The Resonars
Single handedly responsible for some of the finest ’60’s-influenced Psychedelic Garage Pop ever made, I’ve been lucky enough to work with Matt Rendon’s Resonars several times over the years (and for a variety of labels and formats.)
Existing in one form or another for almost 20 years now, the Resonars are still going strong and you’d be doing right by yourself to check them out on CD, colored vinyl, MP3 file or cassette.
“The Complete Resonars” – 1970’s Style TV Spot
Ersatz 70’s-style TV commercial for the very real four cassette Complete Resonars box set. Produced in conjunction with Burger Records and LoliPop Records.
Based on the insistent and omnipresent TV ads of the 1970’s from K-Tel, Candlelight Music, Ronco and many others (in particular a 1978 Rolling Stones “Greatest Hits” collection that was burned into Matt’s memory from childhood), this Cassette Store Day promo was a real treat to create.
I’ve always loved cheap hucksterism, and these ads (with pitchmen clearly versed in the rhythms of classic AM Radio) never get old for me. Respecting the graphic style, editing pace, sound design and 4:3 aspect ratio of the inspirational source was a priority, with the voice over work by Giovanni Dominice completing the package.
Above: Resonars packaging and imagery for a variety of formats and labels
Resonars LP, CD, CASS and Boxed Set Designs
Pictured above are some of the Resonars album covers and packages I’ve done over the years, spanning the LP, CD and CASS formats.
While Matt Rendon’s music is far too varied to fall into the category of simple retro/ revivalism, it still tends to pair nicely with classic design styles from the 1960’s and ’70’s. As a result, imagery, layout and font selection all reflect the influences and themes woven into many of his songs.
Above: Butterscotch Cathedral LP front and back covers
Mining a somewhat different sonic terrain than the Resonars, The Butterscotch Cathedral (released by the awesome Trouble in Mind records) finds Matt Rendon paying tribute to many of the ambitious concept albums of the late 1960s and early 1970s. To get a sense of what I’m talking about, you can check out some features, interviews and audio showcasing The Butterscotch Cathedral here (50third and 3rd), here (Austin Town Hall) and here (Brooklyn Vegan).
To compliment the audio, my LP design pays homage to the eclectic visual output of ESP-Disk Recordsduring their heyday, along with a variety of private press labels that released similarly individualized/ stylistically diverse music during the same era. Content-wise the cover takes visual inspiration from some of Robert Stadler’s lighting installation work while simultaneously paying tribute to the architectural wonder of Durham Cathedral, a favorite of Matt’s.
To see a few more images of the final art, some element details, and a glimpse into only a few of the in-progress conceptual sketches that were wisely jettisoned along the way, please click here.
CONTACT JASON WILLIS