The last of the bugs have arrived! On Friday, April 24, Noah Kahan released his long-awaited fourth studio album. After his third album “Stick Season” went multi-platinum and garnered a Grammy nomination, Kahan’s music became a worldwide phenomenon. His sound is often referred to as “Indie Folk/Rock,” putting him in league with The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and other bands of similar fame and familiarity.
Kahan’s fourth album was announced in January, and he released two singles between announcing and releasing the album, “The Great Divide” and “Porch Light,” respectively. The title song “The Great Divide” was released right after the album was announced, and was generally well-received. It has Kahan’s trademark sound: slow intro, quick build up, and a loud stomp and holler chorus, all bolstered with devastating lyrics. “Porch Light” was less yell-y (and I mean yell-y in the best way possible!), with a higher falsetto style chorus.
“The Great Divide” has already hit charts at record-breaking pace, receiving 17 charting songs and receiving over 43 million streams on Friday alone. The album’s opening song is arguably one of the most surprising standouts. Its intro is quiet and soft, with only the sounds of bugs chirping and a soft piano melody. Its lyrics are a reflection on the changing of the seasons, perhaps a tongue-in-cheek way to introduce a shift away from Kahan’s last album “Stick Season” and into the new era of his music.
Other standout songs include “All Them Horses,” “Dan” and “Dashboard.” After my initial listening session, I concluded that most of the songs are excellent, and I would say that the only song I would regard as less than great is “Headed North.” It is not bad, but compared to other phenomenal works, this one simply didn’t hit quite as hard. Perhaps it is too country-sounding, or the fact that it feels slightly unfinished, but I do think it is the only song on the album that left me wanting more.
On Friday night, less than 24 hours after the album was released, fans were left with a burning question. Kahan’s song “Staying Still,” which had been softly marketed in the album’s campaign, was not on the record. These questions were answered at around 8 p. m., when Kahan released a deluxe version, titled “The Great Divide: The Last of the Bugs,” which included four more songs in addition to the original 17, including “Staying Still.” Of these four songs, my favorite is “A Few Of Your Own,” which feels relevant as I prepare to graduate.
If you have a complicated relationship with a family member, or have lost someone close to you, or are moving away from home, or simply like music that sounds happy but whose lyrics are deeply devastating, give this album a listen. Kahan himself tweeted, “2 weeks till ur sad i do not care about the weather you will be sad this summer.” No matter how beautiful this summer promises to be, I will certainly be spending my sunny days with this record as my sad girl soundtrack.