NOAH KAHAN: THE GREAT DIVIDE
Write up by Sarah Bruno
Photos by Jonah van Bemmelen
Noah Kahan, “The Great Divide” Album Review
Noah Kahan does it again. Two years after his last release, The Great Divide is an album that was well worth the wait. Earning the prestigious 4.5 stars out of 5 from Rolling Stone for the album T is filled with strong, raw lyricism that fits perfectly with a nostalgic indie folk-rock sound that initially put Kahan on the map. Since 2022, he has been teasing clips of his new music on social media ( TikTok and Instagram) and during concerts throughout his three-year touring stint for the Stick Season and Stick Season: Forever tours. From his Live From Fenway Park, he included a handful of songs that hadn’t (and still some haven’t been officially) released yet. Some of the more important songs from The Great Divide were teased by his marketing for the beginning of the advertisement for the new album, such as “Doors” and “The Great Divide”, to give fans a taste of what’s to come.
When discussing this album, Noah Kahan’s team released a documentary titled Noah Kahan: Out of Body, which explores his life and lived experiences. This documentary dives into Kahan’s personal life, which most of the public didn’t know about: stories of his childhood, a close look at his hometown, and his personal battle with mental health. The viewer can see a very raw version of him, from the highest point of his life, playing a sold-out show in Fenway Park, to the immediate low point he felt after returning to his hometown of Strafford, VT. This view into Kahan’s life humanizes him by showing his struggles with depersonalization, derealization, imposter syndrome, and severe body dysmorphia. After touring for three years for his “Stick Season” and “Stick Season Forever” albums, he questions whether he is worthy of fame and does not feel that things could get any better. After watching this documentary, the viewer can see Kahan in a more personal light, which is beneficial when listening to The Great Divide, Stick Season, and his entire discography to better understand his lyrics.
Let’s plunge into the themes that make up The Great Divide, Kahan’s fourth studio album! Noah Kahan writes the majority of his music, and he asked Aaron Dessner (of The National) to help by being included in the writing process. The album is threaded with themes of grief, self-growth, guilt, and acceptance. The Great Divide’s themes evoke the feeling of coming home to your small hometown while realizing that everyone and everything are still the same. Kahan is let down or frustrated by the idea that not everyone gets the opportunity to leave Strafford, VT, and experience the personal growth he has found through his music. It’s the (very human) realization that, returning home, nothing has changed since Kahan first left home.
Kahan’s newest album contains songs that are deeply saddening under the guise of a happy-sounding song. Track 2, “Doors,” is a direct reflection of Kahan’s experience with personal relationships and what attachment looks like for him. He starts by saying “I keep showin' you doors, but you can't open them up” and then goes on to say “So, forgive me if I jump/ At the rattle of your keys/"Oh, are you leavin'”. The anxious attachment he has formed from a challenging childhood still lingers in his head as the chorus continuously repeats,”‘Im the trouble ahead” as if he is confirming his own feelings about himself. As the song continues, he eventually accepts he is the way he is, and it doesn’t make him a bad person, as the post-chorus he admits: “I just live here, babe, but you're the one who decided to knock/You knocked”. This track has very emotionally raw lyrics for Kahan, showing an insecure side of himself that fans have not seen before.
Following a different theme, “Downfall” introduces grief and acceptance into the album. The song opens with the exciting feeling of a close friend or family member finding success in their life. The first verse opens with, “You said, 'I think that we had everything, until now, just didn't know it" as the person is learning to experience a whole different lifestyle that they never knew about. Similar to Kahan’s song, “You’re Gonna Go Far”, he feels the excitement for their new, refreshing outlook on life. However, later in the song, he feels a selfish grief that leaves him stricken with grief. The title, “Downfall”, starts to make more sense when he writes: “So call me when it goes to sh*t/I’ll be keepin’ the house the way it is/I won’t rub your face in it/ I swear I won’t tell anyone”. He is grieving this person in his life as they leave, but he comes to terms with the fact that they have to leave the small-town life, just as he did. In a backward way, Kahan is encouraging this person to follow the success they’ve found for themselves, while simultaneously reminding them that he is always a call away and can help them return home without judgment. “Downfall” is such an important song on the album because it captures two polarizing feelings that aren’t commonly discussed but are very relatable to listeners who may have experienced people moving in and out of their personal lives.
Track 12, “23”, focuses on grief, mourning and self-growth through a non-romantic relationship, whether it's a family member or a friendship break-up that was necessary for Kahan’s personal growth and healing. In an interview, Kahan mentions it is a culmination of the experiences of family members and friends who have struggled with addictions or not being able to connect with someone he once did. It’s the feeling of grieving someone who is still alive, the memories tied to them, and someone who you once thought would never leave your side. He is mourning the loss of this person through the lyrics of: “Tattooed your initials into my right arm/So I'd see your name when I lift up a drink”. Alluding to the fact that this person was a prominent figure in his (Kahan’s) life until he saw their true colors, where he adds an important line to change the tone of the song, “I still ball up my fists when they mention your name/No one gets to talk sh*t but the ones you've sh*t on”. This experience showed where their morals and values lie, while Kahan faces the decision to nourish a toxic relationship or accept that he has grown as a person beyond the shenanigans they shared at age 23. Kahan comes to terms with the fact that this person is detrimental to his life and self-growth. Through acceptance, Kahan writes, “Lifting the weight of you off my mind/'Cause if I never see you again/You could be anything I want”. It is a relief for him to leave this relationship as he continues with, “Stay gone/Won’t you stay gone?”. Many songs are about romantic breakups and the heartbreak that comes along with it. However, Kahan perfectly articulated the uncomfortable feeling of outgrowing friends or family members and learning to lead a life without them.
As he identifies with living in New England, specifically Vermont, he hasn’t lost touch with his roots. “All Them Horses” talks about the flooding in Vermont in 2024 and how he felt the grief of how he could have done more to help, but his career had to come first, as he was in the middle of a tour. “We Go Way Back” and “Headed North” also speak to his comfort level of being in his town, and things are still the same. Throughout his rise to fame, many assumed he would move out to L.A. or N.Y.C. (wherever the music takes him), but his love for New England is unwavering, keeping him grounded between tours.
In terms of the sound of this new album, he hasn’t necessarily changed his unique style but has leaned into it more. The majority of songs on The Great Divide have a similar sound with catchy acoustic and electric guitar patterns and heavy drums that steer the song as it plays. Collaborating with both Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), you can hear how their influence on Kahan left a mark on the album. Due to Dessner’s long-time experience in music production, there is a more polished, layered sound than in his past discography. Dessner is credited on acoustic and electric guitar, organ, bass, and piano for much of the album, with Vernon on background vocals and electric guitar. As for specific songs, “End of August” and “Dan”, Kahan intentionally placed them at the beginning and end of the album as they sound lighter. He wanted the listeners to feel relief before and after listening to the album in its entirety. Both of these sounds have an atmospheric feeling with an acoustic guitar and a strong piano sound. With the exception of those songs, the album has an upbeat, happy feeling that offsets the heavy lyrics and its complicated topics.
The Great Divide sets itself apart from Noah Kahan’s past discography due to its candor, vulnerability, and raw emotion that fans haven’t heard before. The fans get to hear and better understand Noah’s struggles with mental health and trauma. Though he never owed anyone an explanation or a look into his (otherwise very) private life…However, he has always strongly advocated for mental health awareness since his rise in popularity (2019) & finding help for those in need. During his first “Stick Season” tour, he started The Busyhead Project, which raised $1,000,000 in its first year (2023) and has since amassed $6,600,000 to provide resources, establish a community board for those struggling, and create benefit events. He understands that the more he talks about his experience, could help destigmatize the conversation regarding mental health and especially men’s mental health, which is proportionally more stigmatized.
Kahan gave this album his all, and that's apparent in each song's production, each melody, and every lyric. This album is something that should not be skipped over, and put on your endless line-up of albums you’ll eventually ‘get to’. In the current state of life, or if everything doesn't quite feel right, it is nice to listen to an album that is relatable to people from all walks of life. The Great Divide is out on all streaming services, and Kahan will play a completely sold-out stadium tour around America this summer with openers Gigi Perez and Annabelle Dinda. Then touring around Europe, New Zealand, Australia, into the fall with openers Michael Marcagi, Bella Kay, and rising star Mon Rovia.
Tracklist:
End of August
Doors
American Cars
Downfall
Paid Time Off
The Great Divide
Haircut
Willing & Able
Dashboard
23
Porch Light
Deny Deny Deny
Headed North
We Go Way Back
Spoiled
All Them Horses
Dan
Photos by Jonah van Bemmelen
