For my last set of reviews I wrote about some heavy, in-depth, serious documentaries, on topics ranging from Enron to the electric car to the 9/11 attacks to the United States war machine.
After that self-prescribed cinematic downer I decided it was time to view something lighter: some music documentaries. These ranged from concert films to one about a Los Angeles music legend (The Mayor of Sunset Strip) to a moving film about students dancing (Mad Hot Ballroom). I will write about those last two in a separate piece later in the week so that today I can focus on three music concert films.
Down From the Mountain - As good as O Brother, Where Art Thou? was, the soundtrack was better. If only there was a way for those who sang on the soundtrack to have their own concert, which would be filmed and released as a separate film. That is exactly what this film is. Though less well known than O Brother, Where Art Thou? this concert – and separate audio CD – is quite entertaining.
It features performances from two of my favorite female singers, Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris, as well as some good bluegrass music from Ralph Stanley and John Hartford.
Heart of Gold – I have a friend who talks about Neil Young as if he is some sort of a musical god. I didn’t see it myself, at least not until recently. I have always had high regard for Young’s integrity and his music, especially his lyrics. As a writer I tend to pay more attention to lyrics than music and his lyrics are always good. But, still, Pearl Jam, Fugazi, and Bob Dylan also have great lyrics and integrity, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go buy their albums.
What changed my mind about Neil Young was watching this concert film. He is not just entertaining but engrossing, humble, modest, funny, and moving. The songs performed, most with a band but a few with him solo, range from the silly to the incredibly sad to the powerful and poignant. His concise comments between songs, often to explain what a song is about or what inspired the song, serve as perfect primers for people coming late to the worshipping-Neil-Young train as we understood more about what specific songs really mean.
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