Perhaps one of Sell's most curious and controversial earlier works, 'You Can't Hear Me' is an experimental mind-fuck-explosion of images that in some strange way, correlate to the music of the band Xiu Xiu, who are also presented live within the film. Upon release, 'You Can't Hear Me' was heavily disregarded by both the band and much of the public for its poor audio quality (hence the disclaimer) as it was directly recorded on Hi8 video and is commonly over-modulated. Since its release in early 2009 by MVD Entertainment, the film has reached somewhat of a cult status due to the controversy and mystery that surrounds it. In October of 2011, the film was made available through Amazon Instant Watch.
Xiu Xiu - You Can't Hear Me @ (Amazon Instant Watch)
There is a certain charm to Sell’s filmed pieces. Many have a slightly voyeuristic quality similar to the strange Polaroids that frontman Jamie Stewart has been using for album art. Others have an Andy Warhol-like appeal, similar in essence to his famed Screen Test series." - Magnet Magazine
Special features include Sell's controversial music video for 'Master of the Bump'.
Regarding the disclaimer: 'You Can't Here Me' was recorded directly on Sell's Hi8 video camera during a live performance of the band Xiu Xiu, in which the film revolves around. Since sound was not professional recorded, nor was such a task ever considered, the soundtrack and performance was captured directly through Sell's camera. Therefore, many of the tracks are over modulated, grainy, and occasionally thin. What remains however, is live video footage that will no doubt be of interest to fans of the band. 'You Can't Hear Me', which could be seen as both a documentary as well as experimental film, was inspired by the films of Amos Poe as well as various other punk documentary filmmakers. Though the sound quality is considerably harsh, the footage presented of the band is honest and inspiring, as it documents the passion and energy put into each song by the band. The short sequences inter-cut within the performance are simply music videos inspired by the presented tracks. If you choose to proceed, please excuse the rough sound quality and understand that the film was created in a lo-fi, experimental manner, and meant to be appreciated on an artistic level instead of a technical one.