I am a big believer in the power of musical deep-dives. Artists repurposing forgotten references, watching — and rewatching — live performances, obsessively following up on an interest by watching multiple documentaries just to get the full picture; you get the gist. Diving head first into the contextual aspect of anything allows you to appreciate the little things as well as harness more love than you thought you had to begin with. In the spirit of exploring musical rabbit-holes, here are some of my favorite “behind the album” documentaries.

‍

“TOGETHER FOREVER: A Documentary,” LAUNDRY DAY

I love LAUNDRY DAY — in both senses of the word. But considering we’re talking about music documentaries I guess it makes more sense to talk about one of LAUNDRY DAY’s album documentaries “TOGETHER FOREVER.”

Thirty five minutes of footage documenting the recording process behind their 2019 album HOMESICK, “TOGETHER FOREVER” captures the band in what turned out to be the era that propelled them into the stratosphere. Filled with clips of half finished versions of tracks we all know and love, and epic creative moments — like when Jude casually starts singing the opening line to “CHA” as they're still fidgeting with the backtrack — this documentary goes to show LAUNDRY DAY'S unmatched creative chemistry. A particularly exciting part is when we see the band work alongside Romil Hemnani, one of their many early cosigns. Filled with teenage ambition and untapped potential “TOGETHER FOREVER” is a digital time capsule only increasing in value as the years go by.

‍

‍

“year 0002,“ Illusion Hills

The concept of forming self-sufficient musical ecosystems has gained allure in the last 4 years, and for good reasons. This collective approach allows for total creative agency most musicians might not have once attached to labels. While these groups usually fade in and out of social consciousness, Illusion Hills is more than determined to break the surface and become household names. Their documentary, “year 002” sees them in all their collective glory inviting viewers to join in on the fun.

Opening up with the music video shoot for their breakout single “Weirdo,” and good “exquisite” vibes, we get to see the core members build a legacy of their own brick by brick. Providing the highlights of their year, from first shows, to new singles and epic parties, “year 0002” gives new, and old, listeners a chance to see the band in a more casual and familiar light. Meant to commemorate their second collective anniversary and early accomplishments this mini-doc gives us high hopes as to what the future hold of Illusion Hills.

‍

‍

“20 Days To Rift,” Quarters of Change

“The way you feel about The Strokes is the way I feel about Quarters of Change,” has been my questionable and slightly controversial take for the last 4 months, and I stand by it. Ever since they released their single “T-Love,” Quarters of Change caught the attention of fans all over social media, From the looks of it a lot of people are betting on their pending stadium level  success, so it was only natural for them and their crew to document the three weeks priors to their debut album Into The Rift.

If I had to summarize the documentary in 5 words I’d use the following: airports, hotels, interviews, meetings, and shows. Clearly a very busy and restless period for the band, "20 Days To Rift" gives viewers a look into what goes down once things start picking up in the music industry. From last minute flights, to star struck fans, and exhausted bandmates, it all feels surreal even from the outside. Regardless of the rest, they still manage to find time for boyish banters and indifference making for an endearing moment to remember.

‍