It’s likely that an interesting half-hour short could be carved out of “A Nashville State of Mind,” an ambitious but undisciplined doc about the ongoing growth of the alt-music scene in a city better known for commercial country music. At 102 minutes, however, pic comes across as self-indulgent (if not self-congratulatory) and drearily repetitive as established artists, up-and-comers and industry insiders prattle on and on about what a hospitable place Nashville can be for folks who want to make music without undue commercial pressure. A few noteworthy live performances might spur DVD sales.
Interviewees praise the nurturing atmosphere in Nashville, where “transplant” musicians and songwriters are said to be mutually supportive, not cut-throat competitive. But despite the enthusiasm evident in those accounts, pic overall has the insular feel of something produced for a small circle of acquaintances, most of whom appear on camera. Doc works best when indie artists such as Jeremy Lister and Katie Herzig stop talking and start singing. Co-directors Jean-Martin Vogel and Eric LaRocca Mainade strive for the deliberately rough-edged look of a print not yet color-corrected, but the stylized visuals are distractions, not enhancements.
