Merriweather Post Pavilion, for those who are apparently living under an effing rock, is the critically-acclaimed eighth studio album by Animal Collective, and is named after the Columbia, Maryland venue of the same name. That’s not even the coolest thing about this album: if you look at the cover long enough, it ripples. It’s an optical illusion.

What – you didn’t notice? Well, everyone else noticed. Did anyone else take the time to reach out and find the “other” potential covers for the album? (Not really, but this was too fun to pass up!)

Radio Exile did. Here are the Top Seven Rejected Merriweather Post Pavilion Covers

Animal Collective knows their audience: they are crazed hipsters with body cleansing issues. Some have lots of unprotected sex and weird “noir” style tattoos on their forearms. Those are just the women. This cover was rejected because, well, it would explain why most of Brooklyn finds Brooklyn attractive:

Image Source: Yeinjee

This image, while among the coolest “afterimage” optical illusions, just doesn’t resonate the same way the chosen cover does. Stare at this image for 20 seconds, then look at something white. You’ll see your old roommate “Jeff” or “Doug” – the stoner from sophomore year who smoked weed in the shower. Doesn’t he still owe you $20? Eff that guy and his patchouli smelling friends.

Image Source: Planet Perplex

This image below is affectionately called “Purple Nurple” and we have it on good authority that the crew at Animal Collective were thisclose to naming their latest album this as well and using this bit of awesomeness as the cover art.

Little Known Fact: Purple Nurple is a reference to the artist’s inability to watch Purple Rain without being totally stoned.

Image Source: Optical Illusions for Kids

If you’re going to create music that effectively “blows people’s faces off”, it only makes sense to include something that will give them back what they lose. In the following rejected cover, there are seven faces. Once the album is done with your facial structure, help yourself to one of these.

Little Known Fact: Tool are big fans of Miley Cyrus. I read that in Tiger Beat.

Image Source: Eye Tricks

Nothing says “indie” like some cool ships. Indie makes us think of a large array of things: dinosaurs, bats, handcuffs, all sorts of funny things, as you can tell. In the image below, a big ass pirate ship comes out of the clouds/bridge to nowhere. This is awesome because it makes reference to Alaska and Cloud Cult in the same piece. That’s art.

Little known fact: 2/3s of Animal Collective love sails and the word “starboard”.

Image Source: NIEHS Kids Page

Is there anything cooler than a Ferris Wheel? Honestly, is there? Here – you too can pretend you’re high above the crowd in your very own private bubble, whirling about in a circular motion similar to Animal Collective’s own career trajectory:

Start at the bottom. Rise to the top fueled by over-hype and blog saturation. Put on crazy live show. Disappear for a few months. Put out an album that is “a soundtrack for staring at the cover”.

Image Source: Bling Cheese

Before Aretha had a chance to rock the hell out of this at President Obama’s Inauguration, Animal Collective were in talks to prominently feature the hat on the cover of their album. Little known fact: the original title of the latest record was One Hat, Two Hat, Red Hat, Blue Hat.

Image Source: BuzzFeed

Here’s the video for “My Girls” which everyone really seems to think is quite a neat song:

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