Album Review: Noah Kahan, The Great Divide: The Last Of The Bugs

Noah Kahan gained mainstream success after the release of his third album, Stick Season, whose songs were playlisted everywhere in the summer of 2023, leading to Kahan touring globally and collaborating with the likes of Hozier and Sam Fender.

The Great Divide is a worthy follow-up from an artist who is clearly trying to straddle the line between pop phenomenon and rootsy folk crooner. Indeed, The Great Divide is arguably better than its predecessor, because it eschews a lot of the breathy, knitted-cardigan-wearing over-intimacy that made certain songs on Stick Season feel a tad insistent, and therefore kitschy. The sound on this album is more grand, without sacrificing Kahan’s signature vocals and his penchant for delicious turns of phrases. The best example comes immediately, on ‘End of August’, with its dappled-sunlight lyrics and sharp/flat piano notes. Another excellent song is ‘Downfall’, which deals with the album’s most consistent theme: that of an artist trying to stay grounded in the face of new success.

At 21 tracks and 96 minutes, the album is far too long. By the eleventh song, ‘Dashboard’, tedium sets in. Of the latter songs, ‘Spoiled’ is one of the few that bolts you out of this tedium.

Still, an excellent record.

7/10