RECORDS: Mostly truth
By MIKE SHEARER Arts & Reviews Editor
Dick Monda's "Truth, Lies, Magic, and Faith" album takes all the spirit of a revival, taking songs right out of the healin' tent itself, and injects that spirit with the new revivalism in rhythm of rock. The result is a fascinating mixture, a unique album.
With songs such as "Hallelujah," "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," "We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus and a Lot Less Rock and Roll," "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "Go Down Moses," Monda finds a great deal of beauty in "that old-time religion," and he finds a great deal of fun. No cynism involved. Monda digs the spiritual as much as does Mahalia herself. But like Marion Williams, Monda takes what he likes about spirituals and sings them the way he feels them.
The album is probably not for everyone, but it's a good buy for anyone who enjoys both gospel and rock music.
✩ ✩ ✩
"Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West" features Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites, Bob Jones and Taj Mahal. The record is, as the title suggests, recorded in concert at Bill Graham's West. It combines some great musicians and some mediocre music to make a fair album overall, but with some sensational instrumental solos interspersed.
* *
"A. B. Skhy" is a rather drab conglomeration of noise which, in respect to a market flooded with innovative and stirring music, should be avoided.
6 KANSAN Dec. 3
1969
Beach Boys warning
By TED ILIFF
Kansan Staff Writer
The Beach Boys, once the kings of the surfing sound in rock music, appeared in Kansas City last week. Although they dress in fancy costumes and have some new faces in the group, the music was still the same old material that sold millions of records a few years ago.
"Sure our popularity is declining. You can see it in the crowds we get on tours and in our record sales. We still have the fans we had three years ago, but we are not attracting any new fans." Wilson admitted.
From the opening "Do It Again" to the final "Johnnie B. Goode" an hour later, the performance was mostly a rehash of past glories, and the audience listened with a reverence befitting of a
The Beach Boys themselves know their popularity is waning, and they openly admit it. Carl Wilson, guitarist, said after the concert the group was definitely on the way out as far as popular music is concerned.
He said the group was now becoming more involved in the production and writing phase of the business than in actual performing.
"Brian Wilson, who used to be our lead singer, now writes for
us and some other groups, but he refuses to record or travel with us. He's tired of that end of it and feels it is futile."
This is not to say the Beach Boys did not cause some enthusiasm in the crowd. About half way through the performance ten girls not over 15 years old rushed to the corner of the stage trying to get autographs. Police had to chase some pre-teens away from the backstage area and dressing room after the concert, and two or three stayed near the dressing room for close to an hour hoping
to get picked up by the members of the group. Their wait was in vain, because the Beach Boys were already set for a party.
"We try to have fun whenever we can," Wilson said. "When we're not on tour we have parties with the other guys all the time." No one can doubt that the old Beach Boys hits are classics of rock music. But the Beach Boys are now going through a phase of popular music every group or three stayed near the dressing hopes will never come, the beginning of the end.
University Forum presents Dr. Felix Moos, prof.of anthropology "Military Sponsored Research in the University"
Wed., Dec. 3
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