Rural Alberta Advantage - Mended with Gold

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 2 / 10 / 2014

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The third album from acclaimed Canadian three-piece band the Rural Alberta Advantage isn’t going to disappoint any one who bought their previous albums, but it’s too early to say for sure if they are going to win any new fans with this latest collection of twelve original songs. While the trio of Nils Edenloff (guitar, vocals, songwriting), Paul Banwatt (drums) and Amy Cole (keyboards and far too little vocally; Cole makes the songs she contributes to vocally shine) are obviously extremely competent musicians and Edenloff can write solid melodic songs that are also lyrically strong, is that enough to make them stand out from the pack? The fans who have shelled out their hard-earned money on the Rural Alberta Advantage’s previous albums certainly seem to think so. It appears that once their music gets under your skin it stays there and you’re a fan for life. But while there’s no doubting the sincerity of the band and the music they produce is well-played and produced they are not exactly pushing any boundaries or creating anything that we haven’t heard many times before. The fact that what they do they do very well doesn’t change the feeling that we’ve heard it all before. To add to the well-worn comparisons to Arcade Fire and Neutral Milk Hotel, we can now add a few touches of U2 (yes really) to the mix and throw in a little Deacon Blue. In fact the more these ears hear ‘Mended with Gold’, the more Deacon Blue come to mind. This is really no bad thing but if I want to listen to the Beatles why would I listen to Oasis? There is just too little originality here to make this more than an average album which is a crime as in Edenloff the band have an exceptional songwriter and a more than decent singer who is obviously capable, and no doubt one day will, make that great album which is, unfortunately, still under gestation. Take ‘Not Love or Death’ as an example, the emotion in Edenloff’s vocals (and he can sing, there’s little doubt of that) sounds forced. There’s so much going on behind him that it’s like each instrument is fighting for a chance to be heard. Again the players are brilliant. It’s just sad that such energy was wasted on a song that really doesn’t go anywhere. Banwatt is obviously a talented drummer, and his work is the only thing of note on this track. ‘On the Rocks’ is saved thanks to Amy Cole’s vocal contribution, again there’s a solid melody there and exceptional playing by all concerned, especially once again Banwatt, but there’s a feeling of emptiness when it’s all over. Apart from Banwatt’s drumming and Cole’s vocals there’s nothing overtly exceptional about the song. Even ‘Terrified’, which seems to be attracting all the attention just now, is notable only by Cole’s vocal contribution and Banwatt’s ceaseless energy. It’s another run-of-the-mill rock anthem that shorn of those two factors above wouldn’t merit a second listen. While those who have already fallen under the Rural Alberta Advantage’s spell will find more of the same here and will no doubt be just as smitten as there were with the previous two albums, there’s little to attract the curious buyer. Even with exceptional playing and a solid songwriter if the final results lack any spark of originality or are missing that special ingredient that reaches out and touches the listener as ‘On the Rocks’ does in places it all seems a wasted opportunity. We can only hope that The Rural Alberta Advantage take their music in a different direction next time and inject a little soul into their next project. It’s there in the background vocals and percussion. Maybe they need some direction to capture that missing piece in the studio next time.

Track Listing:-

1 Our Love…
2 This City
3 On the Rocks
4 Terrified
5 Runners In the Night
6 To Be Scared
7 45_33
8 All We've Ever Known
9 The Build
10 Vulcan, Ab
11 Not Love or Death
12 …on the Run

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/ruralalberta
http://www.theraa.com/
https://twitter.com/ruralalberta

Label Links:-

http://paperbagrecords.com/
https://twitter.com/paperbagrecords
https://www.facebook.com/PaperBagRecords/
https://www.youtube.com/user/PaperBag13

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