Northern Valentine

The temptation to compare Northern Valentine to Windy and Carl is substantial. After all, you have a long-running husband and wife team (NV for 12 years, W&C for 17 years) from a North-eastern U.S. city (NV are from Philadelphia, PA, W&C from Dearborn, MI) that play guitar-based, ambient music. There are overlaps but Robert and Amy Brown definitely have their own engine to drive them. Recorded live in the studio, The Distance Brings Us Closer sees the couple joined by two additional guitarists and a bassist to create a vibrant chorus of tones. Even with five layers of sound the action never threatens to overwhelm, only enfold. Opener "Born Yesterday" is freckled with hand cymbals marking the peaks of swells that fall away into measured quiet. "Dimanche" is a gathering storm along a coastline charged with distant thunder, sizzling electricity and a distress call from underwater. It's an album of inner journeys turned outward for all to hear.