Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

April 15, 2017

Fifty years after Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play, Southall (Northern Songs), former head of press at EMI, presents a tribute to this enduring album. Roughly the size and shape of an album cover, this book is divided into two parts (whimsically referred to as the "A" and "B" sides). In the first section, Southall imparts solid if fairly unexciting material about the group and the production of the album. The second part zooms out for a look at the political, social, and pop cultural environment of 1967. The author's coverage of the larger music scene is more intriguing--his exploration of innovative groups such as Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention offers context for where Sgt. Pepper fit in--but his laborious, often dry month-by-month look at 1967 is somewhat exhausting. However, this isn't a title that most music lovers will read from cover to cover. Visually enticing, with tons of quotes and photos galore (many of which depict the Fab Four in delightfully garish hippie garb), it's ripe for browsing. VERDICT Not essential reading by any means, but a fun addition to larger music collections. Watch it fly off display shelves.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

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