From the looks of the tracklisting of their sophomore effort, one could surmise that Great Northern is a rather economical band: only one of the album’s song titles exceeds one word, coming in at a whopping two words. However, this assumption that the band considers simplicity and minimalism among its hallmarks is laughably inaccurate. Quite the contrary is true on Remind Me Where the Light Is, a meticulously produced indie rock record full of sonic adornment. Studio-created ethereal backing choirs, dramatic strings, spacious keyboards, and unorthodox drum tones inhabit the landscape of this album, sometimes burying the duo’s songwriting (and thus concealing some of its deficiencies) and more often enhancing the sense of atmosphere. Some of Great Northern’s songwriting veers dangerously close to middle-of-the-road adult alternative, circa 1998, but the production and arrangements are usually enough to obscure any psychological connections one might make to that (admitted embarrassing) period of music. Vocalist/keyboardist Rachel Stolte sultry yet delicate vocals, which oddly enough recall those of Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri, dial up the dreaminess of each track tenfold, giving the listener an strong emotional focal point. “Mountain” may be the pinnacle of the group’s sonic adventures, ratcheting up the urgency of the track with heavily-compressed Maring band drums, sweeping strings, and a cathartic chorus. Great Northern may not have learned the art of being musically economical, but perhaps their greatest strength lies in their maximalist tendencies.
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