Echo In The Canyon - Have You Seen It?

Sure, but is "paying respects" worthy of a documentary film? Can't they just pay their respects in person? Jakob Dylan seems to have every 60s-era Laurel Canyon star (plus Petty and Ringo) on speed dial, and I'm sure that has nothing to do with his father's legacy.

 

Indeed!

 

Is it worthy of a documentary? Probably not as a definitive take on the era and scene. Dylan and Slater started by organizing a 50th year anniversary of the Canyon music scene and brought in musicians of their own generation as sort of a tribute.. They didn't have any original artists of the area at the concert but they then made a record of the songs in a studio along with the one off concert. Then they interviewed some of the folks who were actually a part or around the original scene.

Like records, films or other piece if art, it's there for those who want to check it out. It seems many here didn't like it and that's fine. I enjoyed it for what it was and watched it again last night with my ex who grew up in LA during 60s and 70s. She loved it.

 

I watched it tonight. I thought it was enjoyable enough, for what it was. I do think it was a bit of a missed opportunity to do something more with it given the people that they had access to for interviews. It's clearly meant to be more of a surface level overview/introduction to the era rather than a deep dive, though. A lot of the time it felt like the interviews were the sideshow to the modern live performances rather than the interviews being the centrepiece and the performances being a tribute to them. The couch chats between Dylan, Beck, Spektor and Power added absolutely nothing to the film but, overall, it was an amiable enough way to spend 80 minutes. It's not great, but it's not terrible either.

 

I’ll just reiterate that I never had delved into this kind of music before this project. I’m 30 and while most people my age won’t care for this I loved it and the soundtrack has not left my phone since it was released. I’ve also been streaming more Beach Boys and Byrds material, thanks to amazon unlimited.

 

Jakob Dylan and Beck are both 49 years old. They’re not “younger artists.”

 

Jakob, Apple, Beck, etc. would've been a hot-n-happening roster to appeal to the kids - 20 years ago!

 

Disturbing isn’t the word, more like ‘silly.’ Snoop Dogg discussing the authenticity of Johnny Cash, as a prime recent example.

 

As an aside, a couple of thoughts re Fiona Apple’s awkward appearance in the concert footage.

1) Not sure when it was shot, but glad to see she looked healthier (less anorexic) than last photos I’d seen of her.

2) I love her voice and she’s beautiful, but Fiona Apple would go into a dramatic/traumatic, self-hypnotized trance whilst singing ‘Happy Birthday’ at a Chuck E. Cheese franchise.

 

Fiona Apple and Cat Power are good at what they do, but neither was a good fit to sing the material they sang in this film.

 

re: cat power. GET "MOON PIX".

 

who cares what she looked like...she sounded great. why not pick on all the botox, face lifts, and hair dye of the old rocker dudes?

 

the neil part at the end was classic. brought the whole room together. it was soooo neil…"i'm not gonna let you interview me for this film, but i'll be in it, but this is as close as you can get". great fade out with his feedback note as the tom petty tribute came on screen.

 

Why?

 

Miley and Ariana are ready to discuss the Association and what they mean to them!

 

Yep, good point. She did indeed sound great.

 

Younger than the bands that were showcased.

 

Ha yeah. It looked like someone shot him playing using an iPhone

 

I watched it over the weekend. I give it a generous B-. I'm not really a fan of any of the "modern" acts that appeared and I've never really thought of Beck or Fiona Apple as being influenced by the Laurel Canyon sound. I would have liked a little more of Jackson Browne as he was kind of a bridge from the 60's acts and the 70's acts who were influenced by The Byrds-The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt Warren Zevon, Buckingham-Nicks era Fleetwood Mac. It doesn't scratch the surface deep enough for the serious music lover found on this board and it's too niche for a general audience.

 

I've got ties older than that.

 

Jay Z is 49 and Kanye West is 42. Even Kendrick Lamar is about to hit mid 30s
Jack White is 42. Dan Auerbach is 40. Dave Grohl is 50. None of these people are younger artists. But they are huge. To be 49 in rock these days is not a bad thing.

 

Funny side note , I asked my 15 and 16 year old kids if they knew of the younger artists. They Didn’t know of Cat, Fiona etc.
They said you played the Mama and Papas, Beach Boys , Byrds and Beatles for us when we were young, we like their songs.
I guess I performed my duty as a parent giving them a sound musical education into my world.
Peace

 

The film is just OK IMO, but love Brian Wilson's "You're playing in the wrong key."

 

Or tom petty.

 

I turned it off after 10 min.