"It's like being intimate with total strangers." That is how Rachel Stolte of Great Northern describes the feeling of performing live and creating a connection with her audience. The sentiment could be duly applied to the band's latest release, Remind Me Where the Light Is, on which Stolte and co-writer Solon Bixler pour so much of themselves into their highly personal lyrics and wistful melodies.
On their sophomore album, Bixler and Stolte are not afraid to delve into darkness. Taking that risk helped them find beauty in sadness, the uplifting elements in the devastating. "We took a lot more risks by entering uncomfortable territory that wasn't touched on the last record," Bixler says. "We dug deeper into the unpleasant, which helped us to find the beauty."
Experiencing the negative to find the positive is something Bixler and Stolte are familiar with. "Both of us had been heading in unfulfilling directions creatively," Bixler says of their situations prior to coming together. “When we started Great Northern, we finally felt like we were starting something that truly expressed what was in our hearts and minds."
Their first release, Trading Twilight for Daylight (2007), embodied surprisingly catchy hooks, lush keys and breathy vocals. The album made multiple Top 10 lists in magazines (Filter, Under the Radar) and on radio (Nic Harcourt, KCRW in LA; Aaron Axelson of Live 105 in San Francisco). The praise didn’t stop there as NME gave it a “Must Download Now” rating and iTunes dubbed the band “the next big thing.” FM Radio giants like KROQ and cutting edge stations like and Indie 103 added the band to their regular playlists.
Extensive touring behind the album led Great Northern to share the stage with acts like Spoon, Cold War Kids, Silversun Pickups, Fiery Furnaces, Ladytron, The Gutter Twins, and Soulsavers.
Their sophomore release, Remind Me Where the Light Is is the work of a more seasoned group, one that has been on the road for months, missed home, seen the world, and returned not entirely prepared to sit still.
"When we started writing songs for [this album]," Stolte says, "we had just come off a year and a half of touring and didn't really know what was next. So we bought some recording equipment, set up a studio in our house [in LA], and just started writing. Almost immediately it was like the emotional flood gates opened. We would listen to stuff and be like 'Wow! So that's how we've been feeling about that.
"It became very clear to both of us that we were going to do things a little differently this time, and in many ways we were outgrowing something. An old part of ourselves had died."
That passing is shown literally (the use of piano is drastically reduced on Remind Me Where the Light Is) as well as lyrically and melodically, where melancholy becomes determination, and atmospherics are replaced with driving rhythms.
"Story," for example, which started as a much slower piano demo, became a guitar-driven up-tempo rock song with no piano, thanks to the advice of production team Michael Patterson (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Beck, P-Diddy, Ladytron) and Nic Jodoin. The song opens with a lively, driving beat, and Rachel's simultaneously unapologetic and forceful vocals slinging near-vicious lines such as "Tell me your secrets / tell me your story / how 'bout one you can't hide behind." Bixler joins for call-and-response with his hushed vocals pleading "what do you want? What do you see?," and Stolte responding "I should have left it all alone."
On "Houses," the aggressive, thrashing drumbeat gives the melody a visceral quality; the darker side of things is something Stolte says is symbolic to the story of the record. "It's a song about walking through life and choosing to see the truth no matter how painful," Stolte says, "rather than staying in the same place or hiding from it." With over fuzzed and speeding electric guitar, Rachel takes the lead with her warm and commanding vocals, slinging captivating lyrics like "up ahead I see it / I can't find it but I feel alive" and "All this time when I talk it's not real."
"With our music, we try to paint pictures to go along with the words that tell the story," Bixler says, and "Driveway" exemplifies that desire, as the lyrics create a vivid image of one desperate to be the object of another’s affection. It's a more melancholy offering, with muted, poignant keys and Bixler's pleading vocals. "Remember when you wake up / don't forget to turn out the light / 'cause I'm looking out my window for you every night," he sings as a lone piano builds to a fuller mournful melody with nostalgic, almost theatrical strings.
"We are content to be learning as we go," Bixler says, "trying to overcome the fear of changing ourselves, constantly redefining ourselves as artists, and never creating the same thing twice. We hope the people who hear our music will relate to this next chapter or our lives."
Given the ease with which Bixler and Stolte foster an immediate intimacy with their audience, listeners new and old are certain to not only relate but to join in on the journey from the darkness, back to the light.
Solon Bixler – vocals/guitar
Rachel Stolte – vocals/keyboard
Releases:
-Remind Me Where The Light Is is now on iTunes! see it here!
-Gooseberries Book out now!
media links:
Myspace
Purevolume
Virb
Numbers
Great Northern Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They play better than one
A group of those who follow
Can never reach the sun
Be careful who you're thinking will save you in the end
Maybe we're all just waiting for one beautiful friend
Will not become the fall
A group of those who follow
Will never learn to walk
We see what we want to see
Maybe breathe lighter now
The group of those who follow
You'll never see us now
Save us
"Numbers" by Great Northern is a thought-provoking song that reminds us about the danger of group mentality. In the opening lines, the band warns us about the strength in numbers and how a group can outperform an individual. However, the group of followers can never reach the sun. This line suggests that the members of the group may have their wings clipped and their ambitions restrained in the company of their followers. They may never reach their true potential or experience true freedom.
The second verse advises us to be careful about who we think will save us. It suggests that instead of relying on someone else, we should try to save ourselves. Maybe everyone is hoping for a "beautiful friend" to come and rescue them, but it's better to be self-reliant. The chorus repeats the warning about a group of followers never learning to walk. The song ends with a haunting plea, "Save us."
Overall, the lyrics of "Numbers" ask us to examine our beliefs and actions. Are we blindly following others, or are we making our choices based on our values and principles? The song reminds us to be independent and question the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
Beware of strength in numbers
Don't let the large number of people deceive you into thinking they are right
They play better than one
Groups can be powerful and more effective than individuals
A group of those who follow
People who blindly follow others without thinking for themselves
Can never reach the sun
Will never achieve their desired goal, no matter how hard they try
Be careful who you're thinking will save you in the end
Choose wisely when deciding who you trust and rely on in times of need
Maybe we're all just waiting for one beautiful friend
Perhaps we're all looking for that one special person who will save us from ourselves
The rising of all of this
The situation at hand and its consequences
Will not become the fall
Will not lead to failure
Will never learn to walk
Will never learn to be independent and make their own decisions
We see what we want to see
We often only see and believe what we want to, and ignore the rest
Maybe breathe lighter now
Perhaps it's time to take a step back and relax, rather than constantly worrying and following the crowd
You'll never see us now
Those who blindly follow will eventually fade into obscurity and be forgotten
Save us
A plea for help or a desire to be rescued from the dangers of groupthink
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RACHEL ELEANORE STOLTE, SOLON BEN BIXLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Φω τεινή
Lyrics:
Beware of strength in numbers
They play better than one
A group of those who follow
Can never reach the sun
Be careful who you're thinking will save you in the end
Maybe we're all just waiting for one beautiful friend
The rising of all of this
Will not become the fall
A group of those who follow
Will never learn to walk
We see what we want to see
Maybe breathe lighter now
The group of those who follow
You'll never see us now
Save us
Kirby Eckert
My daughter linked this song to me. She keeps my mind open and shows me hope for music. Even an old Metalhead can enjoy new things.
Nadia Tietz Santos
This has become my battle song. I am facing a tough time at the moment and whenever it feels like it's all becoming too much, I lose myself in the beat of this song and come out feeling ready to take on the next bit.
Φω τεινή
Lyrics:
Beware of strength in numbers
They play better than one
A group of those who follow
Can never reach the sun
Be careful who you're thinking will save you in the end
Maybe we're all just waiting for one beautiful friend
The rising of all of this
Will not become the fall
A group of those who follow
Will never learn to walk
We see what we want to see
Maybe breathe lighter now
The group of those who follow
You'll never see us now
Save us
Alcenira Araújo
Amo essa música, adoro esse estilo ♥️
Eric W
Cool band. Always good to see great music is still alive and well.
j.i.w.
And if you feel numb today, I guarantee this one will make you feel something.
Liz Lopez
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SONG!!
DJStrawberryDeath
This song is absolutely beautiful. It holds so much meaning. ^^ Thank you so much for the non-live song upload. I very much appreciate it.
Crystal Ramos
You know that feeling when....you think you're okay and then a song just GETS YOU RIGHT THERE and you, without warning, start crying?
Yeah, this song will do that. As I have just learned! ~Wipes tears~ <3
Rana Kaaki
beautiful song... anyone has any explanation for ir? i'm kind of confused.. i recently discovered this band and i'm seriously in love with all their songs!