by a couple of hours.
I wonder, did they ever have band conferences to disuss the album name?
How tough was the decision to switch from Roman to Arabic numerals?

IIRC there was a promotional mug in the same design called 'Mug'

Who else calls an album by some other person's name and then spells it wrong?

at Charisma Records when Gabriel delivers his fourth album in 1982:

Charisma Records Execs (for it is they) : So Peter, what's the new album called?

Peter Gabriel (for it is also he): Peter Gabriel

CRE: Oh.

PG: Is there a problem?

CRE: Well, after the first three we thought you might have gone for something different. Something a bit more, you know, 'exciting'.

PG: Why?

CRE: Well, it does cause problems for people going to buy the records doesn't it?

PG: In what way?

CRE: Well, which one would they like? It's a bit of a problem to say whether you want the mentaller trapped in parked car, scratchy mentaller, or too many drugs melty face mentaller. None of them exactly trip off the tongue do they? Anyway, what's the new cover art like?

PG: [shows new cover]

CRE: [a collective sigh] Oh, joy. A squishy blue alien head. How the hell is someone going to ask for this one without looking like they've been taking WAAAY too many drugs or needs to be on strong medication?

PG: [shrugs] Well, you know, that's not really my problem, lads. Isn't that what you're taking your cut for? Still, I'll have a think for next time and see if I can come up with something a bit more 'dynamic'. See you in four years!

I recall Gabriel stating around the time of the first, or possibly the second, that his intention was to be like a magazine with the same title but a different cover each time. I was disappointed that he didn't carry on and started naming them.

There is nothing more boring than imagination-free album titles supplemented by dull, very-literal artwork - the worst ones I can think of immediately are:

This Way Up - Chris De Burgh

There's Chris. Oh and there he is again upside down. Right.

Laughter and Tears - Neil Sadaka

Nine photos of Neil in a neat square. First one (top left), he's having the time of his life! As we move across, he pulls himself together and then from the central square onwards he starts to get all sad on us. By the last square, he's crying like a baby.

Why don't they just use 'You' instead?

The Beatles by The Beatles?

9 and O by Damien Rice

5:55 by Charlotte Gainsbourg

29 by Ryan Adams

2001 by Dr Dre

18 by Moby

1977 by Ash

154 by Wire

1 by The Beatles

28 by Aoki Takamasa & Tujiko Noriko

Blur again!

The title of the John Martyn album is quite clearly and. (lower case with a full stop).
But otherwise I have no argument with you.
As for long title and no interest - there's that Fiona Apple album I'm not going to bother typing out.

Of course you’re absolutely right Occam but still there‘s a difference between hearing that the as-yet-unheard TFC album is called “Shadows” and reading, in 1965, that the as-yet-unheard Rolling Stones single is called “Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing In The Shadows”. One of those titles is intriguing, exciting and something you just can’t wait to hear. One isn’t.