Acorn

Country of origin:

U.S.

Type of music generally:

Ambient, experimental (the band itself suggests "Ambient/Pop/North African/Folk/Art- Rock/Gregorian/Soundtrack music :)")

Status:

First album, sustenance (1998)

See also:

Acorn's MySpace page

Comparisons:

The Fixx or Saga, or a darker Duran Duran, Nine Inch Nails-like noise, King Crimson. (jzitt@humansystems.com)

Covers/own material:

own

General comments:

See album comments, below.

Recommended first album:

sustenance

Recordings:

sustenance (1998)

sustenance

Release info:

1998—ACORN

Availability:

Unknown

Ecto priority:

Recommended for fans of experimental music

Group members:

Andrew P. Crane—vocals, keyboards, tape effects, percussion

Guest artists:

Kostya Gavrilov—keyboards, drum programming, bass sample, programming
Brett Smith—acoustic bass, upright bass, Chapman stick, tape effects
John Thomas—drums
Michael Whitmore—guitar, trumpet
Emily Hay—flute, vocals
Charles Pagano—percussion
Nic Green—tape assemblage, machine programming, national lap steel guitar
Steven Brinegar—keyboards Jason Savall—bass programming
Edem Elesh—mandola, acoustic guitar
Biff Sanders—drums programming, percussion, tape effects
Anna Homler—vocals

Produced by:

Andrew P. Crane, with, variously: Kostya Gavrilov, Judson Leach, Brett Smith, Nic Greene, Bill Sanders, Steven Brinegar, Biff Sanders

Comments:

At first reminiscent of the better '80s synthrock, such as The Fixx or Saga, or a darker Duran Duran, Acorn's music quickly expands beyond that genre. Their songs incorporate a panpoly of rhythms and effects, the wonderfully bizarre vocal interjections of Anna Homler, and lyrics that, rather than synching exactly with the rhythms of the instruments, drape across them like a cat atop a bookcase. In songs such as "Temperate" and the beautiful "Speak in Other Tongues", singer and primary songwriter Andrew P. Crane stretches out into a melodic chanting reminiscent of Dead Can Dance's Brendan Perry. While his ambition sometimes exceeds his strengths, his ear-opening sense of adventure makes these tracks a rewarding listen. Other tracks, such as "No Holds Barred", jump cut from Nine Inch Nails-like noise bursts to King Crimson-like rhythms to drifting vocals with a nervous excitement, while "4OB" overlays jazz-inflected keyboard lines, dub bass, and Crane's meandering melody with haunting flute and vocals by Emily Hay (of the unjustly obscure Motor Totemist Guild). (jzitt@humansystems.com)

Thanks to Joe Zitt for work on this entry.