The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing (2011)

Early last month, The Rural Alberta Advantage delivered the follow up to their 2009 debut Hometowns and whereas Hometowns was fast-paced and intense, Departing relies mostly on a slower, more lyric-based delivery. The folk-influence that RAA showed only glimpses of on their debut comes back in full force after stripping back the layers and added ornaments prevalent on their debut. But the rock edge isn't completely gone from Rural Alberta Advantage's repertoire: songs like the ironically uptempo "Muscle Relaxants", "Stamp" and "Barnes' Yard" keep the album from becoming too sleep-inducing, giving jolts of energy at just the right time.

Departing is a great example of what a sophomore album can be. The band doesn't change it's game plan too much by experimentation but rather offers up more of the same in a way that doesn't feel like you're just listening to the same record. It's a sign that you don't have to make any drastic concessions in order to overcome the sophomore slump.

Rural Alberta Advantage premiere new video and announce tour dates

Canadian Indie Rock Trio The Rural Alberta Advantage are just about to release their sophomore album Departing (out March 1st). To ease the wait, The trio premiered their new video for first single "Stamp" on The Wedge. Their video is surprisingly very meta featuring a "fan" commenting on the newness of the song and the "show" itself while a girl pines for the two male band members. Hilariously the fan only becomes interested in the girl when he realizes she knows the lyrics to the new song that he doesn't while the girl is solely interested in which band member she likes more. Splice in scenes of the band playing and you've got the video for "Stamp". Enjoy!:

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Stamp from Saddle Creek on Vimeo.

3/9 Middle East Cafe - Cambridge, Massachusetts
3/10 The Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York
3/11 First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3/12 The Knitting Factory - Brooklyn, New York
3/13 Rock 'N Roll Hotel - Washington, D.C.
3/14 Local 506 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
3/15 The Earl - Atlanta, Georgia
3/17-3/20 Austin, Texas SXSW
3/20 The Loft - Dallas, Texas
3/22 The Maintenance Shop @ Iowa State University - Ames, Iowa
3/23 Mad Planet - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
3/24 High Noon Saloon - Madison, Wisconsin
3/25 First Avenue - Minneapolis, Minnesota
3/26 Lincoln Hall - Chicago, Illinois
3/27 Phog Lounge - Windsor, Ontario, Canada
3/31 Pyramid Cabaret - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
4/1 Amigos Cantina - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
4/2 The Starlite Room - Edmonton, Alberta,Canada
4/5 Republik - Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4/6 The Royal on Baker - Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
4/7 Habitat - Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
4/8 Venue Nightclub - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
4/9 Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon
4/10 The Tractor Tavern - Seattle, Washington
4/12 The Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, California
4/13 The Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, California
4/15 Indio, California Coachella
4/19 The State Room - Salt Lake City, Utah
4/20 Hi-Dive - Denver, Colorado
4/21 Slowdown - Omaha, Nebraska
4/22 Firebird - St. Louis, Missouri
4/23 Radio Radio - Indianapolis, Indiana
4/24 Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland Ohio


You can also pre-order the new album at their label website here.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (2009)

With a name like The Rural Alberta Advantage you'd expect the Toronto-based indie rockers to perform traditional folk ballads using standard folk instruments. Well, you'd be half-right. The band's debut album Hometowns has a folk-influenced sound but starting from beat-heavy "The Ballad of the Raa", you get the feeling the band is not quite what you might expect. Sure they use acoustic guitar in some songs but they play with a intensity and energy reminscent of folk punk bands like Defiance, Ohio or Against Me!, the only thing seperating them from the genre are strained shout vocals and anti-something lyrics. Instead you have charming tales of love and love lost augmented by vocal harmonies and stellar string arrangements. Purely nostalgic acoustic tracks like "Rush Apart" are actually a rarity on this album but the driving drumbeats and guitar riffs keep them from changing the album's mood too much. As surprising frantic as the record was, it allows itself to decrease in intensity at just the right moments and is sure to be a good listen regardless of genre taste.

Listen/watch the video of The Rural Alberta Advantage's "Drain the Blood" here: