin with devising a track “to uplift Latinos and encourage them to keep shining while remaining proud of who they are,” says Elizabeth Campbell, the fast-feeder’s senior director of cultural engagement. “Ultimately, J Balvin came back with a reggaetón beat and motivational lyrics that pay homage to Latinos’ feel-good mindset and speak to being proud of one’s heritage.”

More broadly, the project extends the chain’s ongoing effort to leverage popular culture and build “authentic relationships with customers by connecting with them in more meaningful ways,” Campbell says.

See the song’s lyrics below.

CREDITS

McDonald’s:
Chief Marketing Officer: Morgan Flatley
VP, Brand Content & Engagement: Jennifer Healan
Sr. Director, Cultural Engagement & Experiences: Elizabeth Campbell
Cultural Engagement Hispanic Lead: Melissa Lopez
Head of Social Media: Guillaume Huin
Social Engagement/Customer Experience Supervisor: Kaitlin LeBruzzo
Production Operations Supervisor: Elizabeth Riley-Green
Studio Production Manager: Cindy Dababneh
Studio Production Contractor: Maddie Ramirez

Alma:
Creative Chairman, Chief Executive Officer: Luis Miguel Messianu
Co-President, Chief Creative Officer: Alvar Suñol
VP, Executive Creative Director:  Jorge Murillo
Creative Director: Nour da Silva
Associate Creative Director: Eddie Seiglie
Digital Content Creator: Ryan Morejon
VP, Group Account Director: Beatriz del Amo
Sr. Business Director: Karen Udlera
Sr. Account Executive: Jackie Bofill
Account Supervisor: Maria Hodgson
Sr. Director, Strategic Insights: Jennifer Pollack
SVP, Operations & Production: Michelle Headley
VP, Director of Production: Yeyo Marquez
Sr. Producer: Mimi Cossio
Director of Business Affairs: Marinet Quiñones
VP, Business Development: Michelle Cobas
Communications Manager: Sabrina Paz Riesgo

Loud & Live:
SVP, Entertainment: Edgar Martinez
VP, Client Services: Cristina Galligaris
Director, Client Services: Kemelly Figueroa

Boden:
Partner/ VP, Client Services: Lauren Gongora
Account Director, Communications: Gina Carriazo Hickey
Associate Director, Communications: Abril Barba
Account Supervisor, Social Media: Melissa Cortina
Account Supervisor, Brand Engagement: Marie Segui

Boy In The Castle:
Director: Colin Tilley
Executive Producer: James Ranta
HOP: Cora Johnson
Accountant: Mary Keeler
Line Producer: Jack Winter

Depeche Mode is my favorite band of all time. And although this, their second album, might not be their best or most renowned, its award-winning cover by legendary British photographer Brian Griffin takes my breath away every time I see it. There’s something that feels ominous but at the same time peaceful in that image. Which I think it represents perfectly well the fantastic closing track of the album: “The Sun and the Rainfall.” A deep track that happens to be one of my favorite songs of the band.

Alcest
Souvenirs d’un autre monde (2007)

The title of the French band’s debut album translates to “Memories from another world.” And looking at the album cover, it feels almost impossible not to be transported to that beautiful-yet-eerie portrait of an indefinite time and place. To my eyes and ears, the cover fits the music perfectly. It is aural bliss that when playing creates an atmosphere that is both ethereal and heavenly. The album takes elements from both shoegaze and black metal; a wall of sound created by distorted guitars, feedback, and overall dark ambiance. But instead of using screeching vocals (the way the black metal bands do) or hiding them beneath the music (the typical shoegaze way), the vocals rise above the metallic and dense instrumentation, giving the songs a healthy balance between harsh and beautiful. Yeah, this is definitely a great album.

Opeth
Blackwater Park (2001)

Can you see the shadows of the people hiding in the back? Creepy, right? That’s exactly how this album feels. Like if something menacing is lurking at you throughout the entire 67+ minutes of running time. The music is extremely dynamic. It can be extremely heavy and brutal—Mikael Åkerfeldt growls can pierce your ears—and atmospheric and even gentle at the same time. It really took me a while to appreciate this album. But once it clicked, it blew my mind away. It still does. And although I wouldn’t consider myself a metalhead, this album opened up for me the doors to a fascinating music world. One that has to be drunk in small doses.

Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006)

The picture of the cover is called Untitled #44 and is from the collection called “Age of Man” by Nicholas Prior. According to him, this collection “is influenced by Freud’s writings on The Uncanny, and the idea that an adult cannot look back on childhood as a child, which implies a mysterious and impenetrable chasm between adults and children.” Kind of makes sense that the band chose a picture from this series to represent their major-label debut. Especially because it explores themes of introspection, depression, hatred, religion and alienation. With an impressive combination of art rock, alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo music, this album is an intense experience. Both musically and lyrically.

Talk Talk
Laughing Stock (1991)

This band started in early ’80s synthpop and were part of Britain’s New Romantic movement. They had some worldwide hits like “It’s My Life” and “Life’s What You Make It,” which are still go-to songs for everyone looking for some catchy and exciting tunes of that decade. But what Talk Talk did on their fifth and final album, Laughing Stock, sounds absolutely nothing like their earlier albums. They swapped synthesizers for violas, cellos, acoustic bass, trumpets and clarinets. Melodies for soundscapes. And four-minute songs for longer music suites. It is one of my favorite bands, and for me it’s hard to choose one period over the other. I think both are truly exciting, and perhaps that’s one of the reasons why I like this band so much. I also love the album cover. If you look closer, you can see it portrays Earth, with the birds representing the different continents. A cover as beautiful as the music.

Joy Division
Closer (1980)

Listening to Joy Division’s second album almost feels like witnessing a tortured mind fading away. The cover is as dark and bleak as the album. And the fact that it features the image of a tomb makes the relationship between the album and the death of Ian Curtis—the band’s vocalist—two months before it came out, much more disturbing. What about the music? Well, maybe this helps: It is suffocating, claustrophobic, depressing, dense, dramatic, suicidal, thick, disturbing, scary, deranged, challenging, hypnotic, strange, surreal, affecting, morbid, impressive, self-pitying, miserable, disarming, doomed, powerful, complex, mesmerizing, punishing, visceral, cathartic, brutal, creepy, eerie, furious, hopeless, unique, heavy, cold, passionate, gloomy, chilly, mournful, touching, superb and mind numbing. And that’s just the first song. Multiply those adjectives by nine, and that is Closer.

The Fall
Perverted by Language (1983)

I was a latecomer when it comes to The Fall. I discovered them in the early ’00s, and took me a while to get past their peculiar and extremely repetitive music. It was a very prolific band with a style that pretty much remained the same throughout their four-decade career. Dozens (yes, literally dozens) of band members passed through the ranks of the band, which was in essence a project of the late Mark E. Smith. This album was their fifth (they released more than 30 albums after this one), and to my ears, it’s an album as bizarre and as strangely compelling as its cover. In all honesty, The Fall has never been an easy listen. It’s one of those bands you either love or hate. Nothing in between. I’m in the “love” camp. It was also one of the favorite bands of John Peel, the legendary and influential BBC Radio DJ, who back in the day explained perfectly well what The Fall is all about: “They are always different; they are always the same.” Truer words have never been said about them.

Café Tacvba
Re (1994)

Sometimes referred to as the White Album of Latin America, the second album of Mexican band Café Tacvba is a hodgepodge of diverse genres, playfulness and overall craziness. But in a good way. Throughout 20 songs and a full hour of exciting music, Los Tacubos take the listener through an aural rollercoaster that ranges from bolero to bossanova, Son Jarocho, Banda sinaloense, funk, pop, metal and good ol’ rock that never, ever gets old. Which makes the album cover a bit deceiving, because its simplicity hides the cornucopia of sounds and rhythms to be found within its music. This is arguably one of the most acclaimed and most important Latin American rock albums of all time. One of those you must hear at least once before you die.

The Chameleons
Strange Times (1986)

If you ask me, I’d always say the Chameleons might be one of the most underrated bands of all time. This is their third album and the one with which I discovered them. Their music can be classified as a combination of post-punk and dream pop. Not too dissimilar to what the Cure did in Disintegration, their 1989 masterpiece. I love how surreal the album cover is. I still cannot make sense of what is happening in it. But as the character in the middle clearly shows, this album is mind-blowing.

The Clash
London Calling (1979)

It’s hard not to choose this cover when talking about the best album covers of all time. It is an homage (or a spoof?) of Elvis Presley’s debut album cover. They used the same typography and the same colors on the album title. They also used a black-and-white picture. But instead of featuring Elvis playing guitar, it shows Paul Simonon about to smash his bass guitar. There’s no image that is as punk as this one. Oh, and the album is amazing. A masterpiece.