Concert Review: Noah Kahan Sings To Sad Songs At Brooklyn Steel
Can you commercialize sadness? Should you? When it comes to humanity, if there is one thing we hide, it is our sadness, but if there is one thing we know how to hide from, it is happiness. We know how to dig into depression, but reaching for joy feels too risky. At Brooklyn Steel, Noah Kahan sang to those that dig in their tears, but still hope to reach for smiles.
More than ever, Kahan is owning his star-power. Although, he can be considered “pop”, his folkish nature gives him a “country”/ “indie” vibe. He is a radio artist that can be blasted in your car, or turned up into your headphones when you want to go into your feelings. Kahan is aware of his penchant for a “sad song”, and laughingly warns the crowd to love his music, but do not love it too much because, again, it can get depressing.
Noah Kahan – Hurt Somebody
The titles of Kahan’s songs are literally “Sink”, “Hurt Somebody”, and “Catastrophize”. From their names, you know he knows the darkness of sentiment, but he, himself, is a funny, grateful guy. He thanked LP for having him on the tour, and talked about how he would be selling gelato in some corner if not for the opportunities of this past year. He is so aware, humbled, and happy by his achievement, which makes you wonder when does “the sad” come. It oddly makes him more relatable because we know he is a great guy, but we also know, through his songs, he, like all of us, cuts his greatness off.
Noah Kahan, Julia Michaels – Hurt Somebody (Lyric Video)
Insecurities are not fair, particularly, because they are self-inflicted. “Please”, “Fine”, and “Passenger” are just a few of the tracks he drawls and draws with a Western Flow. He is ready to duel his self-doubts to get to his dreams, and arranges his instrumentals to have a rather climactic feel. From “Hallelujah ” to “Young Blood”, you could not stop imagining his music in some tv show where “the woman” chooses “herself” and eaves her bad relationship or “the guy” realizes what he had wiht her and tries stop her flight. There is something epic, romantic, and self-affirming to his music; as if to say, “You have to sink a little so you can swim back up!”; hence, my “commercializing sadness” reference. We all need songs that strike our need to cry but leave us motivated to smile again, and Noah Kahan has several. For More Information On Noah Kahan Click Here. Noah Kahan – Young Blood (Acoustic)
