Content Warnings: Mention of drug use
Revealing indie rock’s best-kept secret of the 90s, Traces of Glory reveals the story of Los Angeles band IDAHO and its obscure frontman Jeff Martin. Accessing over 30 years of archival footage, the film contemplates his past, self-doubt, and the fame he was never really after.
When Idaho tore their way onto the music scene in 1993, everyone who “got it” knew that they were hearing something very special. The band’s visceral debut single Skyscape – all howling guitars and beautiful melancholia – evoked a powerful response, yet defied easy categorisation. Was it indie? Alternative? Slowcore? Sadcore? Or maybe, as one fan puts it, “Idaho just sounds like Idaho.”
For thirty years, the critical acclaim heaped upon Idaho has been downright effusive. Why, then, has widespread commercial success been so evasive? Songwriter Jeff Martin’s commitment to musical integrity might have something to do with it. “I could write more accessible music,” he says. “But I feel like it wouldn’t be honest.”
Turbulent relationships within the group is another possibility. Through home movie footage and intimate interviews, Traces of Glory examines the closer-than-brotherly bond between Jeff Martin and guitarist John K. Berry, who formed an artistic partnership by turns creative and destructive.
Visually, Traces of Glory is perfectly matched to Idaho’s sound. Stark black-and-white shots capture an almost desert-like Los Angeles landscape; all tangled powerlines and empty doorways and old abandoned cars. Traces of Glory is a film which is as beautiful and uncompromising as the music it celebrates.
Chuck Pitillo
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