Like the rest of humanity, I can lucidly recall my September 11, 2001. While today shall be filled with reminisces and other forms of tribute, I would like to pay tribute to a record that suffered from the cruel irony of that day's events and its role in my day.

At that point in my life, I was preparing to start Mundane Sounds. In fact, I had planned that day to register the domain name; my computer at home would not connect to the name registration site, so my plan was to go to the university library and do so there--after washing my clothes, grocery shopping, and washing my dishes, of course.

Of course, I never made it there.

I spent almost all of my day in front of the television, trying to make sense of it all, and worrying and waiting for the next horrific event to happen. Thankfully, that next thing never took place. That day passed as quickly as molasses, yet it passed quickly. At some point, I checked my mail, though I can't seem to recall doing so.

In my mailbox was a package from Amazon. I had pre-ordered a record that had been released that day, Departure Lounge's Jetlag Dreams, a seven-track album in Bella Union's Series 7 instrumental series. When I took the package out of my mailbox, I didn't open it--I wanted to get back to the television, for fear of missing something important.

The title didn't register with me as ironic, but when I opened the package, I was...shocked. The artwork for the record disturbed me, not for anything shocking or repulsive, but for the sheer appropriateness to the situation in New York City. The cover features a jetliner shadowed by a sunrise. Making it more disturbing is that the airplane is flying away from the sunrise--on what looks like a beautiful, clear morning.

The music inside the record took root in my memory, in a place I choose not to think about. Beautiful, gentle, funereal instrumental music--how could that not soundtrack a tragedy? That it appeared on the day--that horrible, horrible day--what more can I say about it? How could I possibly begin to relate how "Runway Doubts" plays in the slow-motion replay of the day? Would you be able to understand how "Equestrian Skydiving" encapsulates for me the sound of fear as the sun went down in a remote West Texas town? Of course not. And I doubt I would be able to appreciate your connotations, but indeed, on that day we shared the common feeling of dread, confusion, sadness and fear.

As for Jetlag Dreams, I quietly put it away, in hopes that ignoring its existence would, in some small way, help me to forget what happened. I think I wrote a review of it, but I really cannot recall. I find beauty in its sad refrains and gentle melodies, and, strangely, an innocence For me, Jetlag Dreams will always be a record of respect and remembrance, and the soundtrack to an unforgettable day and undesired memories.

Listen To: "Runway Doubts"
Listen To: "A Strange Descent"

Labels: Departure Lounge, September 11

posted by joseph kyle @ 12:46 PM

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