Advertisement

Album reviews Music

The Acorn

After a four-year hiatus, the Acorn are finally back. But don’t expect a major transformation in Rolf Klausener’s Ottawa folk rock project. For Vieux Loup, Klausener sorted through three years’ worth of unfinished demos and hunkered down in a cottage to revisit those sonic memories. 

Overall, the finished product is quieter than 2010’s full-bodied No Ghost, with many tracks opening with a subtle drum or gentle guitar melody before Klausener’s lilting vocals, some of which were improvised, slowly enter and expand. The most interesting moments occur when Evening Hymns’ Sylvie Smith contributes backing vocals, like on standout track Dominion. Her sweet, heavy-lidded voice complements his soulful, sometimes melancholic one, creating something emotional and transfixing.

Save for a few experiments with groovy electronic instrumentation, Vieux Loup sounds like a natural progression from No Ghost. It’s a beautiful record, but perhaps not the evolution expected after a four-year break.

Top track: Dominion 


The Acorn play at The Drake Hotel on November 27th. Win tickets here!

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted