Owen Moves On From An Old Pair of Shoes In Video For “I Should’ve Known”
American Football’s Mike Kinsella has been performing under the moniker Owen for his solo career since 2001. From his most recent album The Avalanche comes the compelling music video for single “I Should’ve Known”. The video perfectly compliments what was already a hauntingly sad song on its own, as we’re carried through the story of the lyrics by a pair of well worn shoes. Yes, shoes.
As the first chord plays, we see a man with a box in one hand, the shoes in question in the other. Forgotten on the roof of his car when he gets in and drives off, the shoes inevitably fall. They animate, taking us down the sidewalk, to the park, before coming to an eventual stop.
The video was directed by Chris Strong, who says “the video is about a relationship dissolving.” The man we meet briefly at the beginning – the shoes’ owner – is in the process of moving out and leaving his former home. Through lyrics such as “objects in the rearview mirror, closer than they appear / except for you my dear / I should’ve known,” you can hear the sadness and loss that drives the story within the video. According to Strong, the pair of shoes “are meant to represent the memory and spirit of that former life” as it’s being left behind. As we walk through the man’s memories, we hear the story through Owen’s lyrics, accompanied by acoustic guitar and building to add strings, piano, and light percussion.
A sad story, with a sense of closure surrounding it, both musically and visually within the video,”I Should’ve Known” is the type of song you can hear in relation to any big ending that’s occurred in your life. An inherent sadness, asense of longing, and a decision to move on are the underlying themes which listeners can apply to their own lives and situations in unique ways, making “I Should’ve Known” all the more endearing in its heartbreak.
Watch the video below:
