16. The Antlers – Hospice
Andy : 23 :: Dave : 23
Comparisons between Hospice and Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago are plentiful. Both artists went into self-imposed exile – Bon Iver in the woods, Peter Silberman in Brooklyn, both resulting albums were self-released and, after selling out their initial pressings, were subsequently picked up by larger indie labels, and – most similarly – both are filled with heartbreaking stories of loss.
Hospice is a formidable album; it’s not a comfortable listen. Even from the album’s title, it’s clear that this isn’t going to be sunshine-y pop; what it is, conversely, is a dense, layered album, filled with sprawling post-rock and themes of regret, dying and the intense toll that love and life requires of all of us. Even at its most upbeat moments, it’s a dreary, marvelous journey.
The Antlers – Bear (mp3) from Hospice
15. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns
Andy : 25 :: Dave : 19
Upon first listening to any band, it is natural for one to attempt a comparison to other artists the listener is already familiar with. My first impression of The Rural Alberta Advantage led me to compare the vocal stylings of front-man Nils Edenloff, first and foremost, to those of Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum. I also received hints of The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy. For me, I enjoy making these comparisons, but will lose interest if the band fails to capture my imagination as anything other than a cheap imitator. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case with The RAA as the band has uniquely crafted their own aesthetic.
When listening to Hometowns you can’t help but tell The RAA is from Canada. Most Canadians I’ve met are intensely proud of their heritage, and as is readily apparent from the title of this record, there is much talk throughout of where its authors come from. There are even multiple songs titled with places in Canada. The band has arranged concise and impressive songs abound with nostalgia for a home that no longer exists, a theme that many perhaps are unable to relate to. As an overarching theme it’s a strong one, and it would be a shame to miss out on this band sure to create their own comparisons in the future, because of a disconnect in sentiments.
The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank, AB (mp3) from Hometowns
holy shit you guys agreed. However, if you both agreed it was #23 then why is it #16? Is there some crazy formula behind all this?
i think we only agreed exactly twice, and then we weighted our respective rankings in reverse order, which is why there are some things like this. we’ll have to tweak the formula next year.
Very happy to see The RAA on here. Great, great album.