[mp3] The Rural Alberta Advantage // Stamp

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[mp3] The Rural Alberta Advantage // Stamp

Written on January 12, 2011 by Will in Music

The Rural Alberta Advantage write songs about relationships. “Stamp,” the first single from The RAA’s forthcoming album, continues that theme. The album, titled Departing, is due on March 1st. It is the band’s second release, following the 2008 debut, Hometowns, that was re-released the following year on Connor Oberst’s Saddle Creek label. The Toronto trio’s sound fits in well with the Oberst aesthetic. The RAA specializes in folk-tinged music, but it can often feature the driving aggression and propulsive drumming of Paul Banwatt. Banwatt, for my money, is one of the strongest drummers in the indie world today. Some of his finest, most interesting work is featured on “Stamp.”

Nils Edenloff, the band’s lead singer, sings in an almost grating, nasally tone that serves as a stark contrast to the aggressive manner in which he strums his acoustic guitar. The sounds complement each other perfectly. He attacks his acoustic guitar in an electric fashion. The song begins with this and then the driving drumming of Banwatt kicks in. “The hardest thing about this love is that you’re never coming back,” Edenloff sings in the chorus of the song. Edenloff’s nasally falsetto is complimented by Amy Cole’s strong supporting vocals.

This song is a great representative of The RAA sound. It is very much in the vein of earlier work like “Drain the Blood.” I caught these guys when they played last year in Cleveland and they were phenomenal. I was lucky enough to meet the band after the show and they were extremely warm. It is easy to root for good people. And when the music is this strong, you can’t help but be excited. At the beginning of 2011, this is easily one of the releases that I am most excited for.

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The Rural Alberta Advantage // Stamp [mp3] from the forthcoming Departing

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Best of 2009: 16 & 15

Written on December 13, 2009 by Dave in Music

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

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Random Thursday Tracks

Written on August 6, 2009 by Andy in Music

randbitmap rdo Random Thursday Tracks Short and sweet is the name of today’s game. I’ve got another three day weekend coming up because my girlfriend’s sister is getting married, and so things are busy ’round the homestead. Here are a few of songs that don’t require lengthy treatises on their merits – just a couple tracks to like or not; I fall more on the side of like than dislike for all of them, personally.

1. I’ve had this song in my library for a little while now, and it draws an almost immediate reaction of positive or negative from anyone who hears it. I liked it right off, and my girlfriend wanted to change it after the same amount of time.

Air France – Collapsing at Your Doorstep (mp3) from No Way Down

2. A friend of the blog’s said that The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Hometowns was a “must buy.” I’m not inclined to make any statement to either support or refute that claim, but if it was all like the album’s opener, I’d probably agree. This song reminds me of a kind of hybrid of The Postal Service and The Tragically Hip.

The Rural Alberta Advantage – The Ballad of the RAA (mp3) from Hometowns

3. Does he say “Obama” or “O mama” in the chorus? (This is not a serious question.) Whichever it is, it’s catchy as hell.

The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing (mp3)

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