by Brad Roberts (text) & Laurie Scavo (photos)
Monday night, March 16, 2009, marked the return of Great Northern to the forefront of local bands. In one fell swoop they reclaimed the promise that seemed to allude them over the past year following the release and tour backing their first full length CD, Trading Twilight for Daylight.
They withdrew and incubated for a while and have reemerged stronger and more focused than I've ever heard them. The wintry iciness has been replaced with fire and passion. No more sleigh bells, just hot pounding guitars and Rachel Stolte vocalizing with a soulful power only hinted at before.
The new material, even though I am not familiar with it, is urgent, intense and immediate. I don't think I've ever seen Great Northern better and they were aided by a superb sound mix that kept every element in proper perspective.
The Silver Lake Lounge was packed with a sold out crowd when I arrived and the second band were about to begin. I maneuvered myself around the room trying to find Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte just to say hello, as I haven't seen them in over a year, but to no avail. The place was filled with unfamiliar people so it didn't quite feel like Silver Lake because their fan base has become so broad due to lots of radio airplay. I was glad to run into Radio Free Silver Lake photographer, Laurie Scavo, and we decided to collaborate on this review.
Opening band, O + S, began and it was a huge wash of sound that made me draw near, in spite of the crowd and somehow I ended up right down front. Lead singer, Orenda Fink, has a smooth seductive voice that was complimented by another female singer/keyboardist and four other musicians, including Cedric Le Moyne and Michael Patterson.
Together they delivered a danceable trance rock that occasionally became so languid and intoxicating I felt like I was sleeping standing up...except for the overpoweringly heavy bass line that made the marrow in your bones vibrate. It was a grand, sweeping cinematic sound and, I have to admit, I felt it as much as I heard it.
In the midst of all this, Rachel swept by and I was able to speak to her for a moment. Since the last time I saw her this whole blogging thing has happened to me and I was happy to tell her I'm writing for Joe Fielder, since it was her band that lured me to his very first "Let's Independent!" ever.
During the break I looked at a sea of strangers faces till I caught sight of Travis Woods of Web in Front up front at the other side of the stage. In spite of the rest of the club being a sardine sweatshop there was a lot of breathing room right at the edge of the stage, so Laurie and I moved over by Travis and had a perfect vantage point from which to watch and photograph the band.
I truly didn't know what to expect from Great Northern as I haven't heard much, if any, of the new material. Only rumors that it was hard edged and a radical departure from their former style. Well it really wasn't so much of a departure as a natural progression into unexplored territory.
The band has obviously done some deep thinking and reassessing and come up with a sound that is now closer stylistically to Silver Lake compatriots Silversun Pickups than the more Earlimart style of their previous work. I suppose that could disappoint some fans, but I was thrilled and I find their adventurous spirit inspiring.
The songs are loud, strong, lyrically complex (naturally) and forcefully rendered. The only new song I'd heard before was their forthcoming single "Houses" and it was a spellbinder, during which I thought, "O.K. this material is GREAT." One of their best songs ever. Even the stripped down version of "Home" from their Trading Twilight for Daylight CD seemed superior to the original
The whole audience was as enthusiastic as I was and put to rest any doubts that their fans wouldn't follow the band in this new direction. I could not have imagined Rachel without her keyboard, but she seemed liberated from it, and her guitar playing is exemplary. The attention to her vocal performance made me realize her voice is the very center of Great Northern's new sound. Solon still shred his guitar in his signature fashion, but balanced it with passages of exquisite delicacy and beauty, and the vocal and guitar duets between the two of them were astonishing. They are now a band of five, with a keyboardist, a bass player and a drummer filling out their rich sound.
I felt so proud of them for having the confidence and artistic curiosity to push their music further than it had gone before. Speaking to Rachel afterward, she was happy to hear an old fan tell her that I think the new work is their best yet. Based on the strength and assurance of this performance, I think Great Northern believe that too. Remind Me Where the Light Is is the name of their new CD and it comes out on April 28.
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