No One Is Divided By This Album
- Aubrey Whitaker
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
A Review of Noah Kahan’s New Album
Noah Kahan, a singer-songwriter who took off after his song “Stick Season” went viral, released an album on April 24, 2026. This album, named “The Great Divide,” features 17 tracks and is accompanied by a deluxe version, “The Great Divide: The Last Of The Bugs,” which includes four additional tracks. This album was co-produced with musician Gabe Simon, and Kahan additionally worked with Aaron Dessner, a national multi-instrumentalist.
This album explores the concept of losing connections and cherished relationships as seen initially by lyrics in the lead single “The Great Divide”: “But we ain’t friends, we’re just morons / who broke skin in the same spot.” This theme develops throughout the album. The first track, “End of August,” kicks off the album with around 50 seconds of soft instrumentals, and then proceeds to unveil the feeling of time passing as seen by the analogy of summer ending. The second track, “Doors,” directly addresses growing distant with someone, expressed by the lyrics “I’d hurt anyone I could / anyone who got too close and anyone who wouldn’t look” and “I keep showing you doors, but you can’t open them up.” In the third, fourth and fifth songs, “American Cars," " Downfall” and “Paid Time Off,” Kahan talks about dealing with unhealthy, one-sided and obsessive relationships.
The lead single, “The Great Divide,” was released Jan. 30, 2026. This song connects heavily with audiences because it showcases the authentic emotions Kahan experiences, with the chorus talking about wishing the best for someone no longer in Kahan’s life: “You know I think about you all the time… I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich / I hope you’re scared of only ordinary shit.”
Other popular songs from the album are “Porch Light,” “Dashboard” and “Willing and Able.” “Porch Light” stands out from the rest of the album; it’s written from the perspective of his mother. It elaborates on a feeling of loneliness and distance from Kahan, and how he is a “ghost,” and how his issues of sobriety and tendencies to only visit when songwriting affect her. “Dashboard” is a self-reflection of Kahan, where he talks about how he is constantly running away from his problems and confronts the resulting conflicts with other people: “Just when you think that the road’s straight ahead / is when the devil shows up on your dashboard again / look at you go, crossin’ state lines with your shadow.” Meanwhile, “Willing and Able” talks about rekindling a strained relationship, with Kahan singing about the fights they got in and, towards the end of the song, about the desire to relearn and mutually care for each other. The other tracks in this album are “Haircut,” “23,” “Deny Deny Deny,” “Headed North,” “We Go Way Back,” “Spoiled,” “All Them Horses” and “Dan.” The deluxe version also includes the songs “Lighthouse,” “Staying Still,” A Few Of Your Own” and “Orbiter.”
Prior to the release of “The Great Divide,” Netflix released a 90-minute documentary about Kahan named “Out of Body.” This documentary shows a vulnerable side to Kahan, focusing on the pressures of his life and his struggles with mental health. He discusses concerns about his growing fame, feeling the pressure of releasing an album after his last album, containing “Stick Season,” took off. In this documentary, Kahan was refreshingly open about the severe depression and body dysmorphia he experiences. The documentary ends with the suggestion that Kahan moves back to Vermont, instead of moving to Nashville. “Out of Body,” as expressed by Kahan in an interview, was released with the goal to not only provide insight on the ups and downs of Kahan’s life, but also to help and encourage other people who struggle with similar issues.
Overall, the album contains raw, emotional lyrics that connect with audience members and a developing theme that truly ties the album together. The documentary release prior to the album further drives the audience's connections to Kahan and the music, and provides a space of understanding.
<Star Ratings>
Lyrics: ★★★★★
Audience’s Connection: ★★★★★
Album Themes: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★
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