The Rural Alberta Advantage

HearYa Live Session alumni, The Rural Alberta Advantage, just signed to Saddle Creek Records! We wish them all the best. Others on Saddle Creek include Bright Eyes, Cursive, Tokyo Police Club and Two Gallants.

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place

Here’s all the stuff from our session:

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Untitled New Song

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Rush Apart

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Luciana

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Edmonton

Download the entire session as a zip.

Exclusive Video: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Edmonton

The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Edmonton” – HearYa Live Session 4/1/09 from HearYa.com on Vimeo.

The Rural Alberta Advantage self-released their debut album, the appropriately-titled Hometowns, in 2008, which registered as one of the pleasant surprises of last year. RAA are a three-member group based out of Toronto, although their lead vocalist, Nils Edenloff, and many of the storylines behind their music actually hail from the cold, windswept Canadian province of Alberta.  In fact, geography plays a prominent role in these contemplative songs about growing up in a rural area. The music is part folklore and part small town anthem.

We’ve closely traced their progression, recently culminating with a live session and a show at Schuba’s.  The live session was a light 45-minute set consisting of three tracks off the terrific Hometowns and punctuated by a new song that promises more good music to follow.  The band’s recipe features a blend of earnest lead vocals, up-tempo acoustic guitar, driving rhythm from Paul Banwatt and keyboards/backing vocals of Amy Cole.  These songs are generally quick hitting, straightforward arrangements, a little melancholy in mood, but often memorable for the hooks.

The band has begun to garner some attention as evidenced by a moderate-sized, but fully amped crowd at Schubas for the band’s Chicago debut. When it comes to good music, word gets around but it was truly uplifting to see the genuine looks of surprise on the faces of the band as the crowd sang along and shouted requests off of Hometowns.  Eventually, smiles gave way to a pulsating set of honest, melodic and somewhat sentimental folk rock.  True, the band is just beginning to develop a stage presence, but that should come with time and experience.  We hope you enjoy the following tracks from the 44th chapter of our Live Sessions.

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Untitled New Song

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Rush Apart

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Luciana

Exclusive: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Edmonton

Download the entire session as a zip.

Video: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Edmonton

The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Edmonton” – HearYa Live Session 4/1/09 from HearYa.com on Vimeo.

We’re knee deep into the top 25 albums of 2008 and this batch features two bands from Alive Records – Left Lane Cruiser and Hacienda. The Rural Alberta Advantage was arguably our biggest surprise of the year, building buzz with nothing more than their music – no label, no publicist.   The Morning Benders and Sam Champion were both in our live session studio, so make sure to check out those tracks if you have a few extra seconds.

21. The Morning Benders – Talking Through Tin Cans (our review)

The Bay Area quartet have hints of The Beatles, a dash of Pet Sounds sound, and a little Zombies tossed in for good measure. Thankfully they don’t come off as cheap imitators and instead put forth an excellent effort. A good shot of melodic California pop.

The Morning Benders – Damnit Anna (Hear Ya Live Session version)

The Morning Benders – Waiting on a War (Hear Ya Live Session version)

Hear more from our live session with The Morning Benders.

22. Left Lane Cruiser – Bring Yo’ Ass To The Table (our review)

Its filthy, but underneath the bluesy grime are two extraordinarily talented musicians.

Left Lane Cruiser – Wash It

23. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins

A step down from The Stage Names, but that was to be expected. You’ll find a few gems – just not the transcendent album that its predecessor was. Okkervil’s b-sides are still good enough to land in the top 25.

Okkervil River – Lost Coastlines

24. Hacienda – Loud Is The Night (our review)

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys produced this album and is preparing his solo tour with Hacienda as his backing band. Dr. Dog performs backing vocals on the album. It’s safe to say that they have the seal of approval from some of music’s finest.

Hacienda – She’s Got A Hold On Me

25. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns (our review)

Imagine Neutral Milk Hotel with the drummer from The National. Yes, its that good.

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank AB

26. Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

David Berman continues to put wry, smart, and often humorous lyrics into his most musically ambitious and tightest effort to date.

Silver Jews – Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

27. Black Crowes – War Paint

The Robinson boys deliver their best album since Amorica. Maxim can fuck themselves.

Video: The Black Crowes – “Wounded Bird” on Letterman

28. Sam Champion – Heavenly Bender (our review)

Rolling Stone described Sam Champion’s sound like Ryan Adams covering Pavement’s Wowee Zowee. Need I say more?

Sam Champion – Be Mine Everyone

Hear more tracks at our live session with Sam Champion.

29. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Self Titled (our review)

MBAR was homeless and strung out on drugs before cleaning up and focusing on music. The result is folk album with his signature lazy, organic vocal delivery.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – The Debtor

30. Black Mountain – In The Future (our review)

Best appreciated in a live setting, Black Mountain perform amazingly good psychedelic rock songs that either punch you in the face or get you in a slow groove.

Black Mountain – Tyrants

I have to thank eMusic for the discovery of The Rural Alberta Advantage. They told me I would like it. I resisted, but they persisted. I tried to hide, but emails, front page reviews, phone calls in the middle of the night…alright, alright eMusic. I will download your Rural Alberta Advantage. Please just stop. I can’t take it any more.

In the eMusic review, the author compares lead singer Nils Edenloff and The Rural Alberta Advantage to Jeff Mangum and Neutral Milk Hotel. That’s a fair comparison. There are definitely similarities between Mangum and Edenloff, but to put it simply, these guys rock a whole lot harder. In fact it seems like drummer, Paul Banwatt, is often playing off a different set of sheet music. On “Don’t Haunt This Place,” Edenloff’s vocals sound melancholy while Banwatt is working a backbeat that belongs on a Thermals tune.

The third song, “The Deathbridge in Lethbridge,” is an absolute stunner of a tune that hooked me for good. One tune later Amy Cole joins Edenloff, taking on a prominent vocal role. Her sweet, fragile voice cuts like a knife through Edenloff’s somewhat morose sound and I damn near dropped my oatmeal when she started singing midway through the song. Where the hell were they hiding her?

Other top-notch efforts include “Edmonton” and “Frank AB” and I’m sure The Rural Alberta Advantage will soon be enjoying the same buzz they generated in Canada, here in the States. Amazingly they are unsigned, but I can’t see that lasting for very long.

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The Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank AB