The Acorn | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | art pop, indie folk |
Years active | 2003–Present |
Labels | Bella Union, Paper Bag, Kelp |
Members | Rolf Klausener |
Past members | Jeff 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 |
Website | TheAcorn.ca |
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.[ citation needed]
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]
Albums
EPs
Compilation Inclusions
The Acorn | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | art pop, indie folk |
Years active | 2003–Present |
Labels | Bella Union, Paper Bag, Kelp |
Members | Rolf Klausener |
Past members | Jeff 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 |
Website | TheAcorn.ca |
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.[ citation needed]
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]
Albums
EPs
Compilation Inclusions