by: Quinn Hathaway
Media Production Editor

Noah Kahan secured his first number one album on Hot 200 with his new release, The Great Divide. Kahan released the 21-song compilation on Apr. 24, marking his fourth main studio album. Kahan’s fanbase received the collection of songs warmly, pushing track two, Doors, to the top of Spotify’s Hot Hits Today.

The anthology is a continuation of Kahan’s personal musical style, with deep tones ranging from bassist croons to high falsettos. Some tracks have faster beats, such as Haircut and Deny Deny Deny, though the lyrics have an underlying sadness. In Haircut, Kahan remarks, “At least I got soul still, even if I’m in a bad place,” highlighting seeing life through a positive lens despite its undulations. Similarly, Dan calls out a close friend, as Kahan remarks, “And I’m so glad we’re here, ‘Cause I’m with my best friend Dan now.’” Fans speculate that Dan is the boy on the album’s cover, and a reference to Kahan’s childhood friend.

However, in true Noah Kahan-style, many of the new songs also dip into the sadder aspects of Kahan’s heart. Porch Light features mandolins, creating a unique accompaniment that permeates Kahan’s intense wording: “Poison spreading to my lungs, I ain’t holding breath, ain’t holding any faith at all.” This sense of hopelessness continues through several other tracks on the album, including the soulful mourning prevalent in All Them Horses: “Oh, everyone looks happy in a photograph…I’m always on my own.” Some songs even extend full blame onto whoever Kahan lost. Dashboard details, “Change your zipcode, turns out that you’re still an a-hole,” stating that distance cannot fix a person, if the person is already long gone.

At its essence, the phrasing of the album’s title, The Great Divide, demands an explanation of the rift that grew between Kahan and some other entity, whether that be the boy on the album cover or maybe a lost love. The collection’s title track, The Great Divide, encapsulates Kahan’s deep-seated confusion of the distance between the two. Kahan states, “You know I think about…my deep misunderstanding of your life,” relaying his pain of not being able to provide the proper empathy for his lost connection. The entire song is a ballad to the hole in Kahan’s heart, though at the root, he wishes, “I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich,” continuing the note of positivity in a time of sadness previously seen in Haircut and others.

Overall, The Great Divide is an ode to someone long gone, leading some to believe that it is full of misery and melancholy. Yet, Kahan manages to weave those feelings into catchy choruses and upbeat tunes, even if the lyrics hold pain beneath the surface. This unique ability turns listening to the album into a cathartic experience, a musical translation of the oxymoron that is living a life with constant pain. Kahan’s tour promoting his new music starts on Jun. 11 in Orlando, and continues with dates in 13 countries through Dec. 7.