The Rural Alberta Advantage
Encyclopedia
The Rural Alberta Advantage is a Canadian
indie rock
band that formed in 2005. Based in Toronto
, Ontario
, the band consists of Nils Edenloff on lead vocals and guitar, Amy Cole on backing vocals and keyboard, and Paul Banwatt on drums.
Regarding how they met, the band has said in an interview: "We all hosted an open stage at The Winchester in Cabbagetown
, and that led to us forming The RAA. Nobody ever came to our night, and now that place is a Tim Hortons
. I'm not saying it was our fault. I'm just saying it's a pretty big coincidence. I mean, the place was around for 120 years, but less than one year with us.... We have no regrets though. We'll close as many venues as it takes."
First formed in 2005, the band released a demo tape and an EP
independently before completing their first full-length album, Hometowns, in early 2008. Hometowns was recorded and produced from April 2007 to March 2008 by Roger Leavens at BoomBox Sound in Toronto, Ontario. The band toured extensively across Canada, including shows at the Pop Montreal
and Halifax Pop Explosion
festivals, to support Hometowns.
The band was selected as eMusic
's featured artist of the month for November 2008. The band subsequently signed to Saddle Creek Records
in 2009, and Hometowns was re-released by the label in July. The band was also selected as the X3 Artist of the month by Aux.tv
, CBC Radio 3
and Exclaim!
Magazine for July 2009.
Their second LP, Departing, was released on March 1, 2011. The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band that formed in 2005. Based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the band consists of Nils Edenloff on lead vocals and guitar, Amy Cole on backing vocals and keyboard, and Paul Banwatt on drums.
Regarding how they met, the band has said in an interview: "We all hosted an open stage at The Winchester in Cabbagetown
Cabbagetown, Toronto
Cabbagetown is a neighbourhood located on the east side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It comprises "the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing in all of North America", according to the Cabbagetown Preservation Association....
, and that led to us forming The RAA. Nobody ever came to our night, and now that place is a Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons Inc. is a Canadian fast casual restaurant known for its coffee and doughnuts. It is also Canada's largest fast food service with over 3000 stores nationwide. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton and Jim Charade, after an initial venture in...
. I'm not saying it was our fault. I'm just saying it's a pretty big coincidence. I mean, the place was around for 120 years, but less than one year with us.... We have no regrets though. We'll close as many venues as it takes."
First formed in 2005, the band released a demo tape and an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
independently before completing their first full-length album, Hometowns, in early 2008. Hometowns was recorded and produced from April 2007 to March 2008 by Roger Leavens at BoomBox Sound in Toronto, Ontario. The band toured extensively across Canada, including shows at the Pop Montreal
Pop Montreal
Pop Montreal is an annual music festival occurring in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the early fall, usually at the end of September or the beginning of October. More than 400 acts are scheduled to play in more than 50 venues across the city, mostly located in the Mile End area...
and Halifax Pop Explosion
Halifax Pop Explosion
The Halifax Pop Explosion is a music festival that takes place every fall, two weeks after Thanksgiving, in Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada.-History:...
festivals, to support Hometowns.
The band was selected as eMusic
EMusic
eMusic is an online music and audiobook store that operates by subscription. It is headquartered in New York City with an office in London and owned by Dimensional Associates. As of September 2008 eMusic has over 400,000 subscribers....
's featured artist of the month for November 2008. The band subsequently signed to Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Conor Oberst and Justin Oberst in 1993 . Conor soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel...
in 2009, and Hometowns was re-released by the label in July. The band was also selected as the X3 Artist of the month by Aux.tv
Aux.tv
Aux is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel and corresponding website owned and operated by Glassbox Television...
, CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a radio station that consists of two parts devoted to Canadian arts and music: a radio service which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio and streaming audio, and several daily and weekly podcasts from the CBC Radio 3 website...
and Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
Magazine for July 2009.
Their second LP, Departing, was released on March 1, 2011. The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize
2011 Polaris Music Prize
The 2011 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 19, 2011. The winner was Arcade Fire, for the album The Suburbs.For the 2011 award, the prize was increased to $30,000 for the winning musician.-Shortlist:...
.
Discography
- The Rural Alberta Advantage Demo (2005)
- The Rural Alberta Advantage EP (2006)
- Hometowns (2008, re-released by Saddle Creek / Paper Bag RecordsPaper Bag RecordsPaper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label and artist-management company, founded in 2002 and based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:...
2009) - DepartingDepartingDeparting is the second full-length album by Canadian indie rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage, released 1 March 2011 on Paper Bag Records in Canada and Saddle Creek Records in the United States....
(Saddle Creek / Paper Bag RecordsPaper Bag RecordsPaper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label and artist-management company, founded in 2002 and based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:...
2011)
Singles
- "Drain the Blood" b/w "Eye of the TigerEye of the Tiger"Eye of the Tiger" is a single by American rock band Survivor, from their third album Eye of the Tiger. It was released as a single on May 29, 1982, the same year as the album. It was written at the request of actor Sylvester Stallone, who was unable to get permission for Queen's "Another One Bites...
" (Saddle Creek, 2010) - "Frank, AB (Remix)" b/w "The Deadroads" (KickstarterKickstarterKickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
, 2010) - "Tornado '87" b/w "Departing" (Saddle Creek / Paper Bag Records 2011)
Compilations
- Friends in BellwoodsFriends in BellwoodsFriends in Bellwoods is a compilation album, released in 2007. It was the first release on Out of This Spark, through a distribution deal with Sonic Unyon Records. The album is named for a house on Bellwoods Avenue in Toronto, shared by two members of the band Ohbijou, which NOW has written "might...
(2007): "The Air" - Friends in Bellwoods IIFriends in Bellwoods IIFriends in Bellwoods is a compilation album, released in 2009 by Out of This Spark as a benefit for Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. The album is a sequel to the 2007 compilation Friends in Bellwoods....
(2009): "Rough and Tumble" (early version of "Barnes' Yard" from DepartingDepartingDeparting is the second full-length album by Canadian indie rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage, released 1 March 2011 on Paper Bag Records in Canada and Saddle Creek Records in the United States....
)
External links
- The Rural Alberta Advantage
- The Rural Alberta Advantage at The Indie Music Database