Album art is a study in and of itself, and this wonderfully detailed and graphically stunning book is one of the best examples of why the genre is so compelling. Gathered here are dozens and dozens of the most iconic album covers ever--and the dozens and dozens of copies who used that original design to fashion their own facsimiles.

In his introduction, author Simon Robinson sheds some light on what this book is about:

"It should not be surprising that when musicians come to release a record, and have admired or even idolized a particular band so much, they might also want to release their offering in a cover which owes something to that of one of their faves. (...) It may be they've seen a sleeve idea which they like so much they want to borrow it, and it has to be said in some cases the attention to detail in the recreations is extreme, both in getting the band photograph just right, as well as tracking down the correct typeface and even making sure the retro record company logos are closely echoed."

Astonishingly, many of these covers were from Bellekens' own collection. The attention to graphic detail here is remarkable, and the sheer quality of the book--paper, binding, and resolution--is nonpareil. This is a wonderful book that perfectly describes the maxim, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."