Album Review: Stick Season | Noah Kahan
Indie Folk Finds a Rising King
American Hozier, Folk Malone, The Lost Mumford Son, Jewish Capaldi, Noah Kahan is a 26-year indie-folk singer/songwriter from Vermont that has been catching some major attention recently. With the release of a deluxe edition to his album Stick Season, Kahan has pushed his way into commercial success, zooming into the #3 spot on Billboard's album chart this week. An impressive feat, as the standard issue debuted and peaked at #14 back in October.
The phrase “stick season” is referring to the time between peak autumn and the winter’s first snowfall. For many, this seasonal transition is defined by the charms of the changing leaves, Halloween, and my personal favorite, world series baseball. Noah Kahan however, isn’t one to hold this time with much revere. “[stick season] is the time of year that always creates anxiety and dread in me.”
Channeling experiences in his childhood, Kahan writes Stick Season with themes of heartbreak, loneliness and resenting the restraint of small-town living among others. Through these themes, we listen to stories from Stick Season devastating audiences alike and making a case for Noah, as a top act in the indie-folk world.
TLDR: This is an album about seasonal affective disorder and realizing you might die in your hometown.
Check out our favorite tracks, listen to the album, and see our scores below:
Can’t Miss: Stick Season, She Calls Me Back, The View Between Villages (Extended), Homesick
You Can Skip: Still, Come Over, No Complaints
BY THE NUMBERS
Bennett’s Score: 6.5
Carson’s Score: 6.0
Album Score: 12
Average Track Score: 6.2
Notes from Bennett:
I’m really glad that I was put on to Noah Kahan, and its fantastic to see the response he is getting from Stick Season. For me, this album has few skips and enough enjoyable material for me to forget about them. I first really latched onto She Calls Me Back because the song is fire. The pre-chorus on that sucker. wild. I also just generally enjoy the rock(y)-songs on this album overall.
New Perspective Is super Virginia/Chesapeake folky and really fits the small town narrative nicely. I’m obsessed with the Banjo solo here as well. This track just makes me feel as if I’m walking through the only busy intersection in Floyd County, Virginia.
Nothing prepared me for Paul Revere, I knew we were in for some sad songs in the deluxe version of the album, since clearly Kahan is capable of getting us to shed a few tears (see Orange Juice, Everywhere, Everything and anything off his Cape Elizabeth EP).
Also why does a short version of The View Between Villages even exist?!?! The extended version fits the album so perfectly as an outro track. Would’ve loved to seen the extended version on the standard album.
Notes from Carson:
Going to be super brave here - unfortunately I think I may be a slight Noah Kahan hater. I just don’t really like his voice on a lot of these songs. It feels whiny to me most of the time (particularly on Come Over, All My Love,) which reflects why my scores are pretty low. However, I do think he is a talented songwriter. I’m just confused out of all the potential indie-folk singer-songwriter types available to us in 2023, why Noah Kahan is the one to blow up seemingly out of nowhere.
HOWEVER, there are some stand out’s here - The View Between Villages (Extended), She Calls Me Back, Homesick, and Stick Season really work for me here.
Lyrically, Growing Sideways is a clear highlight. Kahan gets introspective and honest.
I actually HATE Come Over. Lyrics feel pick me and the yodeling was grating to the ears. Immediately no.
I’m drawn to the songs on this record that are more rock than folk. I just feel that his voice is better suited for rock than decade late Mumford and Sons core type songs.