Noah Kahan – The Great Divide

Noah Kahan grew up in the tiny, heavily wooded town of Strafford, Vermont, where the population has remained stagnant for two decades, and the weather can be quite bitter. Although Strafford may not seem like it has much to offer, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Kahan’s third studio album, Stick Season, tells the world about the mysteries of his hometown, whether it be in love, familial relations, or the way word travels fast. All of Stick Season was greatly adored worldwide, and many felt touched by how perfectly Kahan was able to turn the mundane aspects of living small into a profound work of art. His latest record, The Great Divide, was released this week and held onto what made Stick Season so heartwarmingly special.

In 17 songs, Kahan combines stories of old, unravelling friendships through the eyes of maturity. End of August features the nighttime hums of woodland critters as Kahan compares the death of summer and transition into autumn to relationships on the brink of havoc. The Great Divide shows a darker side of Kahan’s personality than he may have let on with Stick Season, and this evident emotional change on End of August feels genuine and true. Doors follows and feels familiar. Maybe it is because of a stomp-clap folk production style akin to The Lumineers or Mumford and Sons, or maybe it is because Kahan’s angst is something listeners can relate to. Either way, The Great Divide starts off just as strong as expected.

Downfall is a great highlight amongst the already star-studded record, and it is primarily due to its lyricism that outlines the purpose of The Great Divide perfectly. He discusses how the folks of his hometown now see him as a huge celebrity who takes advantage of the unique tales of a small town by writing about them rather than as an old friend. His neighbours now see him as a bigwig in the city who thinks he is God’s greatest gift, but Kahan tries to reassure them that he intends on staying true to the humble nature of his upbringing. Haircut, Porch Light, Deny Deny Deny and Spoiled dive even further into the concept of fame and fortune in relation to how it may affect past relationships, as well as any future ones. Kahan’s battle with the spotlight is an invisible string that runs through the majority of these tracks, and despite it being a steady theme, it is hardly redundant.

Kahan may focus on some dark and difficult subjects, but, at times, he looks at situations with a brighter outlook. For example, 23 touches on addiction and how it has consumed him in the past, but shows how a person in his life helped him become clean, perhaps without realising it. It is a delicate, poignant balance between resentment and thankfulness. Headed North is Kahan discussing with an old friend about the happenings of their small town since he has left. The talk-style, stripped-down production is raw and displays a different type of vulnerability than what has been heard before. It is truly impressive how Kahan is able to swiftly show off his emotional range without even breaking a sweat. It is almost as though his most insightful songs are where he is dry and blatantly honest. The Great Divide concludes perfectly with Dan. Returning motifs, both in sound and lyrics, are combined and form the makeup of this track.

Overall, Kahan has proved himself, once again, to be a master lyricist. The Great Divide does not lean too heavily on the success of Stick Season, but rather expands upon it and acts as its fully realised older brother. Kahan has never claimed to be a know-it-all, and he shows that he is still learning every day. With this, the future for Noah Kahan has never seemed brighter.