Pick of the Week: Noah Kahan “Stick Season”

By Elle Dickson, Staff Writer

With “Stick Season,” rising folk-infused pop artist Noah Kahan captures modern heartbreak in a world struck by the tragedy of a pandemic. The title track of his third studio album, it both showcases his Northeastern roots and highlights what listeners will hear through the rest of the record.

DIVING INTO THE LYRICS OF “STICK SEASON”

Kahan begins the song singing of a partner that promised him he was “worth more than all the miles combined.” This is followed by a quick realization, however, that they weren’t in it for the long-haul. He continues on with the driving metaphor: “your voice trailed off as you passed my exit sign.”

He admits he is half to blame, and then carries on with his half of the story, focusing on how stuck he is as time passes. 

People are telling him to move on— “Doc is telling me to travel,” he sings. But outside factors keep him from doing this. He finishes the line: “But there’s Covid on the planes.”

Using the popular Vermont phrase “Stick Season,” which is used to describe the transition from fall to winter, Kahan describes the transition of falling out of love and moving on from a relationship. 

During Stick Season, snow has not touched the ground but the leaves have fallen, leaving the trees bare. His feelings, in parallel, have yet to become something new, but he knows that he needs to change. As a native of New England using the phrase, he knew all of this; but that doesn’t mean it came easy for him to admit this. 

THE LEAD-UP

Kahan wrote “Stick Season” in 2020 during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

After many had their own form of a “quarantine break-up,” Kahan was able to outline what it was like to be stuck in a world that kept changing in the most unpredictable ways. 

He performed the song on Instagram live. He also posted Tiktoks of him singing it in November, when communities saw record-breaking numbers of Covid-19 cases, bringing more meaning into the song. 

When the pandemic first hit, Kahan was still writing his second album, he revealed in an interview with Songwriter Universe. He had turned toward social media as a way to connect with his fans and make a more personal connection with them. 

Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!