Echo in the Canyon review – hopelessly lazy La rock doc

Brian Wilson, Beck and Eric Clapton are among the star contributors, but the story of Laurel Canyon’s folk-rock scene remains a mystery – and where’s Joni?This documentary about the folk-rock scene in mid-60s Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, centres on an all-star tribute show, and would have made a neat free gift for ticket-holders.

But with an arrogance unique to those insulated by fame and money, it gets put into the wider marketplace for music documentaries and comes up embarrassingly short.It is the first film by Andrew Slater, who had a varied music career, including journalism, artist management and production, before becoming chief exec of Capitol Records.

In 2007, he was ousted just months into a five-year contract with a $15m payout, and Echo in the Canyon feels like a twilight-years project for someone who already gets his Diy and gardening done for him.

Read full article