RECORDS:
A change of Seasons
By WILL HARDESTY
The Four Seasons have just released the most elaborately packaged album ever with the most meaningful messages since SGT. PEPPER'S (and maybe ever). It's called GENUINE IMITATION LIFE GAZETTE and was released by Philips.
The packaging staggers the imagination. The jacket is a six-page newspaper complete with front, society, finance, editorial and sports pages. Also included is an eight-page color supplement (a la Sunday papers) complete with comics, crossword and amusements. Each and every item and word is a spoof or pimp of something in life today (except for stories like the one about "Sgt. Sunshine" which are real
The tracks on the album are all winners. All are either outstanding in lyrics or music or both. The ten songs are not for those who think they have arrived when they own a shiny new red pickup (deluxe Trailblazer camper on the back, of course) with a full gun rack in the back window of the cab.
"American Crucifiction and Resurrection" tells the worries of a modern black "mammie" about what her own race is doing and what will happen when her young charge is exposed to the hate of the world.
“Mrs. Stately's Garden”—a scathing denunciation of society biddies' afternoon tea parties. Which is to be sympathized with more—an unwed pregnant girl who commits suicide or a sat-on hat?
“Is She Looking at Me? Something on Her Mind”-inability to communicate between two doubt-ridden, would-be lovers.
"Genuine Imitation Life"—people are psyched to get the best for ol' No.1, but have been faking it for so long they can't remember what No. 1 is really like.
"Idaho"-a retirement area where your mind can placidly turn to jelly in the colorful west.
"Wonder What You'll Be"—a parent wonders about his child's future in a plasticine world.
The songs are all written by contemporary writer/performer Jake Holmes and Season Bob Gaudio.
All in all, this album should be another winner in a big way for the fantastic 4 Seasons. A great album.
By CALDER M. PICKETT Professor of Journalism
PROTEST: MAN AGAINST SOCIETY, edited by Gregory Armstrong (Bantam, 95 cents); ANATOMY OF ANTI-COMMUNISM, reported prepared for peace education division of the American Friends Service Committee (Hill and Wang, $1.50).
These two volumes illustrate well several facets of the current mood in America, and each will prove valuable to many people, provided they are selective. "Protest" is heavily loaded, as is the other book, on the side of a particular position. "To protest is divine," that may be the message. Most of the book is taken up with the text of Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People," and there are such obvious things as Thoreau's essay on civil disobedience.
"Anatomy of Anti-Communism" is thoughtful, but it seems to me to be a polemic, too. Have we reached a point where a sensible stance of anti-communism is by itself something to be criticized? To use McCarthyian logic, is one Joe McCarthy because, like McCarthy, he says he is against communism? Surely, as the book suggests, some of our post-World War II ideas about communism need to be revised. But is communism as sweet and inoffensive as this report suggests? Is the United States really to blame for making Fidel Castro a Communist?
This album is definitely not in the 4 Seasons style which produced "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Dawn," and "Rag Doll." The sound is more like their current hit "Electric Stories."
BOOKS:
On Protest . . .
Feb. 25 1969 KANSAN 5
Maggie Smith stars in a special pre-release showing of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" Saturday morning at the Hillcrest Theatre. The audience will speak to the director and screenwriter through an amplified telephone hookup. A limited number of tickets are available at the Kansas Union Information Desk.
Kansan Arts Calendar
'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'
2:30 p.m. Lecture Recital
James Schwabacher
Swarthout Rec Hall
Today
7 & 9 p.m. - KU Film Society — "The Little Foxes" - Dyche Auditorium
Wednesdav
7 & 9 p.m. - Classical Film -
An Evening with Douglas
Fairbanks - Dyche
Thursday
8 p.m. - Guest Recital - Piet Kee, organist - Swarthout Recital Hall
7 & 8:30 p.m. - SUA Special Films - Films of Kurosawa - 303 Bailey
8 p.m. - Guest Recital -
Byrnell Figler, pianist -
Swarthout Recital Hall
7 & 9:30 p.m. - Popular Film
- "Texas Across the River"
- Dvche Auditorium
8 p.m. — Rock Chalk Review
— Hoeh Auditorium
Friday
ALL DAY — Art Education Conference — Kansas Union
7:30 p.m. — Folk Dance Club
- 173 Robinson
8 p.m. — Rock Chalk Review
Hoch Auditorium
It's TWA's 50 50 Club Card. And if you're between the ages of 12 and 21, it entitles you to fly TWA anywhere in the United States at half-fare (and it's good for discounts on most other airlines too). Now's the time to get one, so you can take off between semesters. Fly skiing,
fly swimming, fly home, fly anywhere. TWA flies just about everywhere. See your travel agent, TWA Campus Representative or stop by the local TWA office. Forget about exams and fly TWA somewhere at half-fare. Even if your parents approve.