Echo in the Canyon is in select theaters on June 7th, 2019.
Echo in the Canyon is a passion project by Jakob Dylan, who executive produced and starred in it. The son of Bob Dylan rose to fame in his own right in the ‘90s as the lead singer and songwriter for the Wallflowers. In the film, Dylan talks with musicians who lived and collaborated in California’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s. It frames a rose-tinted story about the hotbed of counterculture that gave birth to the folk-rock genre.
The film doesn’t take a traditional documentary approach or try very hard to create a full-bodied history. Instead, it fleshes out as basically a concert movie. With the help of Regina Spektor, Beck, Cat Power, and others, classic songs are re-recorded and performed in a tribute concert. This new generation explores the history of recording studios and ponders how all the music of the era came to be.
Echo in the Canyon is worth a watch for the great music and star-studded cast. I enjoyed learning some background behind familiar classic songs and hearing the interesting stories straight from the mouths of the likes of Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills, Brian Wilson, and Michelle Phillips. I would guess it would be even more enjoyable for older audiences who remember hearing the songs when they first came out and have more familiarity with the artists featured in the interviews.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Joanna (Guest Contributor) was born and raised in Metro Detroit. A fan of thought-provoking thrillers and indie films, she also enjoys a good chick flick. When not at the movies, she can be found running, reading, or writing bar trivia. Click Here to check out Joanna's Articles.