Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good start, but then it gets ruined

A different way of telling a story

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

The movie has some good points and redeeming qualities. I agree with the previous reviewer about Noam Chomsky's placement in the film. The story is from the view of the typified "music nerd" as stated in the film. I saw about 95-98% men in the film so it was very difficult to identify with. Come to think of it, I felt the same way when I tried to go into those stores when they were in their heyday - it seemed like many staff members acted like music snobs... So this made it a little more difficult to empathize. I would have been interested in seeing more female representation and their experience with the stores as well. Thurston Moore made some thoughtful points. Very one sided and made for a very slim target audience.

A documentary feature examining why over three thousand independent record stores have closed across the United States in the past decade...I enjoyed this documentary, as it presented some nice facts and statistics about record stores, album sales, album prices... the rise of MP3s, the Telecommunications Act, etc. And it let record store owners vent about the death of their industry.Unfortunately, I also found the documentary to be one-sided. While I would not say it was factually incorrect, it had an obvious bias. And that is unfortunate, because it makes the film political rather than strictly factual. I would have liked to hear more people on the other side defending themselves or the Telecommunications Act, even if I may not agree with their defense.Most unusual was the presence of Noam Chomsky. I love Chomsky, but he seemed very out of place here. He was able to offer some general comments about bigger businesses replacing smaller ones, but had nothing particular to say about record stores or the Telecommunicatons Act. He even told the interviewers he had not listened to music since the 1940s and that his grandchildren were more aware of what was going on.

This documentary would lead one to believe that the problem with independent record stores is "capitalist greed". What it inadvertently points out is that many of the indie record store 'types' interviewed don't have the drive and seriousness to make a small business succeed. For every great indie vinyl store that I've frequented over the years, I've been to a baker's dozen with overpriced, poorly organized stock, obnoxious hipster clerks and a filthy, depressing shop space. And why the hell is a Communist America-hating academic like Noam Chomsky being interviewed here? I love indie music, punk rock and have collected vinyl (& styrene) records since 1961, but this film did not speak to me. I was actually glad to see most of these losers unemployed by the end of the film. And worst of all it made authentic American rock heroes like Ian M. and Lenny K. look kinda pathetic by appearing with this parade of losers.

there's definitely a story to be told in the every changing world of music delivery and why its changing. This doco touched on a number of key issues but lessened the impact by telling it in loaded language where it could have backed up what it was saying with facts and statistics. Instead we get a lot of conjecture and a picture that makes rock and roll look the un-coolest it ever has. Old men in sweaters talking about the evil empire and days gone by. Maybe that's the story the makers wanted to tell, but then there's the obvious affection for older mediums and the very valid argument of the erosion of community, so we really get mixed messages. This doco doesn't clear up any misconceptions or add much we didn't already know about the decline of the indie record store but at least it gets it all in one place for those new to the topic.