Austin to Boston is a documentary about a group of mostly British folk musicians who, in 2012, toured the United States.  The group included a few familiar names (Ben Lovett of Mumford and Sons, for example) and several up-and-comers (Ben Howard, The Staves).  Traveling across America in five VW campers, the bands went from Austin to Boston in two weeks.  Along the way, they stopped and played at everywhere from Nashville to Woodstock.  The documentary, which is narrated in a memorably grizzled fashion by driver Gill Landry, follows them as they discover America, deal with shows that are both good and bad, and, most of all, make music.  Make no mistake, this is a musical documentary.  While the musicians do occasionally talk about their lives, for the most part, we get to know them through their music.

I have to admit that I was a little bit surprised by how much I enjoyed Austin to Boston.  My taste in music tends to run the gamut from EDM to more EDM so, to be perfectly honest, spending 70 minutes watching a bunch of folk acts should have been pure misery for me.  (Someday, I’m going to write an article about the Tyranny of Acoustic Harmonizing.)  But, even if it wasn’t my type of music, I could still appreciate that the musicians traveling from Austin to Boston were damn talented and had beautiful voices.  Could I have done without that gospel song that seemed to go on  forever?  I certainly could have.  But, if that’s your type music, you’ll probably really enjoy hearing it because it’s being performed by some seriously talented people.

And even if it isn’t your type of music, Austin to Boston is such an intensely likable documentary that it really doesn’t matter.  There’s something really sweet and special about watching these British musicians discover and, to a certain extent, fall in love with America.  And, speaking as an American, Austin to Boston made me better appreciate my frustrating home country as well.  Over the course of this short but achingly sincere film, we get to see a lot of American scenery and it reminds us of just how beautiful it all can be.  When you live here, you tend to take it for granted and sometimes, I think it’s good to take another look through non-native eyes.

Did Austin to Boston awaken any sort of dormant love that I may have for folk music?  No, it did not.  To a certain extent, I wish it had because it really is such a heartfelt documentary.  But, in the end, The Staves all have beautiful voices but it’s just not my type of music.  But it did make me better appreciate both my home country and the way that music — regardless of style or genre — can bring us all together.

And you know what?  If this is your type of music, you’ll freaking love this documentary.  You’ll watch Austin to Boston and you’ll say, “What the Hell was that EDM-loving redhead talking about?  THIS IS GREAT!”

Austin to Boston can currently be viewed on Netflix.