The Rural Alberta Advantage

The Rural Alberta Advantage is a Canadian indie rock band that formed in 2005 in Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Nils Edenloff on lead vocals and guitar, Amy Cole (Robin Hatch between September 2016 and January 2018) on keyboards, bass, and backing vocals, and Paul Banwatt on drums.[1] They have released four albums and are signed to Paper Bag Records in Canada and Saddle Creek Records internationally. In 2011, they were nominated for a Polaris Music Prize.

The Rural Alberta Advantage
Background information
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresIndie rock
LabelsPaper Bag
Saddle Creek
Associated actsHenri Fabergé and the Adorables
Woodhands
Ohbijou
Websitetheraa.com
MembersAmy Cole
Nils Edenloff
Paul Banwatt
Past membersRobin Hatch

History

The Rural Alberta Advantage was formed after the band members met while organizing an open-mic event at The Winchester in Cabbagetown.[2] The band's name was coined by Edenloff's brother, when he wrote in an e-mail to Edenloff that he was planning to explore "the rural Alberta advantage" by spending some time back on the family farm near Donalda, Alberta where they had spent part of their childhoods.[3]

First formed in 2005, the band recorded a demo tape and released 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.[4] The band subsequently signed to Saddle Creek Records in 2009, and Hometowns was re-released by the label in July.[5] The band was also selected as the X3 Artist of the month by Aux.tv, CBC Radio 3 and Exclaim! for July 2009.

Their second LP, Departing, was released on March 1, 2011.[6] The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.[7]

Their third album Mended with Gold was released on September 30, 2014. In the fall of 2014, Mended with Gold was featured on NPR's All Songs Considered list for the top albums of September.[8]

On September 12, 2016 Amy Cole announced her departure from the group via the band's website. On September 18, the band announced a new tour with keyboard, bass pedal and backup vocals being supplied by Robin Hatch. On November 7, the band announced that their fourth studio album is forthcoming.

Their fourth studio album The Wild was released on October 13, 2017. Its lead track "Beacon Hill" was inspired by the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires.[9]

In January 2018, the band announced that Cole had rejoined their lineup.[10]

Discography

Albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions
CAN
[11]		 US Heat
[12]		 US Indie
[13]
Hometowns
  • Released: 2008
  • Re-released: July 7, 2009
  • Label: Self-released / Saddle Creek
 —49—
Departing
  • Released: March 1, 2011
  • Label: Paper Bag / Saddle Creek
 —430
Mended with Gold
  • Released: October 30, 2014
  • Label: Paper Bag / Saddle Creek
 —838
The Wild
  • Released: October 13, 2017
  • Label: Paper Bag
 68——
"—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released

EPs
  • The Rural Alberta Advantage EP (2006)

Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
CAN
Rock
[14]		 US
Sales
[15]
2009 "Frank, AB (Remix)" / "The Deadroads" — — Hometowns
2010 "Drain the Blood" — 50
2011 "Tornado '87" 45 — Departing
"Stamp" — —
2014 "Terrified" 40 — Mended with Gold
2016 "White Lights" 36 — The Wild
2017 "Beacon Hill" — —
"Brother" 31 —
2018 "Bad Luck Again" 34 —
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released

Compilations

References
  1. "Advantage: Team Rural Alberta", eye weekly, November 26, 2008.
  2. The Rural Alberta Advantage. Wavelength, November 3, 2006.
  3. "Rural Alberta Advantage's Prairie Home Companion". Exclaim!, June 23, 2009.
  4. "US Archives - Wondering Sound". emusic.com.
  5. "The Rural Alberta Advantage Sign with Saddle Creek". Exclaim!, May 1, 2009.
  6. "The Rural Alberta Advantage reveal new album, ‘Departing’" Archived 2011-01-27 at the Wayback Machine. aux.tv, December 6, 2010.
  7. "2011 Polaris Music Prize Long List announced" Archived 2015-10-02 at the Wayback Machine. aux.tv, June 16, 2011.
  8. "The Rural Alberta Advantage Announce 'Mended with Gold,' Premiere New Track". Exclaim!, July 8, 2014
  9. "News «  The Rural Alberta Advantage". www.theraa.com. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
  10. "Amy Cole Rejoins Rural Alberta Advantage | Indie88". Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  11. "The Rural Alberta Advantage – Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
  12. "The Rural Alberta Advantage - Billboard Heatseekers".
  13. "The Rural Alberta Advantage - Billboard Independent".
  14. "The Rural Alberta Advantage – Canada Rock". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  15. "Billboard.biz". billboard.com. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
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