Classic Album Covers Reimagined (With Kittens)

You've probably all had jaw-dropping moments while browsing the web, moments when your passion and someone's sense of humor collide into hysterical genius. And so it was when I stumbled upon The Kitten Covers, the Tumblr site of artist Alfra Martini. You see, Alfra and I share a passion for album art. We're not unique there, but with a keen eye and a warped sense of humor, she takes classic album art and replaces the iconic cover stars with kittens.

Within five minutes of seeing the site, I sent her a note asking if we could please share her images with the All Songs Considered audience. Alfra, who when she's not reworking classic works with kitten pictures, works at All Hands Electric, an artist-run independent record label in Brooklyn, promptly responded with an enthusiastic meow. Below, you'll find examples of Alfra's work to date, along with her thoughts on her poster/album/kitten passions. Check out the rest of her images on her site, and if there's album art you think would be perfect if only it included cats ... let her know.

Alfra Martini:

Obviously music is a great passion. We've got thousands of vinyl records in our collection here at the AHE house in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and of course, we have a little kitty named Lois, whom we rescued from the street. I also have a huge rock poster collection, because I've always been fascinated by rock n' roll iconography. It can be at the same time so freakin' hip and so silly! With kittens in the mix, well, it just amplifies this dichotomy, wouldn't you say? Anyhow, The Kitten Covers just happened one day when staying home while recuperating from a cold. I've worked both in graphics and in vintage poster restoration, so I'm a freak about details. And since I have very little free time, I've learned to work fast. I was hoping to make some friends laugh but had no idea how popular The Kitten Covers would become. I've seen other "alternative cover" concepts done with tacos and legos, but frankly, I'm a little surprised no one's done kitties before. After seeing the finished products, they just seem so ... inevitable, no?

Courtesy of the artist

Courtesy of the artist

Courtesy of the artist

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