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6The Tar Heel Thursday, July 16, 1987 Arts Feafa res Piimk Floyd member's albim is optiimstic new soimd Three years after the release of the universally despised "Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking," Roger Waters has served up his second solo try since Pink Floyd's "The Final Cut." "Radio K.A.O.S" is a genuinely surprising album that may earn Waters a new audience, or at least points to the possibility in the future. Whenever a new Roger Waters Pink Floyd album comes out, there are several things we expect. First, we expect a sonic master piece replete with stunning holo phonic segueing. Second, we expect the nihilistic howl of an introspective misanthrope. Third, we expect the occasionally pow erful rock and roll sound of the world's most popular cult band (yes, even including the Grateful Dead). Waters latest venture into the cold cruel world departs from all of these, producing, for better or worse, a very new sound. "Radio K.A.O.S" is notable for its optim- Joseph Rhea Music ism and social insight and the absence of Waters' characteristi cally sharp sound. Pink Floyd's "The Final Cut" was the only Waters album before this to contain any social message at all a wonderfully depressing look at post-war England and Thatcher. Four years later, follow ing the "Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking," Waters has come out of his shell and up with an album that pinpoints some real issues, namely the problems created by the powers of modern commun ications networks, and the omni present topic of (yes, you guessed it) nuclear war. Waters looks at our own TV president, and the dangers of electing a man whose mental level he compares with that of a Western. All and all it's a LEASED PARKING SPACES (ac co per monrn Town of Chapel Hill Parking Services 968-2758 V J him n3 si 2U- GET THE EDGE ON THE COMPETITION You're working hard for your college degree. But at graduation, you may be one of many people competing for the few really good openings. Get the most from your degree. Air Force ROTC is one way to help you get started. Our training program gives you the management and leadership skills you need to suc ceed. As an Air Force officer, you'll put your education to work in a responsible position from the very beginning. It's a great opportunity. Why settle for anything less? Major John Kozdron 132-A Chase Hall 962-2074 scathing and typically pretentious treatment of "The Powers That Be." Waters issues are good but the real problem with this album is that Waters is never capable of giving us even a hint at what he thinks would be the solution to these problems. He tells his story using the character "Billy." Billy, we're expected to believe, can receive radio waves and transmit them (one wonders where his antenna might be). Billy sees Reagan's attack on Libya as theatrics designed to distract attention away from real domestic issues. He then decides to stage a mock nuclear war on defense computers to show people just how high the stakes really are. (Sounds silly, right? Well, it gets worse.) In the process he drains all the world's power to create the illusion. Finally, the album closes with the optimistic "The Tide is Turn ing," a post-Live Aid hymn to the possible virtuous use of modern technology. For the first time ever, Waters shows some genuine warmth and even glows with hope. Waters seems like an almost normal human being on this album, which is quite a reverse from his past pessimistic, albums. The problem is that he's gone to another extreme. The closing track is certainly optimistic, especially with a Welsh choir thrown in for good measure. But all of this seems a tad overly optimistic (and over done) for an album which presents Billy the Wonder Boy from Wales as a solution to modern woes. However, in all fairness, the album does a good job of pointing out some modern problems, and an even better job of getting Waters out of his 20-year-old world-angst. But the album fails to point in any direction, its plot is simply silly, and it also fails in aspects that go as given for a Waters production. First, Waters' voice sounds good throughout, but he is sur rounded by a veritable wall of pop sound that just doesn't match his deep voice with the possible exceptions being "Who Needs Information" and "Me or Him" from side one. He is clearer here than he was on "The Pros and Cons," but on "Radio K.A.O.S" See ALBUM page 41 Union offers student discount tickets for '87-'88 Performing Arts Series By JOANNE GORDON ArtsFeatures Editor -ncKets lor the Carolina Union's 1987-1988 Performing Arts Series at the Union Box Office. Because individual ticket prices are $12 or $15 per performance, students will save $34 by purchasing the 10 show season ticket for $100, according to Union publicity coordinator Joan Blanchard Himougn the price seems expensive for students, Blanchard pointed out that "if you go to a concert at the Student Activities Center, it will cost a whole lot more than $10 per show." The series features "a good mix of dance, musical theater and clas sical and contemporary music, Grapevine Cafeteria f Leadership Excellence Starts Here Enjoy our service of good food, friendly service and reasonable prices! Visit us at the Brinkhous-Bullitt Building located next to NC Memorial Hospital. Complete Hot Meals: 7:00 AM 9:30 AM 1 0:45 AM 1:45 PM 3:45 PM Closing Break Specials: 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 2:30 PM 3:30 PM Or choose 10:15 am to closing from our: Fast Food Counter SaladFruit Bar HotdogPotato Counter Beverage and Snack area including 4 flavors of delicious Columbo Yogurt Open Daily Mon-Thurs. 7:00 AM 7:30 PM I FrL. Sat, & Sun 7:00 AM 7:00 PM The season opens Oct. 4, with "Gershwin by Request," an even ing of music by American com poser George Gershwin, which will be performed by Leon Bates, pianist; Eddye Pierce Young, soprano; and Benjamin Mathews, bass baritone. Concerts include the pianist Eugene Istomin, who made his debut with both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, on March 22; a concert by Franz Breuggen, recorder, Gustav Leonhardt, harp sichord; and Anner Baylsma, violoncello; and a concert by 22 of leading East Berlin's orchestras, which make up the Camerara Musica of the DDR, on February 14. Dance performances include Momix, featuring Moses Pen dleton, creator of Pilobolus Dance Theater, on Oct. 22; African rhythmic dance by the National Dance Company of Senegal on Nov. 4; a rare appearance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on Feb. 1; and a perfor mance by the Chicago City Ballet on March 2. "The King and I," a musical which tells the romantic and amusing story of an English widow who travels to Siam to tutor the king's wives and children, will be performed on Feb. 9, and "Man of La Mancha," a musical adaption of Cervantes' classic novel "Don Quizote," will be performed on March 16. Season tickets are $110 for the general public. Other season ticket options include a choice of seven, eight or nine shows and four, five or six shows. For more informa tion, call 962-1449 between 12 noon and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or write: Box Office, Carolina Union, UNC, Chapel Hffl,N:OT75WX
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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July 16, 1987, edition 1
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