By Maxwell McClellan

It’s a known fact that most pieces of art, no matter their form or medium, contain pieces of the creator’s soul and story, and that fact is shown to be very evident in Noah Singer’s latest album, “Journey”. In this case, the title is meant to be taken quite literally, with Singer himself describing the work as, “The story of my road to becoming an artist and the person I am today.” With themes of love, heartbreak and hope, Singer invites the listener to travel with him on this journey. 

The first songs of the album deal mainly with falling in love. In “Nice To Meet You,” which is a slow tempo with an easygoing instrumental and tone. The lyrics tell a tale of longing for someone and falling in love. The progression of these events eventually leads to “I’ll Take You Where You Want to Go,” which is essentially a love letter in song form, one where the singer shows his affection towards their lover by promising to be by their side among other things. This song still has the easy-going feel of “Nice To Meet You,” but definitely feels more positive and uplifting, as if the singer is no longer wanting something, but they have finally achieved what they desired. 

The positive messages of love seem to fade with “Journey,” the titular song of the album. Here, the singer is now alone, and the object of their interest seems to be gone now. It tells the story of him being away, and the girl that they promised so much to has found someone else. Loneliness is the main topic of this song as he continues on his journey, trying to reach out to his lost love but being met with only silence. As he continues forward, he is burdened by the memories of a relationship that he no longer feels, happy memories that create only pain. Here, the singer is hurt, and the tone feels overwhelmingly dark and hopeless.

In “Forever With You,” it seems that there is renewed light, which eventually leads to “Love On The Brain,” where the singer finds love again. “Love On The Brain” has similar themes to “I’ll Take You Where You Want to Go,” with the singer talking about his promises to this new target of affection. The way the singer describes the girl appears to be stronger than his previous relationship, now describing her as an angel and promising even more things. This, along with the lyrics stating, “You got me going insane,” shows the intensity of these new feelings. This commitment is driven further in “Pictures On The Wall,” another song to show his commitment to this girl. There appears to be a darker undertone to fit in with the pattern of the songs of this album, where he is awaiting a response from this girl and appears to be concerned for her. The mention of “our home” in the lyrics implies they have moved in together, but the girl is not there. It is implied that the girl has her own demons, but the singer is continuing to vow that he would be there for her. 

“Stronger” is when the singer conquers his past problems, and he appears to be rebuking someone unwanted from his past. It is possible that this could be the first love interest from the earlier songs in the album, or it could be someone else different, perhaps even himself or his self-doubts. Whoever it is, this song is the singer reflecting upon past pains. What is interesting about this song is the difference in instruments, placing significance on the acoustic guitar for what results in something newer, which fits in with the theme of reviving one’s self and becoming stronger. This strength is put to the test in “Tough Times,” the final song of this album. At this final step in the journey, the singer is running into more conflicts after his declaration of strength. He reflects upon better times, and he seems to acknowledge these current circumstances as his toughest times yet, which is strengthened by the lyrical image of the artist being brought to his knees. Despite this, there is hope in this song. As if remembering his vow of strength, he vows that he and his partner can get through this. The album ends with him vowing that they will get through this together, and despite the adversity he faces, he does not let it strike him down, he fights it. This the true message of the finale, to remember that you are stronger than you think. 

“Journey” is a truly magnificent album, telling a full story written by victories and defeats before ending with the drive to move through adversity. The messages of love and perseverance are as powerful as the images Singer creates with his vivid lyrics, and one can hear the passion in Singer’s voice as he pours his heart into every song of this album. This album tells the journey of Singer as he goes from an idealistic young man to someone who has grown stronger and wiser through adversity. When listening to this album, Singer invites the listener to go on a journey of their own, one where they can learn from his experiences and understand that no matter what tough times they may face in life, they will grow stronger.

Maxwell is a culture writer for La Tonique.