Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Written by Hombre Divertido
The Brothers Gibb never did anything that would appear simple. Luckily, the documentarians who put together In Our Own Time which chronicles the life of the legendary group kept it simple. The result is 116 minutes of informative entertainment that is a perfect mix of music and interviews, and sufficiently tells the story of the peaks and valleys that go with becoming icons in the music industry.
Broken into 10 segments (First Fame, Lonely Days, Beat of a Different Drum, Fever, Andy, Spirits Having Flown, Songwriters, Brothers in Harmony, Recognition, and The Music Must go on) this new release from Eagle Records which debuted November 16th 2010 is well crafted as Robin and Barry discuss their careers while sitting comfortably. Segments from previous endeavors are blended seamlessly and allow for input from the late Maurice Gibb as well.
Beginning with their childhood and rise to fame and culminating with the death of Maurice and the decision to continue, this new release certainly may not contain a lot of new information when compared to similar projects, but it is the telling of the story in their own words, and how well it transitions, that makes the single-disc offering so compelling.
“Leave them wanting more” is generally considered a good philosophy in the entertainment industry but it is a double-edged sword here. You are sure to be left humming the familiar songs and with a desire to play some of the music, and that is indeed a good thing. The desire to hear input from the legendary Robert Stigwood, and other artists who were and continue to be influenced by the Gibbs is certainly understandable as it is noticeably missing here, and may not be considered a good thing by most.
Though the ten segments convey a compelling story, they are a bit uneven, and again leave the audience wanting more. More information might not have been necessary regarding the life and career of younger brother Andy in a documentary about a group he was not a part of, but if you are going to title a segment of said release “Andy”, you are certainly providing your audience with an expectation, that unfortunately remains unmet as said segment barely scratches the surface of the teen idol’s success and time with his brothers. Segments near the end of the release such as “Recognition”, which paints an incomplete picture of the many awards bestowed upon the Hall of Fame trio, seem rushed when compared to those segments dealing with the early years and rise to fame.
Recommendation: It is understandably challenging to tell the story of a career that has lasted fifty years, and there is always sure to be information that would seem to be obviously omitted. Though this story may lack facts and mentions of deserving projects, it is nonetheless a well-told story that is crafted in a simple fashion that makes it enjoyable to watch for those who grew up with Barry, Robin, and Maurice, and those who had not heard of the Bee Gees until they got their own night on American Idol.
This is a must-have for any fan of the Bee Gees, anyone who wants to share the amazing accomplishments with those who never realized just how deep the Gibb brothers’ love went in the music industry, and those who just appreciate a well-told story about a bygone era in rock ‘n’ roll.
