React: Noah Kahan - Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) [Part 2]

An excellent indie/alt/country album.

I know it’s been a while since I reacted to the first part of this album. I apologize. With the holidays and everything, things got a bit hectic so it had to sit on the back burner. Nonetheless, I’m here now reacting to the second half of this album.

It also puts me in the unique experience to tell you about how the first half of the album has integrated into my everyday listening. Good news, it’s great. I think it’s a very strong album with a lot of exceptional tracks. I’m looking forward to the second half.

But without further ado, let’s dive into the second half of Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever).

Growing Sideways

Wow, kicking things off with some trauma. Relatable.

I love the muted guitar in the center channel and the left-right panned backing vocals. It blends with the religious and generational trauma lyrics. The ramp up throughout the track is done really well. From adding the backing vocal, piano, and now the thin bass line. I love everything about it. The center channel remains dedicated to his main vocal and his acoustic guitar.

From a lyrical perspective, I totally get where he’s coming from. The feeling where no matter how hard you try, you feel like you’re not going anywhere. Nothing’s getting done. You feel like there’s nothing you can do to progress forward. It’s sad, depressing, but true.

Halloween

Was the first part of this album this sad? Sheesh, this is the second track in and I feel like crying. But like, in the best way possible.

This track is very slow and relatively basic in its composition. I love the plucked guitars and the layered strings here. It’s a great match. I don’t have much else to add. It’s a good track for whenever I want to sit in my deepest thoughts.

Homesick

The two separate guitar tracks panned as far away as possible is great. It’s not quite there, but it does sound like the mood is slowly but surely getting lifted.

I was right. The mood picked up really quickly. I could totally see myself jamming out to this track on a random Wednesday.

A line that really resonates with me is, Time moves so damn slow. I swear I feel my organs failing. I stopped caring 'bout a month ago. Since then, it’s been smooth sailing.

The switch up from the verses to the choruses is great. I love an unexpected beat change. Ooooh, a small guitar solo at the end. Was not expecting that at all. Definitely a bop.

Still

I’m actually gonna cry. Noah, I don’t want to say goodbye either. But it’s unpredictable. Sometimes you have to say goodbye whether you want to or not.

I’m not crying, you’re crying. That’s all that needs to be said. If this was a video reaction, you’d literally see me sobbing. Still is a very sad song.

The View Between Villages

At this point, I don’t need to explain myself. This song’s composition is simple, yet there’s so much information being conveyed. I love the single tom drum as effectively the entire backbone for the first half of this track.

The banjo coming in near the second half of the track is great. It’s coming out of the right channel and is low in the mix, but it’s a nice touch.

The organ and low synth ending the track are everything to me. I love a stripped back outro. It gives a sense of ambiance and peacefulness.

Your Needs, My Needs

I love the initial few chords to this track before it immediately throws it away for something completely different. The changeup was a pleasant, but welcome surprise.

I relate to the line You were a work of art. That’s the hardest part. Howling like dogs in the light of the moon. Discovering you love someone so deeply, that you will bend over backward to make them happy, even if it’s to your own detriment.

Okay, another breakdown. I’m all here for it. Killer bridge with that electric guitar and post-bridge guitar solo. I think Noah Kahan could make a killer rock album.

That outro is chef’s kiss. Right after that rocking guitar solo, he ends the track by stripping away everything but his vocals and an acoustic guitar.

Dial Drunk

Right off the top, I’m already getting country vibes (I was right). I’m absolutely vibing with this track. It’s so good.

Not much else needs to be said. This track is a modern-country head-bopping vibe. It’s easily one of my favorite tracks on this album. It definitely has a ton of replayability.

Paul Revere

Another banger. I love the melodramatic acoustic guitar. The piano and banjo are super low in the mix, but give the vocals a bed to lay on.

Again with the strings out of the left channel. It’s so freaking good. Another country-pop track, another vibe. I just love the intensity of this track. There’s so much tension, yet the tension never breaks.

No Complaints

The use of a low-pass filter here is great. I’d wager everything below around 50 Hz is cut out or greatly reduced. Giving the kick drum and bass guitar a very thick yet, floaty sound.

The introduction of the hi-hat pattern midway through the song is great. It’s only there for about 15 seconds but it’s great nonetheless. I’m a sucker for open hi-hats. And of course, the strings. Can’t forget about those.

Call Your Mom

I love the reverb on the guitar. It’s in the left channel but is very spacious.

Another very emotional track I see. Don’t let this darkness fool you. All lights turned off can be turned on. I’ll drive, I’ll drive all night. I’ll call your mom. Noah is just looking out for his friends. Even when his friends don’t desire his help, he knows that they’ll need him because he’s been there before.

You’re Gonna Go Far

I feel like a broken record at this point, but Noah really knows how to make great music with very few instruments. The pre/chorus is a great example of the song starting off soft and then building up to something fantastic. Both the strings and drums come in here. There’s a bit of intensity that builds and I’m looking forward to where this leads to.

I do think this is one of those songs that sound sad, yet the lyrics are surprisingly uplifting. We ain’t angry at you, love. We’ll be waiting for you, love. And we’ll all be here forever. And we’ll all be here forever. Sure will.

The piano that comes in on the second verse compliments the track very well. It blends nicely with the two (maybe three?) guitars that are panned in both ears.

Nice little ear candy at around the 4 minute mark. You’ll miss it if you’re not listening carefully, but the whistle coming out of the right channel lasts a single bar.

And then there’s the instrumental outro followed by a fade out. Great. A great way to end the album.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, I think Noah Kahan’s Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) is a sold indie/alt/country album. I know he’s known for his songwriting, and I’m sure it’s great. But as a sonic listener, there’s a lot here.

I think I can officially say I’m a Noah Kahan fan now, and I look forward to listening to his back catalog, along with anything he releases in the future.

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Note: This album reaction was written following a listen through of Noah Kahn’s “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) on Tidal with Max enabled via Roon (24-bit, 96 kHz).