Noah Kahan tackles themes of love, family and inner struggle in his fourth studio album, “The Great Divide.”

“The Great Divide” explores his inner battle between the comfort of life in his hometown and a life of success elsewhere. Noah Kahan released the album on April 24, marking a new chapter of growth in his life. Alongside notable figures in the music industry such as producers Aaron Dessner and Gabe Simon, Kahan brought his beloved yet simplistic folk sound and anecdotal lyricism into these 17 new and mature tracks.

After the widespread success of his 2022 album “Stick Season,” Kahan took a different approach to similar themes, exploring his challenges like being there for the people he loves and finding a new sense of self. His hometown in Vermont is a place he evidently holds near and dear to his heart, but people are constantly changing and finding new versions of themselves — especially after a huge breakthrough.

This album was highly anticipated among fans after the release of two singles, “The Great Divide” and “Porch Light,” along with snippets shared and performed live by Kahan himself, teasing songs that would appear on the album. On April 25, the day after the album’s official release, Kahan furthered the hype by releasing the deluxe version of the album titled “The Great Divide: The Last Of The Bugs,” adding four new songs mixed in throughout the tracklist.

Across these songs, Kahan conveys the album’s central message that change impacts everyone — it doesn’t simply allow you to grow on your own, rather it alters your relationships with everyone you interact with, whether it be family, a lover or an old friend. Sometimes this is for the better, but other times it leads relationships to take a turn for the worse. He expresses this through multiple approaches, evoking emotions of anger, nostalgia and melancholy on top of a variety of acoustic folk rhythms.

Here are five songs that capture the essence of the album’s hardship and Kahan’s emotional journey as he figures out his new life.

“The Great Divide” 

As the lead single and title track, “The Great Divide” set the tone for the rest of the album. Kahan reminisces about an old relationship, reflecting on how he misunderstood not just their relationship but the other person as a whole — signaling their misalignment or their “great divide.” He consistently repeats how he hopes that person can finally live a comfortable life and how he thinks about them often.

The song’s religious undertones, accompanied by its strong build and explosive chorus, add to Kahan’s apologetic and understanding tone, allowing him to convey how he wants better for this person despite their absence in his life.

“Porch Light” 

The album’s second single emphasizes the struggle of finding your sense of self between home and fame. Kahan writes from the perspective of someone constantly waiting and praying for a loved one to return, singing in a high-pitched tone of pain-filled desperation. This person continues to leave the porch light on just in case they return, yet they never do.

The repetition of phrases such as “it’s cold,” “I’m alone” and “you’re a ghost” portrays the pain against the song’s fast-paced acoustic beats. Kahan revealed in the song’s press release that he wrote from his mother’s perspective out of worry that she felt like he was using the family amid his newfound success and that he would become a ghostlike figure popping in and out when it benefited him.

“Deny, Deny, Deny” 

Continuing the theme of divisions within relationships, “Deny, Deny, Deny” explores Kahan’s struggle in an avoidant relationship where sometimes silence feels easier than confrontation. There is an evident emotional disconnect between Kahan and the song’s muse, where discussing issues turns straight to argument. Kahan has vulnerability and a desire to understand this person, yet is never let in, leading to increased frustration with their lack of ability to take responsibility and assess their inner turmoil.

“Downfall” 

In this early track, Kahan’s angry approach contrasts with the soft rhythms of the acoustic beat. He sings about the early stages of someone leaving, eliciting the feeling of betrayal and resentment while pretending not to care, despite the immense weight of missing this person deep down. Unlike his wishful spirit in “The Great Divide,” “Downfall” hopes that this person ultimately hates their new life, as Kahan eagerly roots for their downfall. He sings to this person, telling them to call him when things go wrong, reinforcing that feeling of hatred for their leaving, but always wanting to be with them.

“All Them Horses” 

This folk-pop ballad perfectly captures every aspect of the album’s heart as it deals with Kahan’s struggle with loneliness in the space between familial comfort and a life of fame. The 2023 Vermont Floods serve as both a physical and metaphorical experience as Kahan moves through the emotional guilt and displacement he feels by leaving his home behind to chase success.

His newfound fame not only physically removes him from his community, but it also changes his relationship with the people and the place. Kahan relays these feelings through his nostalgic storytelling and eventual sense of uneasiness as he grows away from that version of himself.