After an almost two year bone dry musical drought, New England singer-songwriter Noah Kahan has returned to us with the title track to his fourth studio album “The Great Divide.” The track was released on Friday, Jan. 30 after days of Kahan telling fans on social media to buckle up for the wild ride for the next few months. Kahan said, “Things are gonna start happening very quickly, it might be hard to hold on.” All humor aside, Kahan knows how many people, fans and industry professionals alike, enjoy his music. So this five minute and 17 second song is sure to hold us over until “The Great Divide” album releases.
While this winter might be cold, full of ice and snow that doesn’t melt, Kahan’s lyrics seem to thaw the bitterness. Similar to his “Stick Season” album, this song emulates his unforgettable folk sound. In cementing himself into our seasons of fall and winter, I can’t think of foliage without Kahan!
Kahan admitted on Spotify exclusive content that this song is in the same world as “Stick Season,” but digs deeper into his friendships. A lot of Kahan’s songs like “Orange Juice” and “You’re Gonna Go Far” have nostalgic friendship themes. It’s part of the reason why he resonates so much with the younger generations of new adults. He has an innate ability to talk about topics like grieving growing up while making it sound like a road trip into the unknown.
“The Great Divide” starts out with this incredible acoustic guitar riff, leading to Kahan’s first verse of, “I can’t recall the last time that we talked/About anything but looking out for cops.” I can’t help but wonder if this is a subtle nod to his lyrics in “Everywhere, Everything” where he sings, “I’ll tell you where not to speed,” when referencing his knowledge of his hometown cop hiding spots.
He continues to set the scene of these friends who seem to have a falling out before the lead into the pre-chorus. If there’s one thing I love about his storytelling, it’s that he paints the picture like a movie scene. His raw vocals are so transparent that you can’t help, but be invested in his every word.
The pre-chorus of, “You know I think about you all the time/And deep misunderstanding of your life/And how bad it must have been for you back then/And how hard it was to keep it all inside.” Leave it to Kahan to completely obliterate our hearts during this winter season to the most uplifting folk beat. And as if it couldn’t get anymore sentimental and even a tad bit regretful, the chorus hits us with an echoing punch.
“I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich/I hope you’re scared of only ordinary shit/Like murderers and ghosts and cancer on your skin/And not your soul and what He might do with it,” he sings. While friendships might not last until the end of time, Kahan is bringing to light that you can still wish people farewell in a bittersweet goodbye.
In a People Magazine exclusive interview Kahan explained that this song was inspired by two friendships he had growing up which changed over time, as so many do. “A lot of my life recently has been realizing the things I wish I could have said to people and the things I wish I could have done differently, and so this song is kind of just an expansion of that,” he told People. Kahan is exactly the type of honest musician we need in the industry. He’s not afraid to explore hard topics of grief, religion, and most importantly personal growth, especially if it means letting go of certain aspects in our lives.
While I believe his vocals obviously sing for themselves, especially after I saw him live at Sea.Hear.Now Festival in 2024, Kahan’s vocals have grown so much. He sounds even more confident and sure of himself as an artist, no doubt thanks to “Stick Season” and touring the world. His signature rasp and little sing-song yells (real fans know) are as present as ever. One thing is certain, if this is Kahan’s first single off the album we are in for a treat once the full product comes out.
The album is set to release on Apr. 24 leading to the North American tour this summer. Kahan’s official HQ Instagram also noted that fans are going to be given top priority, especially when it comes to protecting us against scalpers. Until the album and tour commence, and the last of the bugs leave their homes again, I’ll be listening to “The Great Divide.”
