Review of Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields (2011) by Rob R — 05 Mar 2011

I downloaded fucking itunes in order to watch this - which should demonstrate my keeness to watch this (so far) otherwise unavailable film. Which probably betrays a slight bias in my adjudication - I mean it's about a reasonably obscure band I happen to really like - as if I'm going to criticise a 90min film about them?

It got me thinking about what other bands I'd be excited to watch a 90min documentary about (and be left wanting more). My generic answer to favourite band would be Sonic Youth but I'm not sure I'd be enticed to an in depth investigation into them*. And I type that whilst listening to the 4LP box set of Daydream Nation. I've been listening to a lot of drone and/or noise lately and again, penetrating the inner workings of that, not bothered.

Unlike my other favourite rockumentary, that Wilco one, I have to say if you don't like or even don't know anything about The Magnetic Fields' music I can't really see how you'll get much out of this, it's a fan's film. There's not a lot of art to the documentary, I humbly and (above all) ignorantly suggest, just a great documentation of some great music and a loveable eccentric.

Oh and Sarah Silverman's in it briefly. Fucking ching.

Not a very optimistic ending though, with Stephin out in LA. Not least cause halfway through it reminded me that he used to do a regular DJ night in New York which made me think I have to go see him when we go to NY at the end of the month. But in the real world we know they've released an album after this film, so hopefully they'll carry on as is.

* though I have seen (and thoroughly enjoyed) The Year That Punk Broke and the South Bank Show on John Zorn/SY.