The big picture on the front of the postcard appears to be slanted a bit..(the brick column things are not vertical...I would fix that. Also--on the back --the white border around the white box is uneven. Also, if you haven't, I would check with the USPS guidelines and make sure that this piece can be direct mailed the way it is designed now...(there are strict guidelines on where you can place things, and where you can't, it can make the mail undeliverable if you ignore those things). Other than that, it looks pretty nice...fairly typical, and expected, but nice. The only other thing I'm not too sure about is the gradient on the front, may look better w/o it, or more subtle.

with the indicia all the way at the bottom like that? i'm surprised. last time I had to set up a mailing panel, there was a lot more white space required in the regs. but it's been a couple of years.

Because of its size its classified as Letter, it's sent Std Presorted.

I know i referred to it as a Postcard, to me thats what it is, to the USPS its a letter.

I really think that the design is too busy. Many elements are calling for attention. Many different typefaces used. I would get rid of the fade in picture, just make it solid, and the back is even busier. Is there anyway that you can change the logo?

I totally agree about the brick wall. I saw that right away and thought it looked tacky. It needed to rotate one or two degrees clockwise. It's rare (no pun intended) to use a photo exactly as provided. Trust your eye.

There are indeed too many fonts. You've pointed out that it's only one typeface, but all the different sizes, outlines, etc. are different fonts of that typeface. The overall effect is sleazy. This looks like a higher-priced place, so that might not be the look that would do your client the biggest favor.

I would have justified the left edge of the map (not the compass rose) with the left edge of the mailer panel.

The black-to-gold gradient is dirty looking, and one on that side would have been enough. Restraint is more stylish. I think you could have gotten away with the larger gradient if it had had fewer steps, like the one above, so there wasn't as much of the middle ground showing.

The silhouetted jazz musicians appear to be floating up out of the box. Perhaps they could have been twice as large and lower. I would have considered a more subtle contrast, though.

Finally, I think the box in the upper right corner of the mailer panel side is one box too many. The text inside the box could have worked more effectively without it, and would have made a more stylish use of the ragged horizontal edge. You could then have included the address as part of that block by putting a discreet dingbat between "Available on Sundays" and the address. Right now, that area looks kind of choppy.

I hear you about the "same old, same old" nature of your job. It's good that you're adding other kinds of jobs to your portfolio with a brighter future in mind :-)

Mara