The Bella Union label has a habit of picking up great bands and are always worth checking in with. The label was founded by Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde, both formerly members of the Cocteau Twins, originally to release their own music, but since then they have been home to The Dirty 3, Midlake, Fleet Foxes, Fionn Regan and Explosions in The Sky, to name but a few.
A recent gem they have released is ‘Glory Hope Mountain’ by The Acorn, a Canadian indie folk band from Ottawa, formed in 2003. Part biographical narrative, part surreal fairy tale, it is the story of Gloria Esperanza Montoya. Based on interviews recorded in early 2006 by her son, Acorn songwriter Rolf Klausener, the album is a sonic retelling of the stories from her early life in Honduras to her eventual immigration to Montreal in 1972. A concept album of sorts.
If you can judge a band by the company they keep, things bode well for the Acorn. As well as supporting Elbow in the UK, they have recently supported label mates Fleet Foxes on their North American tour and Bon Ivor in Europe. They share the same alternative folk influences as the later, taking in the intamacy of Iron and Wine, the late night hush of Yo La Tengo, and then throwing in some electro sounds and instrumentals into the mix to keep the sound evolving. This is particularly apperent on their first album ‘The Pink Ghosts’ which has been recently re-released and is a great place to start. Check out the track Darcy for a start.
- MAHOO
