Review by Choice Review
The sweet melodies and voices of Cantopop (Cantonese popular music) emanating from Hong Kong, especially the voice of Agnes Chan, dominated Thai air waves when this reviewer was doing his dissertation research in the early 1970s. Widely disseminated in film as well as on disc/tape, Cantopop exerted a profound influence in Southeast Asia. Zhu's study is the first comprehensive history of Cantopop in English. Cantopop rose from the fringes of Hong Kong's popular culture in the 1950s as an alternative to colonial culture, peaked in the 1970s as the voice of the mainstream population, and declined dramatically during the 1990s as Mandapop (Mandarin-language popular songs) rose to prominence. Though the author expresses his regret for not being able to cover related topics such as lyrics in greater detail, his thoroughly researched study nonetheless provides numbing detail, all heavily documented. Readers may sometimes find themselves lost in this forest of data, but fortunately there are occasional clearings where one can regain one's bearings. An extensive chronology and bibliography are included, but there is neither a discography nor links to online resources. Readers unfamiliar with the sounds of Cantopop are advised to search online for tracks. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Terry E. Miller, Kent State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
