On Thursday, April 23, at 11:10 pm, I unraveled my 2016 earbuds and shoved them into my ears as quickly as I could. I searched up “the grat divde” as sloppily as possible, too excited to even check my spelling. I hit the big green play button… and that’s when I heard it.
The piano.
As “End of August” started streaming in my ears, I followed the lyrics closely, something I always do when a new song or album comes out. One thing that I noticed right away, though, was how the song matched the vibe perfectly — in other words, “End of August” is exactly how the end of August feels.
It’s solemn because summer is ending, but also calm, with the end of the year slowly approaching.
Folk singer-songwriter Noah Kahan dropped his new album, “The Great Divide,” this month, a long-awaited event for his fan club — they call themselves “the last of the bugs.” His album includes meaningful lyrics about his childhood, specifically his relationship with his dad, as well as his feelings about moving to Nashville after growing up in small-town Stratford, Vermont his whole life.
The album, in no exaggeration whatsoever, is the best music I have ever heard. From the tranquil “We Go Way Back” to the foot-stomping “Doors,” Kahan straps his fans into an emotional rollercoaster, something I definitely experienced.
With that, here are my top five songs.
5: “Headed North”
I’m not going to lie, when I first heard this, I didn’t really like it. I thought it was put together a little poorly. The more I listened to it, though, the more I took note of the lyrics. “Headed North” perfectly displays the thoughts of someone who grew up in a small town in Vermont, with lyrics like “But if I see one more cyber truck, I swear to God I’m gonna floor it.” The song alludes to an old friend that Kahan hopes heads back home to clear his/her head —- “No, there ain’t nothing to report / But I hope you’re bored and headed North.” I can picture my friends and me listening to this on the way to the beach, singing along to the funny lyrics. Good job, Kahan, once again.
4: “Willing and Able”
First, let me just tell you what “Willing and Able” is all about. In Kahan’s recent Netflix documentary, Noah Kahan: Out of Body, he explains the struggling relationship between him and his dad. His parents divorced during the pandemic, which took a toll on Kahan’s mental health. “Willing and Able,” in my mind, is a message from Kahan to his dad, letting him know that he’d be willing and able to talk to his dad about their past. Kahan sings “I’m willing and able / If you wanna kick this rock around / If you’ve got a bone to pick with me.” Although I don’t relate to this song personally, it still has such a deep message, which I love
3: “All Them Horses”
This song was first introduced to me by TikTok. I remember hearing clips of it paired with people expressively lip-singing. I didn’t think I would like it, but when I heard the full song, I immediately put it in my top three from this album. This song is a very personal song for Kahan. After reading the lyrics, I think they portray his feelings about leaving his small hometown and turning to fame. He’s now more distant from the people he loves because of this life-changing switch. The lyrics “You know I wanna beat it, I wanna beat it bad / Oh, Everyone looks happy in a photograph” allude to his feelings of seeing everyone at home happy together. Those who know me well know that I have the same fear when I leave for college in a year, so this song hits close to home. Also, raging Kahan fans might see similarities in “All Them Horses” and “Godlight,” a song from his earlier album “I was / I am.” This song is pure perfection.
2: “Doors”
“Doors” was the hit that I was most excited to hear when the album was released. Not just because this song is amazing, but also because I have firsthand experience singing this with Kahan himself … and thousands of other fans. I went to Kahan’s Alpine Valley outdoor concert back in September 2024, where he featured a clip of this song. I had heard him singing this on social media prior to the performance, so I knew the lyrics, hence why my cousins looked at me like I was crazy when I screamed the chorus. “It gets harder to see me the closer you try to look” is one of my favorite lyrics from this song, and the way he sings it shows his passion for these types of songs. “Doors” will be played this summer on repeat, and I’m sorry to my friends for that, but I can’t get enough of this song.
1: “American Cars”
Kahan, you really like referencing numbers in your songs! In his “Stick Season” song “She Calls Me Back,” he recites a phone number, something I feel like he does often. In “American Cars,” listeners get to hear him scream out a license plate number! In all seriousness, this song has the catchiest beat to it. I don’t necessarily like it because of the lyrics, but purely because the chorus is addictive. I’ve been humming this song to myself since it came out. Not only that, but the bridge is SO good. I have the idea that this song represents nostalgia, a common theme that Kahan sings about. The part where Kahan sings “Ray-Bans on your face / You’ve been drivin’ all day / But you’re here and we’re so grateful you are” is such a catchy lyric, and makes me smile whenever it comes on.
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