The Acorn - No Ghost

When your last album provoked Kanye West to give you props, it’s fair to say that comparisons aplenty are going to be made once the new one drops. That’s the position The Acorn find themselves in, after ‘Glory Hope Mountain’ saw them catch their fair share of attention a couple of years back.

Recorded and written in part from a deserted Quebec cottage, on first play it would be hard to suggest ‘No Ghost’ definitively tops it’s predecessor. Repeat listens, however, make that point more debatable.

Sure, musically it’s generally pretty similar to what went before, but The Acorn’s track record stops us from making lazy Fleet Foxes comparisons every three lines. There’s no overarching story this time (‘Glory Hope Mountain told the story of main-man Rolf Klausener’s mother’s journey from Honduras - we doubt many other concept albums can claim that - Ed), but a running theme of nature and the great outdoors seems sprinkled fairly generously within.

‘I Made The Law’, with an almost classic guitar riff, is an obvious highlight with more than a touch of muscle. ‘Slippery When Wet’ on the other hand is a massive, massive disappointment; it’s absolutely nothing to do with 80s hair rockers Bon Jovi. The song itself? A beautiful, almost fragile banjo-led folk classic. That, we like.

‘Bobcat Goldwraith’ wins us over in the referencing stakes with a nod to Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke On The Water’ (don’t ask), while the subtle electronic edge to ‘Cobbled By Dust’ stop things becoming tired or too formulaic.

While it may take a few listens, ‘No Ghost’ is a worthy follow up. A record that will reward every second invested in it, we’d suggest you make a deposit post haste.