Can something be both boring and good at the same time? Ottawa's the Acorn posed that question on Tuesday (February 2) with a set of technically proficient, occasionally groovy music that, more often than not, just registered as blank.
Out of all the acts that performed at St. Alban's Church that night, the Acorn were the only ones to really fill the space, using the church's impressive acoustics to their advantage and highlighting how well the band work as a unit, with bass and drums locking together beneath soaring guitar and keys.
Yet their music has a certain amount of politeness to it that just flattens whatever the band are working towards. It's a shame, because they're a good band, but they lack the kind of tension or conflict that push good music to greatness. Boyhood's Caylie Runciman joined them onstage for a song, which for a moment helped create friction care-of a great call-and-response between Runciman and Acorn vocalist Rolf Klausener.
The Acorn's dreamy midtempo molasses might work well in small doses, but on its own, it can make even the most uncomfortable church pew an ideal place to catch some shuteye.
Out of all the acts that performed at St. Alban's Church that night, the Acorn were the only ones to really fill the space, using the church's impressive acoustics to their advantage and highlighting how well the band work as a unit, with bass and drums locking together beneath soaring guitar and keys.
Yet their music has a certain amount of politeness to it that just flattens whatever the band are working towards. It's a shame, because they're a good band, but they lack the kind of tension or conflict that push good music to greatness. Boyhood's Caylie Runciman joined them onstage for a song, which for a moment helped create friction care-of a great call-and-response between Runciman and Acorn vocalist Rolf Klausener.
The Acorn's dreamy midtempo molasses might work well in small doses, but on its own, it can make even the most uncomfortable church pew an ideal place to catch some shuteye.