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Product Description
Review
With the release of their last album Glory Hope Mountain, The Acorn caught the ear of everybody from Elbow's Guy Garvey (who named it his favourite of 2008) to Kanye West (who posted the video for Crooked Legs on his blog under the all-caps heading, "THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!"). The album itself is indeed a beautiful thing, wherein singer Rolf Klausener considers his Honduran mother's flight to Canada and the eventual happiness she found there. Along the way the Ottawans tapped into something grand and elemental, resulting in a set that felt both deeply personal and wonderfully vast, thoroughly earning its many plaudits.
No Ghost is not a concept piece as such, and it occasionally sees the band react against the outright prettiness they're capable of–in the opening Cobbled From Dust, squalls of feedback and low end disorientate the listener to the point where you think something might have gone with the recording, before the insistent rhythm returns even stronger. Harmonic wisps of guitar permeate the record, and the title-track abandons acoustic guitars entirely, entering on crunching, muted strums reminiscent of Cursive's abrasive masterpiece Domestica.
But it's not quite as simple as that. When Klausener and co. strip things back, they come on like the Nick Drakes, the Sam Beams of this world: deftly picked guitar, plangent violin and double bass propping up evocative, considered lyricism. Sequenced immediately after the title-track is Slippery When Wet, a delicate, rootsy number that tugs at the tear-ducts with genuine power. Common to all of these songs is a sense of dislocation–the impression that something, somewhere, is out of synch. Whether this is communicated via opaque lyrics or swathes of noise, it does make for an occasionally unsettling listen.
This is an elusive, complicated work, which by its nature fails to reward in quite the same manner as its predecessor. What it sometimes lacks in emotional weight, however, it makes up for in adventurous, finely sculpted arrangements. You could draw a loose analogy with Radiohead here, and how Kid A was perceived after OK Computer, or even OK Computer after The Bends; whatever, there is plenty to be enthralled by on No Ghost. --James Skinner
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Product Description
Artist: The Acorn
Manufacturer: Bella Union
Manufacturer: Bella Union
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Acorn's last album "Hope Glory Mountain" was a fascinating and often staggeringly beautiful homage to Rolf Klausener`s mother Gloria Esperanza Montoya and her story of a abusive childhood in Honduras and subsequent journey of escape to Canada. It was packed with world rhythms particularly from Honduras and wonderful songs like "Crooked legs". Klausener is the "chief cook and bottle washer in the band" being its vocalist, guitarist and main songwriter but receives able support from drummer Jeffrey Malecki, guitarist/visual artist Howie Tsui, bassist Jeff Debutte, and Montreal keyboardist Keiko Devaux. The Acorn now record on the Bella Union label and this album bears many of that labels trademarks of indie folk rock combined with a subtle twist of Talking Heads and Sufjan Stevens.
Is it as good as Hope Glory Mountain? The honest answer is that I am not sure. While it is certainly does not have the lovely charm supplied through the West African rhythms of the debut it makes up for this with a range of strong songs which don't see the band rest on their laurels but experiment. Opener "Cobbled from the dust" finds itself in Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest" territory and is a wonderful starting point for any downloads. One of albums highlight follows namely "Restoration" a powerful anthem starting with a guitar coda, tapping drum sticks and building into a fine old rock concoction. Its great stuff and provides a real contrast to one of the albums equally fine moments "Slippery when wet" (not Bon Jovi thank god) a sparse banjo led acoustic song so light that if you left it in the wind it would blow away. In between the albums title track is full of much heavier rock bombast and keeps reminding me of a cross between the Who and REM for some reason and has a backward guitar thrown in for good measure. The more I listen the more depth this album reveals from the nice pop music and waves of harmonies of "Crossed Wires" to the much more dramatic "I made the law" where Klausener sounds like Tom Petty.
"No Ghost" therefore builds firmly on the foundations set by "Hope Glory Mountain". It is by no means a difficult listen but it is one which requires some effort and concentration to fully reveal all the nuances and the shades contained therein. Time will tell of course but this second album may well be "a diamond in the rough" from this ever developing and improving Canadian band.
Is it as good as Hope Glory Mountain? The honest answer is that I am not sure. While it is certainly does not have the lovely charm supplied through the West African rhythms of the debut it makes up for this with a range of strong songs which don't see the band rest on their laurels but experiment. Opener "Cobbled from the dust" finds itself in Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest" territory and is a wonderful starting point for any downloads. One of albums highlight follows namely "Restoration" a powerful anthem starting with a guitar coda, tapping drum sticks and building into a fine old rock concoction. Its great stuff and provides a real contrast to one of the albums equally fine moments "Slippery when wet" (not Bon Jovi thank god) a sparse banjo led acoustic song so light that if you left it in the wind it would blow away. In between the albums title track is full of much heavier rock bombast and keeps reminding me of a cross between the Who and REM for some reason and has a backward guitar thrown in for good measure. The more I listen the more depth this album reveals from the nice pop music and waves of harmonies of "Crossed Wires" to the much more dramatic "I made the law" where Klausener sounds like Tom Petty.
"No Ghost" therefore builds firmly on the foundations set by "Hope Glory Mountain". It is by no means a difficult listen but it is one which requires some effort and concentration to fully reveal all the nuances and the shades contained therein. Time will tell of course but this second album may well be "a diamond in the rough" from this ever developing and improving Canadian band.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazing and Deep
13 Nov 2010
Each song is a completely different beast, and by beast I mean beautiful piece of music. I can't recommend this album enough. They remind me of all the good things I love about bands like The Decemberists, Okkervil River, Beirut and The Arcade Fire. The album definitely grows on you too. Give it a listen; you won't be disappointed.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
"No Ghost"
2 Jun 2010
Amazon Verified Purchase
The Acorn have crafted some of most diverse and emotionally stimulating album i've heard in a while. There is something to be found on every song, and it progressivley gets better and better with every listen. For one, I've only had this album for about 42 hours and already its one of the fastest growers i've the plessure of listening too. The opener "Cobbled from dust" immedially introduces you into the sound and tone of the album. Lyrically its warm, and heartfelt yet being experimental and familar all at the same time. Theres "Rock" songs to be found here as well. "Crossed the Wire" is a monster of song, throwing you into an entire diffrent pace from soft spoken songs like "misplaced". But the song that really sticks out on this album is "No ghost", which in my opinion is song of the year. Isolation seemed to be the key to the music writing, which the band took too after living in a cottage in Northern quebec. There's a real wilderness feel too all of it. Theres much more to be said about "No ghost". These guys clearly know exactly how to crafted something for the listener on a very personal level. By far the one of the best of 2010, Every music lover needs this album, everyone.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Awesome!
10 Jan 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Only recently got turned on to The Acorn, and I love their music! Great musicianship, wonderful harmonies, and intelligent lyrics. I highly recommend this album to anyone interested in this genre.
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