Ever since Noah Kahan announced his album “The Great Divide” on Jan. 28, I have been waiting very impatiently for it to come out. When it came out last Friday, I jumped to listen to it.
Kahan’s first single for the album “The Great Divide” came out two days after the album was announced. I was so excited when I first listened to it. The song has such a sad yet heartwarming feeling. It speaks about old friends and wishing well for their future, which is something that everyone can connect to. “The Great Divide” is a very upbeat song, but the lyrics are much more angsty, with many themes of regret. I thought that even though many parts of the song landed on the sadder side, the overall feel of the song made it seem hopeful for what could happen.
On March 13, Kahan released his second single from the album “Porch Light.” The song includes lots of repetition, which makes it easier for the audience to sing, and the repetition can make the words sink deeper and sting more. “Porch Light” speaks of calling an old friend who has moved away, which makes the repetition of “you’re a ghost” have such a large impact. It makes it seem as though all the memories together have simply faded away. I really enjoy this song because of how emotional his voice feels. It has a tone to it that makes me stop to listen. This song was a very good choice as a second single; the feel of this song really wraps up the whole album for me.
After listening to the whole album, my top three songs, excluding “The Great Divide” and “Porch Light,” are “American Cars,” “Willing and Able” and “Paid Time Off.” “American Cars” is very catchy and has a fun beat to it. It has an uplifting feel about being resilient and working to fix your life. One of my favorite parts of “Willing and Able” is at the end when the repetition of “I’d be willing and able” changes to “if you’re willing, I’m able.” After all the repetition of the same thing that simple change makes the song have such a deeper meaning as it ends. The whole song feels very emotional and reminiscent, which is why I love the song so much. I love how in “Paid Time Off,” the beginning almost feels like a lullaby. Then, when the bass comes in, the whole feel of the song changes; it resembles time passing.
I really enjoy how Kahan’s songs feel like they’re telling a story from the beginning to the end, like small stories in the large story of the album. He is a very talented songwriter, and all of the songs on the album are incredible. I was very impressed when I listened to the album all the way through for the first time. I would recommend anyone to listen to this, as most people could connect to his lyrics.
