The perfect fall-esque song to add to your playlist this week is “Growing Sideways” by Noah Kahan.
This song is the 10 track on Kahan’s recently released album “Stick Season.” For lovers of alternative rock or indie pop, “Growing Sideways” will scratch your brain with layers of acoustic guitar and powerful lyrics.
A friend shared this song with me after we had a hard conversation about life, love and some of the things we were going through. This friend had recently found out some heavy news, and said this song brought them comfort. I hadn’t heard much of Kahan’s music prior to this, so it was the perfect time to be introduced to his new album.
“Growing Sideways” starts with Kahan’s folky voice and singular down strums on an acoustic guitar. He enters the song with emotion in his voice, grasping your attention from the start.
As the second verse starts, Kahan’s raspy vocals are accompanied with a now steady acoustic strumming pattern. This mellow vibe sticks around throughout the whole song, with the occasional crescendo at the bridge.
There are two sets of lyrics that leave my jaw on the floor. The first line occurs about 33 seconds into the song and says, “I’m still angry at my parents for what their parents did to them, but it’s a start.” I take this line as a reminder that everyone goes through their own battles, and someone’s actions may be a result of their past. This process of forgiveness Kahan is singing about is hard to swallow, but necessary.
The song transitions into the chorus, where Kahan is accompanied by simple background vocals of the vowel “o.” The harmonies within the background add another layer of texture to this song. They add to the emotion and overall feel. In the chorus, Kahan expresses the difficulty of confronting personal battles with the line “But I ignore things, and I move sideways.”
The song continues with a consistent strum and increasing emotion in Kahan’s voice.
The next line that hits close to home is at the 1:09 mark: “‘Cause everyone’s growing, and everyone’s healthy. I’m terrified that I might never have met me.”
With the societal pressure we have in today’s world of being a perfect individual, one of the things that sits in the back of my mind is sticking true to who I am.
It can be hard to watch others succeed when you’re struggling. Kahan perfectly voiced this fear of not becoming who I could be.
This is the kind of song that you listen to while drinking a hot cup of tea and watching the leaves fall outside your window.
It hits all the soft spots in your heart, and is an avenue to release pent-up feelings. This track is a must-listen on the next rainy day.
