The Acorn (band)

The Acorn is the music project of singer-songwriter and musician Rolf-Carlos Klausener formed in Ottawa, Ontario in 2003. Their music spanned numerous genres, from art-folk and indie, to minimal electro and folk-rock, and members played with numerous other bands.[1] Their songs have charted on Canadian campus charts and have been in rotation on CBC Radio 3 and The Verge.

The Acorn
Rolf-Carlos Klausener of The Acorn, 2009
Rolf-Carlos Klausener of The Acorn, 2009
Background information
OriginOttawa, Ontario, Canada
Genresart pop, indie folk
Years active2003–Present
LabelsBella Union, Paper Bag, Kelp
MembersRolf Klausener
Past membersJeff DeButte
Keiko Devaux
Mike Dubue
Jordan Howard
Steven Lappano
Jeffrey Malecki
Howie Tsui
Shaun Weadick
Jacob Bryce
Adam Saikaley
Patrick Johnson
Martin Charbonneau
Seb Shinwell
Pierre-Luc Clément
Pascal Delaquis
WebsiteTheAcorn.ca

History

Rolf Klausener, the principal songwriter, vocalist and guitarist, founded the band as a solo project, but was soon joined by guitarist Howie Tsui, bassist Jeff Debutte and drummer Jeffrey Malecki.[2]

They were quickly signed to Kelp Records, and produced the 2004 album The Pink Ghosts.[3] Their subsequent tour produced the album Live At Royal Albert Hall,[4] and they released the EP Blankets.[5][6]

In 2006, they signed with the label Paper Bag Records and released the well-received EP Tin Fist. [7][8] They were also joined by singer and keyboardist Keiko Devaux; Bryce left the band and was replaced by drummer Jeffrey Malecki.

In 2007, they released Glory Hope Mountain, whose songs describe the life of Klausener's Honduras-born mother, Gloria Esperanza Montoya.[9][10][11] That was followed by the albums Heron Act (2007),[12] Ear Worms (2008),[13] the EP Little Elms (2008),[14] and a split EP with the band Ohbijou.[15] After Glory Hope Mountain, singer-songwriter Rolf Klausener joined the band, as did multi-instrumentalist Shaun Weadick. Weadick and Devaux left in 2008.

The Acorn then went on the road, traveling to the UK as the opening act for Fleet Foxes, Elbow, Akron / Family and Bon Iver, and playing the End of the Road Festival, Electric Picnic, the Brighton Festival, and The Great Escape Festival, among other gigs.[16][17][18] In Canada, they played the Calgary Folk Music Festival, the Hillside Festival,[19] and the Winnipeg Folk Festival.[20]

In 2009, The Acorn was a long-listed nominee for Uncut Magazine's Uncut Music Award, for Glory Hope Mountain.[21] The album was also nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, making The Acorn the only Ottawa band to ever be so nominated.[22] In early 2010, they released the EP Restoration[23] and, in June, the album No Ghost[24][25] and went on a two-month tour. In the interim, they recorded a remix album of No Ghost, called Make The Least Of The Day: No Ghost Reinterpreted, which includes remixes by Four Tet, Chad VanGaalen, Born Ruffians and Diamond Rings.[26][27] Tsui and Maleckie left the band in 2010; they were replaced by drummer Pat Johnson, multi-instrumentalist Adam Saikaley and bassist Martin Charbonneau.

In 2011 Klausner began working on an electronic dance project called 'Silkken Laumann' with Johnnson and Saikaley.[28] The group released their debut album Not Forever Enough on January 1, 2014.[29] They regrouped as The Acorn to release the 2015 album Vieux Loup,[30][31][32][33] which was nominated for the 2015 Polaris Prize.[34]

In 2011, Klausener had co-founded Ottawa's Arboretum Festival which, in 2018, re-branded as 'Bon-Fire'.[35] Klausener is the festival's creative director. The Acorn last performed in 2017;[36] Klausener speaks of The Acorn in the past tense.[37]

Discography

Albums

  • The Pink Ghosts (2004, re-released 2007), Kelp Records
  • Live At Royal Albert Hall (2006), Kelp Records
  • Glory Hope Mountain (2007, re-released 2017), Paper Bag Records
  • Heron Act (2007), Paper Bag Records
  • Ear Worms (2008), Independent
  • No Ghost (2010), Paper Bag Records, Bella Union
  • Make The Least Of The Day: No Ghost Reinterpreted (2010), Paper Bag Records, Bella Union
  • Vieux Loup (2015), Paper Bag Records

EPs

  • Blankets (2005), Kelp Records
  • Patches (2005), Duotone Records (Japan)[38]
  • Tin Fist (2006), Paper Bag Records[39][40]
  • Little Elms (2008), Independent[41]
  • The Acorn + Ohbijou Split 12" with Ohbijou (2008), Kelp Records[42]
  • Restoration (2010), Bella Union

Compilation Inclusions

See also

References
  1. Barclay, Michael. "The Acorn Family Affairs, Sept 2007". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  2. Kilgour, Kate (12 March 2010). "The Acorn Will Never Fall, Mar 2010". queensjournal.ca. Queen's Journal. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  3. "The Acorn – The Pink Ghosts". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. "The Acorn – Live At Royal Albert Hall". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. "The Acorn – Blankets". discogs.com. Discogs. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  6. Whibbs, Chris. "The Acorn / Timber, Apr 2006". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  7. "The Acorn – Tin Fist". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  8. Whibbs, Chris. "The Acorn Tin Fist, Feb 2007". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  9. Barclay, Michael. "The Acorn Family Affairs, Sept 2007". exclaim.ca. Exclaim. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  10. "The Acorn – Glory Hope Mountain". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  11. Murphy, Sarah. "The Acorn Release...June 2017". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  12. "The Acorn – Heron Act". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  13. "The Acorn – Ear Worms". discogs.com. Discogs. December 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  14. "The Acorn – Little Elms". discogs.com. Discogs. December 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  15. "The Acorn + ohbijou – Split". discogs.com. Discogs. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  16. Thiessen, Brock. "The Acorn Tour Everywhere, Aug 2008". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  17. Thiessen, Brock. "The Acorn Sign...July 2008". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  18. "The Acorn's Concert History". concertarchives.org. Concert Archives. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  19. "Schedule" (PDF). hillsidefestival.ca. Hillside Festival. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  20. "Past Performers". winnipegfolkfestival.ca. Winnipeg Folk Festival. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  21. Caine, Travis. "Ottawa's Acorn Make the Uncut...Oct 2009". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  22. "The Acorn Glory Hope Mountain". polarismusicprize.ca. Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  23. "The Acorn – Restoration". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  24. Keefe, Jonathan (6 September 2010). "Review: The Acorn, No Ghost, Sept 2010". slantmagazine.com. Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  25. Greene, Jayson. "No Ghost". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  26. "The Acorn – Make The Least Of The Day: No Ghost Reinterpreted". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  27. Hudson, Alex. "The Acorn Unveil New Remix Album...Aug 2010". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  28. Rozitis, Lidija (2011-05-27). "Dancing, not rowing: An interview with Silkken Laumann". Apt 613. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  29. Hudson, Alex. "Members of the Acorn Release...Jan 2014". exclaim.ca. Exlaim!. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  30. Hudson, Alex. "The Acorn "Influence", Feb 2015". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  31. "The Acorn – Vieux Loup". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  32. X, Chris (19 May 2015). "ALBUM REVIEW: THE ACORN – VIEUX LOUP". spillmagazine.com. The Spill Magazine. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  33. Simpson, Paul. "Vieux Loup Review". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  34. "Vieux Loup - Polaris Music Prize". polarismusicprize.ca. Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  35. Saxberg, Lynn. "Arboretum festival rebrands". ottawacitizen.com. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  36. "Shows". theacorn.ca. The Acorn. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  37. Helmer, Aedan. "A decade later...Apr 2017". ottawacitizen.com. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  38. "The Acorn – Patches". discogs.com. Discogs. October 2005. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  39. "The Acorn – Tin Fist". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  40. Whibbs, Chris. "The Acorn Tin Fist, Feb 2007". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  41. "The Acorn – Little Elms". discogs.com. Discogs. December 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  42. "The Acorn + ohbijou – Split". discogs.com. Discogs. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  43. "Friends In Bellwoods". discogs.com. Discogs. December 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  44. "Friends In Bellwoods 2". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
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