iPod song of the week – Keane
And now, a concert review disguised as an iPod Song of the Week. This past week I went to see Keane in Central Park with my friend Nicole who had invited me so very long ago I actually forgot about it until she e-mailed me three days before the show. Whoops. Nicole now goes to B-School, far, far away and so she is no longer around to remind me about tickets she purchased in February. But I digress. Onto the show review.
If you know Keane (or you know and avoid Keane) you know they are full of gushing sentimentality, but add to that the fact that it was the last night of their tour, the dude recently got out of rehab (Nicole and I spent plenty of time making heartless jokes about this during the show, I assure you), and that apparently he had grown up idolizing the iconic Simon & Garfunkle concert in the Park and dreaming of doing the same thing, well, you can just imagine in what kind of swoony form he was in.
I suppose it was a good thing that no one told him that S&G played the Great Lawn in front of like a million people and that Keane were playing Summerstage in front of a few thousand.
And I know it’s not every day a singer in performance sees this view whilst singing, but as a semi-frequent Summerstage attendant I have to say it’s becoming bit of a cliché to hear, “oh my God, look at this setting!” every time. (I know, I’m jaded.)
Still, it was a nice crowd, lots of Brits, including Brit kids. Luckily this one didn’t kick anyone in the groin.
And now, a rare J-Ball personal moment. I think what I had willfully forgotten was that I stopped listening to Keane because their first record got imprinted with the worry that my mother was about to die. In fact, two years after the actual occurrence rendered that feeling moot, I find they still remind me of that horrible feeling. And, Nicole told me that she invited me because she had asked me to the one a year and a half ago but I hadn’t been able to attend. That’s because I couldn’t go to concerts during the mourning period. I had forgotten about that too. But I find that once music has been imprinted with a feeling, it’s all over for that piece of music in your life. Still, it was good to hear Keane again. I may work on re-imprinting that album.
This weekend I’ll be seeing the Deftones, whose current album got imprinted with a ridiculous amount of sadness over a break-up that I’m no longer terribly upset about at all. Since the time I realized there wasn’t much to be sad about, I’ve stopped listening to that CD because the despair I honestly felt at the time is impossible to separate from the music. We’ll see what happens at the concert. It’s also a genius album, I hope I can re-imprint that one too.
And now the iPod Song of the Week which I can’t really rationally describe anymore since whatever it’s really about has been obscured. But it’s quite emotional, just like all Keane songs. Either you’ll vomit at it or find something there for yourself. Here’s a short snippet of jerky video I took of Keane performing it:
[flv width=”320″ height=”240″]http://www.magicjewball.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/keane.flv[/flv]
Keane – Somewhere Only We Know
Streaming audio available on iPod Song of the Week page.
Keane for me is imprinted with the Great Tsunami. I was in London the day after it happened, and then Keane played the New Years show on TV, which of course was a total non-event due to the constant coverage of the tsunami. But something about the song (I think it was “Something Only We Know”) stopped me in my tracks enough to catch the name of the band. Then a couple days later I was in a shop and I heard “This is the Last Time”, which stopped me in my tracks again. I tracked down a clerk to find out what song it was, and when the name “Keane” came back to me again, I knew I had to buy the album for the trip home. So now the whole album is imprinted with memories of constant news coverage, one particular incense-infused bubble bath, and a trip through Heathrow Airport.
Ah! Most excellent! iPod song of the week *and* a concert review. I feel doubly blessed.
“But I find that once music has been imprinted with a feeling, it’s all over for that piece of music in your life”
This is one of the truest statements I have ever read.
I am normally all about fun and frolic on the JBall but I am typing this with tears in my eyes as I think of you and I and everyone who has a specific song that ties into a specific time or place or feeling in their lives.
I wish to sing the praise of the song, any song, that chooses to become part of our ever evolving and unfolding story.
Just in case there was any doubt about how dorky I am…I heard of Keane, and Somewhere Only We Know, for the first time when the song was performed on American Idol.
At least I am cool enough to have liked the song.
kb, I think travel really has power to imprint. You often hear things you don’t usually, so they’re in a vacuum and become totally associated.
KP, aw, it was fine, really. I had a great time at the concert. That time is over and life is great. The lesson is, times can be tough but life goes on and that’s when we can hear that music again.
Celia, it was on AI? That’s how out of it I am, I had no idea. Hm, I may have to search YouTube.
I like the songs that make us remember fun and amazing times too. I still can hear songs that bring me back to a certain party in high school or a certain night out with my friends.
The awesome power of song just always amazes me.
As does the awesome power of AI.
I’ve always called it “The Soundtrack Of Our Lives”. I almost created a theatrical performance around it, but the concept is just too big.
Becca, it was Blake Lewis during the first week of Top 24 performances.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives is an awesome band too.
Celia, excellent, I’ll do a search, thanks.
I love it when songs can take me back to an exact event, as is always the case. Whether happy or sad, I love knowing that I’ll always have something to jog my memory.