I don't have anything particularly inspiring to say about either the Acorn / Ohbijou split EP, or The Acorn's live release Heron Act , except that they're both about exactly what you'd expect, excellent. Although, I will say that its probably a testament to how good both bands are that both these releases, while excellent, didn't exactly floor me. And, I suspect, this is probably since they aren't really new , but a way for both bands to make a little cash (which is okay, since they're not exactly millionaires) and to tide [...]
Bill Carter I had any number of reasons to be feeling good after seeing Calexico on their last visit through town in July . There was the fact that I'd just seen a terrific live band in a venue half the size from what they normally play, or also the fact that without a particular album to promote they'd opted for a set list that ranged all across their career. But what was most exciting was the fact that the new material that got showcased sounded terrific, and proved that the band had [...]
photo: Marc Hodges It's been a slow week 'round these parts, music-wise that is. That's okay by me, as it's given me a chance to mine the hidden treasures that I've been missing lately. Thanks to I (heart) Music's "Hottest Bands in Canada" list, I've been discovering quite a few golden nuggets. One such diamond in the rough is Toronto's The Rural Alberta Advantage . Paul Banwatt, Amy Cole and Nils Edenloff "sing about summers in the Rockies and winters on the farm, ice breakups in the spring time [...]
listentofeist.com This past Friday, I (Heart) Music posted the results of his fourth annual, "Hottest Bands In Canada" poll - the ultra-unscientific survey of online Canadian music types wherein we submit a ranked list of the Canadian acts that we deem the "hottest" by whatever definition of the word we wish to use. Though I managed to get my list in just under the wire, on account of being ultra-busy and distracted the last few weeks, I don't know if I gave it the utmost amount of thought that I might have [...]
That's right folks. Another solid evening of rock from your friends at herohill and iheartmusic . Last night the show we put together rocked off a large contingent of socks (post coming later) and hopefully we can keep that going tonight at Coconut Grove. Here's the skinny - 5 bands for 8 bucks. Three stellar local acts and two fantastic Ontario bands. Plus, it's right beside Pizza Corner, so you out of towners can jump over and get a donair after the show. Win win. Laura Barrett - (Toronto, ON) [...]
HPX '08 has drawn a copious amount of talent . I mean, if you had told me acts like The Inbreds, Retribution Gospel Choir, Josh Ritter and the GZA would be in town and I'd still be undecided as to whether or not I'd be going to see them, well I would have been shocked. In all honesty, with all the bands and all the venues, it's hard to go wrong, but to help you undecideds Shane and I are going to get all mavericky, ruffle some feathers, pay attention to Main Street, not Wall Street [...]
hier wie gewohnt die playlist der gestrigen stone.fm sendung, auch wie gehabt der versuch, mittels videoaufnahmen unter beweis zu stellen, dass diese songs tatsächlich existieren, diesmal war es besonders schwierig, zu exponiert die auswahl, deshalb ergänzungen mittels mp3: 1.) 6 day riot – the last stand (mp3) 2.) breathe owl breathe – playing dead (mp3) 3.) the rural alberta advantage – rush apart (mp3) 4.) perhapst – alamand 5.) benjamin wetherill – for all [...]
[continua da qui ] E così l'Estate è ormai finita -ammesso che sia mai davvero iniziata- e da queste parti sul piatto continuano a girare dischi niente affatto spensierati e balneari, come succedeva già a Luglio. Quest'anno è andata così, e vista la qualità dei dischi in realtà non è andata affatto male. Per la musica spensierata aspetto ossimoricamente l'Autunno, oppure i vostri consigli. Voi tenete a mente questi, e non ve ne pentirete. Volpi senza tempo [...]
there's something special about music rooted in a particular history and geography, especially when intertwined with one's own biography. that mammoth task is the humble project of the rural alberta advantage , a three piece band that play songs "about hometowns and heartbreak, born out of images from growing up in central and northern alberta". it's a wonder they are yet unsigned, considering the gleaming potential in their debut self-released album hometowns . in "don't haunt this place", the raa engages a comfortable yet unlikely melding of twee folk (is there such a thing?) with a [...]
While I'm getting ready to leave for Lollapalooza early tomorrow (got to grab my place for Radiohead early), I've been listening to Hometowns , a spectacular debut album from Canadian artists The Rural Alberta Advantage. I'm honestly wondering how this album could have been out there this long without me hearing about it, but after reading recommendations from Chromewaves , Song By Toad , and Berkley Place , I had to check it out on my own, and now I can personally attest for the CD's quality. The album has been constantly compared to Sufjan Stevens [...]
Just to reassure everyone that I've grasped the Song, By Toad ethos, and that I fully understand the website's mission of promoting Edinburgh's blossoming new music scene; my first proper review as understudy for his Royal Toadiness is of an unsigned band from western Canada. A new offshoot of the acoustic revival seems to be emerging. It's one that sees indie-folk acts starting to use electronic instruments, but assimilating them into a 'folksy' approach to the overall sound of the band. We're not talking about the Hi-NRG synth-pop of the Pet Shop Boys, or banks of gleaming Roland synths pretending to be the London Symphony Orchestra; [...]
The Rural Alberta Advantage are a Canadian indie-rock/Americana trio with a sound not unlike Centro-Matic. I found them thanks to a reader submission, but I've been unable to learn much about them. Far as I can tell, they're unsigned. Which is a damn shame, because their debut record, "Hometowns," is adventurous, full of hooks, and a pleasure from start to finish. The opening track, "Ballad of the RAA," is electronica-meets-country, a refreshingly different take on what has become the pretty standard indie genre of Americana. Lots of folks discuss the huge influence of [...]
Like a fair number of bands I write about these days, this may not come as a surprise, as I've been obsessed , twittered twice and put them on a mixtape , but I thought I should write a bit more about Toronto's the Rural Alberta Advantage ( myspace ). press photo by Vince Wong The RAA is a trio lead by Paul Banwatt and employing his sometimes strained, sometimes relaxed vocals, along with drums, [...]
Beck - Gamma Ray ( mp3 ) Death Cab for Cutie - Talking Bird ( mp3 ) Deehunter - Never Stops ( mp3 ) Duchess Says - Ccut Up ( mp3 ) Haley Bonar - Something Great ( mp3 ) Jukebox The Ghost - Good Day (Andrew Maury Remix) ( mp3 ) Middle Class Rut - All Walks Of Life ( mp3 ) Mogwai - Sun Smells Too Loud ( mp3 ) The Bowery Riots - Should I Look The Other Way ( mp3 ) The Rural Alberta Advantage - [...]
Songs That Might Otherwise Pass You By The Rural Alberta Advantage, "In The Summertime" This song is as sweet as it is short: 2 minutes and 37 seconds--it's over before you've registered it. You're left feeling a little dazed, like you stared way too long at the sun; everything you look at for the next few minutes has a yellow aura around it. Also, you may get that feeling of content from
photo taken at the Gladstone by Marc Hodges. Hey everyone. I hope you all had a smashing Canada Day. To celebrate I'm going to give a quick shout out to a great, Canadian band, The Rural Alberta Advantage, who shared the bill with Entire Cities at The Artel. Going into this show I had a passing [...]
It's Canada's birthday today . Did you get the Great White North something special you file sharing ingrates? I keed, I keed, but it's only been a mere 141 years since the nation known for hockey, Molson, Rush and other things I can't really stand was started. I'll be out BBQ-ing and drinking beers, but I wanted to give you a few great musical reasons that make Canada special. So without further ado: Miracle Fortress - Digital Love (Daft Punk cover) Graham's Five Roses was an absolute stunner [...]
a few choice pieces that have been sitting tucked into various corners of the anyone's guess mansion & patiently awaiting someone to show them off: skipping girl vinegar - one chance "one chance" is a loose & sort of bluesy affair with added pace, and the first single from the upcoming debut album, sift the noise , by the melbourne band skipping girl vinegar [...]
I think it's quite obvious that this years NXNE festival has completely zonked me, making it difficult to throw words up on this blog that even slightly resembles anything literate, but hecks if I don't put forth an effort here today. Now you may be wondering: why am I putting up the monthly 'sup? post for July when it's only the 24th of June? Well this is because I'm off to New York tomorrow night and I won't be back till next week and by then it's going to be the 30th, and I don't know [...]
Song obsessions are those songs that we listen to on repeat. I noticed that my obsessions are often a week long. I also thought that other people might have similar obsessions. I've collected a panel of a few like-minded individuals and gotten their "song obsessions of the week." Quite often it's easy to explain why the song is good; it's much hard to explain why we're obsessed. Maybe you'll become obsessed with one of these. - Adrian ( me ): the Rural Alberta Advantage - Don't Haunt This Place [...]
London, ON: Burgeoning Metropolis
Chromewaves
Quick Before It Melts
Herohill
das klienicum
inkiostro
i'm waking up to...
Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good
Song, by Toad
Berkeley Place
ipickmynose
Pirika
Cerulean's Love of Music
B(oot)log
anyone's guess
It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans
Beat Culture
MOKB Premiere : Hacienda : Don’t Keep Me Waiting
Monday Music – 28 May 2012
Andre 3000 As Jimi Hendrix: Foxey
Listen: The Vaccines – No Hope
