How Long Will This Go On?

Luna “Friendly Advice” – In a key scene early in Matthew Buzzell’s documentary about Luna, Tell Me Do You Miss Me, guitarist Sean Eden explains that band leader Dean Wareham is the type who plays it “close to the vest,” which seems to be an accurate way of describing his character, as well as that of his music, and of the film. Much like Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan, Wareham sings with a flat, amiable voice that masks potent emotions in low key erudition and a cool detachment that suggests that he’s somewhat embarassed to be expressing himself at all. Like a lot of the best 90s indie rock, the music navigates the subtleties of repressed emotions, and finds a lot to say about little things. The film approximates the band’s pretty, noodly guitar tones with gorgeous dv footage that makes the most of impressive locations, and finds beauty in mundane environments. The documentary follows the musicians on their final tour, and mainly observes them coming to terms with their time in the band, and the self-concsiousness of knowing that everything is about to end. Wareham isn’t the only member with a reserved demeanor, so it also seems to be about the uncomfortable dynamic of a group of sensible, mature people who all err on the side of passive aggression. The film’s voice-over free narrative keeps up the “close to the vest” theme by refusing to include much in the way of backstory or exposition, many times showing parts of the members’ lives that ought to be explained, but opting instead to let the viewer figure things out for themselves. (Click here to buy it from Rhino.)