muscle shoals documentary review

Man! Muscle Shoals is a triumph, though. Muscle Shoals is an excellent documentary on the iconic Fame Recording Studio located in Muscle Shoals, AL. Full view. I saw this documentary for the first time in April 2019 - a little late to the party. This documentary is so well done from both historical and filmmaking perspectives. Full Review | Original Score: B At once overstuffed with interviews and intellectually underdeveloped, the movie charts the area’s music industry and what is lyrically if elusively called the Muscle Shoals sound. Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama has helped create some of the most important and resonant songs of all time. When this film simply presents the … If you like American music, you'll like this documentary. If you have any interest at all in the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, or the history of '60s-'70s music in general, you should certainly check this out. So I'm already onboard with that. MUSCLE SHOALS – Film Review. One is an edited version of the sessions (First and Last) and one is complete (The Complete MS LS sessions). Contact. I was hooked from the beginning when Land of 1,000 Dances came blasting through and enjoyed every second after. Camalier buys into the hype with picturesque images of the swamps, the sunflowers, the sun setting over a forest at magic hour like something out of a Terrence Malick movie. Muscle Shoals (2013) is an American documentary film about FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. As I continue digging around for songs that were recorded in the Muscle Shoals area, I have found myself listing to them differently now that I know. I just wonder now how the ABB would have done if they had broke out from Muscle Shoals instead of Macon! He is responsible for creating the “Muscle Shoals … This page works best with JavaScript. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. I ordered the complete last night. Even better, it has a moral, redemptive worldview with some positive messages… There are fascinating anecdotes and warmhearted memories from a … Enjoy a wonderful, true story. The film also highlights the many tragedies and disappointments in Rick Hall's life as well as his triumphs. The story of the origin of "Freebird"—a song you could probably never hear again and that would be totally fine—also has plenty of amusing moments. Tip of the hat to the reviewer here that mentioned The Complete. Greg Camalier pays tribute to an Alabama city that holds a prominent place in music history. Fell asleep both times. And while Alabama remained segregated—or at least fraught with tension in terms of race relations—throughout the '60s, a sense of camaraderie prevailed within these walls that knew no color. Founded and operated by Rick Hall, this recording studio turned out hit, after hit, after hit! I was just a spud living near Mobile with a transistor radio (I think was stolen). And in the process, the classic tunes they produced helped fortify the mythology of the Muscle Shoals Sound. It's … Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, Rick Hall brought black and white together to create music for the generations. It's mandatory viewing for fans of the classic rock, soul and rhythm and blues of the 1960s and '70s. He exhaustively researched his film and crammed it with vivid, intimate archival footage, to the point where he gets a bit too into the weeds over the split between FAME recording studio founder Rick Hall and the rhythm-section players who were crucial to creating its "greasy" sound, as Franklin puts it. … Don't get me started because I have been going on and on about Muscle Shoals and driving my friends and family crazy with my new "regional" music obsession. It features interviews with a seemingly endless number of singers and other artists who worked at the studio. Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017. … Founded and operated by Rick Hall, this recording studio turned out hit, after hit, after hit! (Although, strangely, the film presents no evidence that U2 ever recorded there.) Since the Beatles went onto the Ed Sullivan Show I was almost obsessed with Music. And feast on some of the best music to come down the road in nearly 60 years! What was so astonishing to so many acts visiting for the first time was the discovery that these musicians were white, guys with names like Norbert and Peanut and Spooner, "guys who looked like they worked in the supermarket around the corner," as Bono puts it. I just ordered the various soundtracks. "Muscle Shoals" feels a tad overlong and redundant after a while—yes, it's a mythical and historic place, we get it—and it might have functioned even better as an hour-long TV documentary. Our tradition is to watch documentaries about music and the music industry. Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Cher, Bob Seger, and a host of others recorded their best material with these guys. I live in the desert Southwest now, and get incredibly homesick each time. Directed by Greg 'Freddy' Camalier. I've seen many and enjoyed them all...and I'm just your regular person that enjoys music. Those who have never heard the story of Muscle Shoals recording but love music absolutely MUST watch this video. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, Rick Hall brought black and white together to create music for the generations. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. And a little sad...I can't think of anything like this today--session musicians...the magically creative musical process...the diversity. Many of the better R&B songs, as well as rock songs, from the 60's were recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The hits just keep on coming in Muscle Shoals, a hugely entertaining, perhaps overlong, documentary about the renowned recording studios in the small Alabama town of the film's title. … Jim Tudor October 28, 2013 2013 Current Reviews M. A Documentary Trip to Sweet Home Alabama. Sledge, who grew up in the area and was working as a hospital orderly, recalls fondly how he was shaking like a leaf when he walked into the studio to record "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966. Muscle Shoals is an excellent documentary on the iconic Fame Recording Studio located in Muscle Shoals, AL. I didn't realize this small town, the Swampers and Rick Hall had such a massive impact on music. This song became a hit for a second time when the Rolling Stones recorded it. She's also on Twitter @christylemire and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/christy.lemire2. Muscle Shoals is the story of Rich Hall, who brought black and white together in a cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations. The film is an excellent companion piece to another music documentary that came out in 2013, "20 Feet from Stardom. The end credits acknowledge how many musicians who contributed to the famous "Muscle Shoals sound" couldn't fit into a two-hour film (the scene's history is rich enough for a miniseries… Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama has helped create some of the most important and resonant songs of all time. Alright, I'm outta here! Some Music sounded way better than others, but I couldn't tell you why. The Aretha Franklin songs that were backed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and some even recorded in NYC sound completely different and ever BETTER now. Music from Muscle Shoals and Memphis, to me, always seemed to be loosely related. The film is very well produced and directed, in my opinion and does an excellent job of telling the stories of Rick Hall and his FAME studios and it's offshoot (and competitor) Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. A documentary that celebrates Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, … So touching...I didn't want the movie to end. He is responsible for creating the "Muscle Shoals … There was the diversity in the studio group members from both areas that was similar, but they are also different in that the Muscle Shoals sound seems to cover a wider range of music genres. We open … If you are a fan of 60s/70s Soul or Pop songs, Southern/Classic Rock, Country and even Gospel - you will likely dig this film and maybe even learn a thing or two. The very first recording at Fame, written and sang by Arthur Alexander, " You better move on" was a world-class hit! Enjoy! I can "hear" wind in the trees, I can smell the mud of the river, etc. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. I've now watched this thing several times, and wind up tearing up every time! ★★★☆☆Whilst never quite reaching the compelling heights of recent rockumentary offerings Beware of Mr. Baker, Crossfire Hurricane or Searching for Sugar Man, Greg Camalier's Sundance select Muscle Shoals … Muscle Shoals is an excellent documentary on the iconic Fame Recording Studio located in Muscle Shoals, AL. It's one of the few ways to see and hear a lot of the people who were involved in the Muscle Shoals recording scene, through interviews and some great old photos. The movie never quite captures the magic of Muscle Shoals, but it's still fun to hear old pros like Aretha Franklin and Keith Richards trade tales. Christy reviewed films for The Associated Press for over 14 years. Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2020. The Music is fantastic! Founded and operated by Rick Hall, this recording studio turned out hit, after hit, after hit! I can't wait until this comes out on video to own. Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time, Jules Goes to Therapy in Her Own Special Episode of Euphoria, HBO's Painting with John is a Magnetic Celebration of Arts and Artists, The Nostalgia of Epix's Bridge and Tunnel is Filled with Wrong Turns, The Sister Sacrifices Logic, Tension as Its Twists Unravel. I'd get close to my window late at night and listen to all kinds of Music. Of course I knew the line from Sweet Home Alabama about "The Swampers", but this documentary helped me understand and appreciate the who behind the what. By far this is my favorite. New interviews with music superstars including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Steve Winwood and Alicia Keys provide some insight and eye-opening anecdotes. Add to it that it includes some of the best music made in the 60's, and you have a winner here. Twists of fate and fortune for 2 groups of people that can lay claim the Muscle Shoals Sound. This film is the story of the so-called Muscle Shoals Sound. It has a seamless mix of archival footage, interviews, music, and shots of the town and countryside of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Directed by Greg 'Freddy' Camalier, the film was released by … The hits just keep on coming in Muscle Shoals, a hugely entertaining, perhaps overlong, documentary about the renowned recording studios in the small Alabama town of the film's title. Visiting FAME has been our wish list since seeing the "Muscle Shoals" documentary, and our visit did not disappoint. All personal bias aside, present day interviews with music luminaries, expertly deployed found footage and stills, and the greatest soundtrack a movie could hope for, all make Muscle Shoals one of the finest music documentaries … 603 Avalon Avenue, Muscle Shoals… Muscle Shoals Synopsis. Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2018. This movie taught me how much I really do not know... An excellent documentary for anyone searching out where the real sound comes from... Great clips and history... A wonderful documentary by any measurement, Not perfect but still really worth seeing, Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2014. This is probably the best documentary I have ever watched, no hyperbole or exaggeration. Those musicians, who became known as "the Swampers," broke off and created their own recording studio—hence, the line in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama": "Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers. Christy Lemire is a co-host of the YouTube film review show "What the Flick?!" What is "the Muscle Shoals sound"? Read full review At two competing recording studios, artists as varied as Percy Sledge and Wilson Pickett, the Rolling Stones and Traffic, Paul Simon and Jimmy Cliff discovered and honed their sounds. Songs you've heard a million times before and think you know by heart—Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird," Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses"—might just fall on your ears in an entirely fresh and new way, thanks to the documentary "Muscle Shoals.". After renting this documentary twice, I finally purchased my own copy and have curated custom playlists covering both Muscle Shoals and Memphis Soul. Fast forward to January 2020 and I found myself in Memphis with a rental car, tour tickets and directions to both the FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Florence and Sheffield, AL respectively. Or steal it (just kidding about stealing it ... don't do that). Kinda seen this twice now. Just background noise before then. If you like music, Muscle Shoals is MUST!!! Visiting the Tennessee river is now on my bucket list. Great job all around! First of all, it's Alabama. The word “magic” is mentioned a lot in “ Muscle Shoals,” a mesmerizing documentary that tries to explain, or at least place in context, the extraordinary success of FAME (founded by producer … Bono rhapsodizes early and often about how magical this place is—how the songs seem to come from the mud itself, full of sass and soul and grit. While “Muscle Shoals” and its presentation doesn’t reinvent the wheel—this is your standard talking heads documentary—the treasure trove of stills and found footage makes for a compelling … As lovely as these shots are, though, they do make you wonder: What is it about this unlikely, rural town that produced so much great music? First-time filmmaker Greg "Freddy" Camalier explores how a tiny Alabama town on the southern edge of the Tennessee River served as the source of some of the greatest American music of the 1960s and '70s. Location. That sound! The documentary Muscle Shoals uncovers how one small town is uniquely responsible for so much of America’s best pop music. Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2017. With Rick Hall, Aretha Franklin, Keith Richards, Candi Staton. Watch the movie. The "Muscle Shoals sound" was the foundation of a lot of the best music from the sixties all the way through modern times. Buy it! Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. MUSCLE SHOALS is an excellent documentary. Whatever you do, watch this great video. Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2019. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2013. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Our tour guide, Spencer, works as a recording professional and is very enthusiastic... Read all 88 reviews. In addition to Muscle Shoals' impact on R&B, it also shows the city's role in the development of Southern Rock in the 1970s. Sweet home, Alabama. The documentary film Muscle Shoals is a beautifully shot and edited film directed with sensitivity and class by Greg “Freddy” Camalier.Muscle Shoals is a town on the Tennessee River in … "Muscle Shoals" feels a tad overlong and redundant after a while—yes, it's a mythical and historic place, we get it—and it might have functioned even better as an hour-long TV documentary. But only the genre's most studious followers will be able to watch Muscle Shoals without being … Most fans of '60s soul know of Muscle Shoals, the tiny Alabama town that produced huge hits. I went to Florence AL because of this documentary, Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2020. Brings back lots of memories...as great music always does. Very interesting. A few examples of songs that I was previously indifferent to: Loves Me Like A Rock, Take A Letter Maria and One Bad Apple (guilty pleasure song!) You can find Christy's writing at ChristyLemire.com. They mastered a signature, soulful sound, heavy on drums and bass, making fans worldwide think they were listening to black R&B musicians. This is one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" stories about a recording studio featuring mostly white musicians recorded some of the best R&B records of the 1960s. But with such great music coming, one hit after after another, it's always a joy to watch. Borrow it! Muscle Shoals Muscle Shoals – review A magnificently soundtracked documentary showcases the town in segregationist Alabama that became an oasis of mixed skin colours and … DIRECTED BY GREG ‘FREDDY’ CAMALIER/2013. Read Full Synopsis ... Movie Reviews Presented by Rotten … To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Is it the vibe, the history, the players, or the remoteness from pop-culture hubs like New York and Los Angeles? There's a problem loading this menu right now. Intriguing Portrait of a Recording Studio and the Man Behind It, Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2014, "Muscle Shoals" tells the fascinating story of Rick Hall and the Fame Studios is Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Great photography just takes me back there. I don't usually write reviews, but I have to with this one. 2,071 global ratings | 1,237 global reviews. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Biggest take away for me is the Lynyrd Skynyrd sessions that were shelved for many years and is now available on 2 different cd's. Hint: arguably the greatest Soul, R&B, Rock, and even Country music ever recorded was played buy a bunch of nerdy-looking white guys from Alabama. This movie was so educational (I just learned what "muscle shoals has got the swampers" meant in the hit Sweet Home Alabama...and I've been listening to Lynryd Skynryd for YEARS). Robin's Review: B. I thought I was familiar with all of the major music centers across the country from Nashville to Detroit and LA but I was surprised to learn about the star-making empire and its distinctive clientele and style, the Muscle Shoals … Camalier never tries to provide a specific answer, but rather allows us to gawk in awe at the prodigious output of the place. The movie is beautifuly shot and captures the feel of the river and the area. These include Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Clarence Carter, and Wilson Pickett. Also hearing Alicia doing "Pressin' On"- Really good stuff. 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