Noah Kahan from Vermont presents his latest album “I Was / I Am” in the Knitting Factory
“Cocaine flame in my bloodstream / I sold my coat when I met Spokane / I bought a hard pack of cigarettes / In the early morning rain.” – “Jolene from Ray LaMontagne. Spokane became a target for Noah Kahan after the aspiring singer-songwriter heard LaMontagne’s somber ballad.
“I love ‘Jolene,’ and because of that song, I always wanted to see what Spokane was about and one day play that town,” said Kahan. The Vermont product will hit the Lilac City when he introduces his latest album “I Was / I Am,” which was released in September. Kahan’s second work consists of catchy, deep folk pop.
Kahan, 24, took sound snapshots of his life while tinkering with material. “I’m just trying to be honest about my experience,” said Kahan. “I just go through life and capture my journey through these songs. I hope the songs can be assigned. “
Most can relate to the theme of loss, which is a constant throughout the album. “I’ve lost friends and my dog in the past few years,” said Kahan. “That shaped me a lot. I appreciate things more now. I don’t take things for granted. I’ve become a different person. I am the person I want to be in the end. The songs that I wrote represent a new self-image. “
Kahan has come a long way in a short time. At 20 he was discovered by producer Joel Little (Lorde, Taylor Swift), who offered him a collaboration. Kahan signed with Republic Records and made his debut album, Busyhead, which was released in 2019. The single “Young Blood” went viral and garnered 10 million streams. “That was amazing, but I had to keep going from there,” said Kahan.
In the fall of 2020, Kahan recorded his latest album with Little. Kahan’s new melodies have more hooks, are faster, and have more provocative lyrics. The fresh tracks are lyrically sad, but tonally optimistic. “I wanted it to be more emotional this time,” said Kahan. “I wanted the songs to be bigger but more reflective.”
Kahan followed in the footsteps of a number of 1960s folkies. “The first song I learned to play was Cat Stevens’ Father and Son,” said Kahan. “I love Stevens’ work, and so do Paul Simon.”
Contemporary artists such as The Counting Crows and Mumford & Sons have also greatly influenced Kahan. “I love Counting Crows and Adam Duritz,” said Kahan. “The way he describes things and his vocabulary inspired me. Duritz does not get the recognition he deserves. “
Kahan, who grew up on a tree farm in Vermont, believes Spokane will remind him of his homeland. “I have a feeling it will feel like I’m from there,” said Kahan. “I’ve been to Vancouver, Washington once, and if Spokane is like this, it will be a bigger, wooded version of where I grew up. I hope to be inspired when I arrive in Spokane. “