Great Northern

Great Northern aren't going to turn the music industry upside down, nor will they light up the blogosphere as the next flavour of the week. Rather, the L.A., CA-based duo of Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte will establish a foothold in your iPod and will hold your attention all summer long. The group might have brushed against your radar with their tune "Home," featured in a Nissan car ad, but forget everything you know. Sung by Bixler, the track is hardly indicative of the band today. Remind Me Where The Light Is is the Rachel Stolte show; she's a lead singer whose aural magnetism is undeniable. Great Northern have evolved from a run-of-the-mill indie act to a superb group peddling smoothed over Jesus and Mary Chain tunes married to Arcade Fire's grandiosity. And while pacifying unwieldy noise for the masses might not sit well with some, those able to get over the group's influences will discover a fun, if sanitized, gem.