Will Hick ’27
Staff Writer
Well over a year later, and yet, I’m back! This time around I will review the highly cherished Noah Kahan album, The Great Divide (TGD), which was released in April of this year. Similarly to his previous albums, TGD combines folk-rock and indie to create a contemporary Americana sound. For most young New Englanders (including myself), this was an album that was continuously played throughout the spring and summer, and will persist all fall and likely winter. It is my understanding that the only plausible explanation for someone not to love this album is if they have not listened to it in its entirety. And to preface, I will primarily take a look at the lyrics, rather than musical elements that I know little about.
It is next to impossible to find parts of the album that sagged, however, there are a couple. The first few times listening through, I thought “Orbiter” was a fantastic song with a great metaphor. But, as I listened to it more I thought that the song was annoyingly repetitious and lacked meaning that a broad audience could relate to. When he sings “Some will never know they’re beautiful, Until the crowd points it out to them,” it makes me think of those with low self-esteem or other mental health issues who might benefit from hearing a crowd chant their name. Then again, if everyone that struggled had the opportunity to experience that, its true meaning would deflate tremendously. Another song in the album that stood out to me is “All Them Horses” because it is a five and a half minute song, and the chorus is the only part that a casual listener can sing along to. It only plays twice throughout the song. I feel like it replicates a similar meaning to a lot of his other tracks, and does not introduce anything special in a musical sense.
Now, onto the reasons that make this album legendary. The first song, “End of August,” is a beautiful introduction to the album and fully encapsulates the message that Kahan is trying to portray throughout the album: that change and growth are necessary, but it does not mean one cannot appreciate their past. Kahan sings “Everythin’ you see out here will die, Oh, it’s a matter of time…’Til it’s our town.” This exemplifies the everchanging nature, not just in New England’s climate, but also in the listeners’ lives, and how darkness is a powerful force that reveals who one’s true supporters are. Another standout song from the album is “Porch Light,” where Kahan switches the point-of-view to one of his loved ones, and mentions the struggles of loving someone that found fame. He references himself as a “ghost” several times and expresses “You act like we sit up here and wait for you to reappear, But baby there are bills to pay and your dad’s road needs salt.” The song exemplifies the many people and family members that Kahan left behind in his hometown of Strafford, VT. Something that makes his songwriting so special is the way that he relates to his audience, although we do not necessarily know anybody famous. It connects him being away on tour in such a way that I could apply it to my friends back in my hometown, who never got the opportunity to leave. Kahan almost personifies his hometown because with or without his presence, his community continues to grow and develop. I would also like to point out the consistent banjo and his ranging vocals, which compliment each other perfectly in this song. Other standout songs include “Paid Time Off,” “Dan,” and for other proud New Englanders, “Headed North.”
Please, do not take my word for it. Listen to the album! You will leave the experience with a new artist that you absolutely love, or, for the less fortunate, you will have wasted an hour and a half of your life. I would take the gamble if I were you. Overall, I will rate TGD a 9/10. The point is lost not because any song is particularly unenjoyable, but rather because of the overly repetitive parts and I feel that a few songs are just ‘filler songs’ that do not add much to the overall album.
Copy edited by Molly Croft ‘29
Featured image courtesy of AP News
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