Noah Kahan’s The Great Divide takes on past themes and casts them in a new light. 

Released Friday, April 24, the album had been the most pre-saved unreleased album on Spotify until it became second to Olivia Rodrigo two weeks ago.  

The album was heavily anticipated, with singles “The Great Divide” and “Porch Light” performing well with fans. Additionally, Kahan announced a world tour on Feb. 1, which will begin this summer, and released a documentary titled Out of Body on April 13. 

Songs like “Deny Deny Deny” and “Staying Still,” which have been teased for a long time, were finally released on the album. 

Kahan is pretty well known for his open lyricism, often tackling personal topics and emotions. This transparency produces hard-hitting lyrics that resonate with many fans. 

The basis of a lot of Kahan’s new releases is writing from the perspective of someone else. “Porch Light” and “Headed North” both follow this theme of self-awareness by Kahan, as he writes in the voice of his mom and a friend, criticizing himself for the way he left his old life behind for fame. 

The Great Divide feels like the other half of Kahan’s album Stick Season. Topics like family life, growing up in Vermont, and handling fame are repeated in new ways. 

For instance, “American Cars” feels like the more positive counterpart to “Orange Juice,” tackling the same theme of accepting someone back into your life after being parted for a long time. 

Overall, The Great Divide feels like the perfect album for a road trip. “Dashboard,” “American Cars,” and “Headed North” are all best listened to at max volume in a car with the windows down.