![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
After listening to essentially the same discography by Noah Kahan since 2022, I was eagerly anticipating the release of a new album. On April 24, my wait proved worthwhile. Filled with profound lyrics and minimalist but cozy production, the “The Great Divide” captures everything I could want on a folk-pop record and feels like a scenic drive through the mountains.
The album maintains many of the themes from Kahan’s previous work, such as friendship, loneliness and the sense of being tethered to a small New England town. Kahan articulates this feeling on “Spoiled” with the lyrics “Where I’m from and / What I’m worth have gotten / Too damn intertwined.”
The album rollout cycle began with the release of two lead singles, “The Great Divide” and “Porch Light,” on Jan. 30 and March 13, respectively. Upon listening to “The Great Divide,” I immediately fell in love with the rich acoustic guitar sound. The minimalistic production adds depth to the song and makes it sound like it could be played at a campfire while making s’mores on a summer road trip.
The last song on the record, and my personal favorite, “Dan” maintains the bittersweetness and vulnerability of the rest of the album, as well as displaying some of Kahan’s strongest writing with lines like “Seasonal bugs in a canvas tent / Seasonal friendships that see the road end.” I love both the specificity and universality of this song, because it describes moments with a specific friend, but its themes of loneliness and loss still feel relatable.
Another theme on this record is the power and complexity of relationships, both romantic and platonic, which Kahan explores in depth on “Dan” as well as elsewhere on the album. In the chorus of “Dan,” Kahan sings, “I’m with my best friend Dan now / Camping on the county line / … waiting for the sun to rise,” lyrics that are both comforting and nostalgic.
Collaborating on “The Great Divide” with songwriters and producers Aaron Dessner and Gabe Simon, Kahan crafts lyrics that are raw, clever and moving. The intertwining of emotional depth with descriptions of a mundane small town makes the album feel grounded and realistic, giving the listener a glimpse into the individual stories of many people. For example, “Headed North” addresses a friend, and mentions specific locations like “The old gas station / With the banner on the front that shows how tolerant they are.”
However, the album has a much brighter sound that feels more like summer than his previous album, “Stick Season,” which describes a dreary, cold late autumn. Additionally, the writing on “The Great Divide” adds a lot of depth and is more introspective than the previous album. For example, I view “Doors” as a more introspective version of “Northern Attitude” from “Stick Season.”
Kahan’s ability to blend poetic songwriting with a simple folk-pop sound keeps me coming back again and again. “The Great Divide” beautifully displays his strongest writing, while creating a distinct identity for this album, which builds on his previous work.
Rating: 5/5
