The recent documentary Other Music from directors Puloma Basu and Rob Hatch-Miller does an exemplary job of achieving what all documentaries should do; the film takes a subject that is intensely personal for those involved and manifests those feelings within the viewer. Other Music was an organically conceived mecca for discerning music fans both in its homebase of New York City and lovers of music around the world who wanted to travel to get a small taste of holy reverence that this institution brought to consuming records. Tragically for those devotees and the culture at large, the record store closed their doors after 21 years in 2016. This cinematic eulogy goes beyond simply bemoaning the loss of a foundational part of this community and attempts to capture what made walking through these doors such a transcendent experience for so many.
The majority of Other Music captures the waning days of the store’s existence just after it is announced that they have to gracefully bow out of the game. While you have staff members and customers reckoning with the end of an era, the filmmakers give some rich context to how the shop became a pillar of a musical generation. It all stems from the minds of owners Josh Madell and Chris Vanderloo, who graduated from the school of Kim’s Video to their own curatorial efforts. This movie tracks it all from their weirdest and wildest early in-store performances, the peak of consumer spending on physical media, and the shift in cultural attitudes when it comes to tangibly owning your music. The information is never too dry as you come to understand the logistics of running a record store, and the realization that providing a service and personal satisfaction can be at odds with financial solvency.
In the interest of full disclosure, Other Music was not a part of my consciousness before this film. As a Nashville native, my few visits to New York regrettably did not include a stop at this landmark. Yet, thanks to the magic of cinema, I know what it feels like to spend a magical afternoon in Other Music. It is a feeling I have experienced countless times at my own local Grimey’s, thankfully still thriving and worthy of its own documentary at some point. No matter how much you feel like you are “in the know” when it comes to music, the experience of interacting with a battle-tested record store employee is thrilling and a little bit daunting. You do not have to be a music snob to appreciate when you find someone who is passionate about something, anything. The passion itself is the gift, as genuine joy is all-too-rare in this world but incredibly infectious when you experience it.
The aforementioned “daunting” nature of the experience is also examined appropriately. It is somewhat of a cliche to reduce record store employees to condescending know-it-alls who look down at your basic tastes. Sure, it is not completely inaccurate, but it is the nature of the beast. As some of the longtime employees relay in some invaluable interviews, they pretty much do have to “know it all” to some extent. You see a bit of the employee handbook that serves as their bible of essentials of the job. In the business at large, but particularly at Other Music, not being able to navigate what the customer wants and needs is simply unacceptable. They are working on another level when it comes to random music knowledge, and some employees know how to balance patience with informational authority better than others. Even famous faces like Jason Schwartzman and Regina Spektor relay their own stories of feeling intimidated, so at least you are in good company if you ever feel that way yourself.
Perhaps the single most important aspect of Other Music was its curatorial power and the influence it had with those who placed their complete trust in them. While the store defiantly came into existence by opening up across the street from Tower Records, Other Music forged its own path to success by catering to those who did not want to rely on what corporations were pumping into their veins. This store was filled with staff members who truly loved music and wanted to share it far and wide. The exploration of their famed staff recommendation cards and atypical categories reveals the independent spirit at the heart of their mission statement. The film features interviews with famous faces like Benicio Del Toro who drops in often ready for the staff to load him up with recommendations. You have the likes of Tunde Adebimpe (TV On the Radio) and Matt Berninger (The National), who discuss how invaluable the early support from Other Music was to their careers. You have Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) explaining the store’s independent foray into digital sales and what it meant for them. This store was so nimble in its operation, which is a magic difficult to manufacture.
The footage of the final days of Other Music is bittersweet; it hurts your heart to be reminded of the great loss this community felt when the doors closed for good, but the warmth you feel from knowing this oasis existed in the first place far overtakes it. As great as Other Music was, ultimately it was just a building with some incredible people sharing their passions. The greater legacy is the countless people they fostered and inspired to go on and create bigger and better things both in music and otherwise. This documentary is about a record store, but it taps into the tenacious human spirit that longs to foster art and good vibes in the world at large. We could all use a bit more of that.
Video Quality
Other Music comes to Blu-Ray in its original aspect ratio from a gorgeous high definition master. The film mostly consists of a substantial amount of new interviews and fly-on-the-wall material with some archival footage interspersed for additional context. The footage both old and new looks as technically excellent as it can look in high definition. The transfer appears to have plenty of room to breathe and there are no issues with compression artifacts, banding or other digital nuisances. The footage of the older material seems to be the best version of it that would be possible, with much of it looking pretty gritty and soft as you would expect from basic recording equipment capturing an in-store performance in the early 2000s. New interview segments look sleek and clear with natural skin tones and detailed facial features. The colors featured in the film are natural and vibrant as they provide a nice visual pop on screen. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to some amount of detail in shadows when the conditions allow for it. I do not see how this set could have been improved visually. It’s a beautiful transfer given the original source material that is handled with care by Factory 25 and Vinegar Syndrome.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a strong Dolby Digital 2.0 Master Audio track that captures this film as well as the material will allow. While it seems odd not to include a lossless DTS track here, I can be more forgiving since this is a pretty straightforward documentary. Dialogue is the driving force of the film and it is mostly balanced well with the din of the store. The filmmakers do a terrific job of capturing their subjects even during moments that were filmed in hectic public environments where sounds are competing with various noises. The implementation of music helps greater contextualize the film, and it is resolved well here as it fills the room. Environmental sounds are plentiful and are replicated perfectly. This presentation gets the job done quite well. There are optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles included for those who desire them.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Directors Puloma Basu and Rob Hatch-Miller, and Other Music owners and staffers Duane Harriott, Josh Madell and Chris Vanderloo provide a very entertaining and informative commentary track in which they discuss the process of filming right before the closing of the store, how they secured some of the interview, the music created for the film, famous faces that have cameos, how things have changed since the production of the film and so much more that fans should take the time to check out.
- Deleted Scenes: A 44-minute collection of unused material including full performances from Gary Wilson, Revl9n, Beans, Bill Callahan and Handsome Boy Modeling School, extended interviews with Jason Schwartzman, Daniel Kessler from Interpol, William Basinski, and more moments with the staff around the store just giving you a glimpse into what made the experience of going to Other Music so special.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
- Booklet: A 38 page booklet featuring an Oral History of Other Music complete with insights from staff members and notable patrons, an essay by Tom Scharpling and the 100 albums to check out after you watch the documentary. This is filled with great anecdotes that you will not want to pass up.
Final Thoughts
Other Music is a magical last look at a musical institution that helped shape the independent music scene that we know today. Filmmakers Puloma Basu and Rob Hatch-Miller capture the waning days of the shop which finds staff members and customers alike showcasing the unique alchemy that made it so special. Whether you have fond memories of this place, or you just want insight into a place you never knew that fostered passion in a community, this documentary is an enlightening experience for all. Factory 25 and Vinegar Syndrome have released a Blu-Ray featuring a very strong A/V presentation and a couple of engaging special features. If you are intrigued by the independent music scene, this is an essential addition to your collection. Highly Recommended
Other Music is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Factory 25 and Vinegar Syndrome have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
