This Gen-X nostalgia trip includes interviews from a number of music lovers from Southern California: some are DJs, some are musicians, all are current or former collectors of cassettes. It can be a hit or miss interview to interview. Some subjects only seem to be there for their not-so-broad notoriety while others like Henry Rollins (of Black Flag fame), Zernell Gilli (DJ and founder of Grimy Records), and Mona Lisa Murray (noted vinyl record hoarder and DJ) really stand out among the crowd as those with the perfect combination of passion, experience, and continued interest in analog formats. If they had been the only subjects or part of a smaller cast, this would have been a very different review.
The sudden transition from subjects like those listed above to someone who has no interest in analog beyond having been in a band in the 80s or owning some tapes back in the day was jarring and a detriment to the film as a whole. Some didn’t even talk about physical formats so much as name-drop popular artists of the 70s and 80s that they would like to hear on a mixtape and wax on about how cool they were for listening to them when they were younger. The juxtaposition of those with passion and experience beside those who would admit to hating physical formats was, frankly, frustrating. The number of past and present DIY artists who live and perform in the areas in which they were filming make that all the more frustrating. People still produce on vinyl and cassette, it just has no nostalgic value to exploit.
Putting those complaints aside, I loved the documentary’s focus on cementing the personal, bespoke nature of the act of creating a mix. Even today when digital playlists can be generated by an algorithm, many still choose to create mixes that generate a mood, recreate a moment, or express an emotion to others. This was just much harder, more expensive, and a little more loving back in the 80s and 90s which made it more special.
If you were born in the late 60s or the 70s and are looking for a nostalgia kick, Analog Love might provide it for you. If you are simply an audiophile or analog lover looking for an informative dive into the processes of recording or mix creation, you’re out of luck. The truly expert dialogue and the mixtape's value simply as a cultural artifact make Analog Love an optional purchase. Aud: P.