WHEN the album designer Michael Carney submitted his proposed cover for the Black Keys’ album “Brothers” last year, he and the band were a little anxious. Seeking a change from their previous, illustration-driven packaging, which he’d also designed, Mr. Carney devised the simplest of covers: two sentences — “This is an album by the Black Keys. The name of this album is Brothers” — set against a black background.
“We thought, ‘Are we allowed to do this?’ ” Mr. Carney recalled of the bare-bones cover, which he also felt reflected a new boldness in the Black Keys’ music. Although its label, Nonesuch, was initially perplexed, Mr. Carney’s fears were ultimately put to rest. “The marketing people said, ‘This is our dream!’ ” Mr. Carney said, and the artwork was a go.
