Customer Reviews

Departing

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Recently, there has been a lot of good music coming out of Canada, and The RAA is no exception. I am surprised there are no reviews yet. This is their second album and I believe it holds up as well as their first. With vocal styling reminiscent of Jeff Magnum of NMH and musically similar to Frighted Rabbit's first album makes this worth checking out (just go by it already and stop wasting your time reading this mediocre review... geesh!). The only complaint I have is this band only has 3 members so it is musically limited in complexity. I would love to see Nils Edenloff's wonderful vocals backed up by by multiple instruments in an larger ensemble (think Arcade Fire). Don't get me wrong, I think they do a excellent job with the musicians they have but I think one or two more musicians could take this band from 4.5 stars to a full 5 stars. When I hear this music I always expect to hear an accordion that is never there; don't ask me why because I do not know. I usually don't review albums because there are people who are far better at it than me. I just thought I would throw my two cents in since no one else has reviewed this album yet.

I've checked out so many of the 2011 releases, thus far, and Departing definately tops my list. Of course, I love the Jeff Mangum-esque vocals (being a huge NMH fan for a long time), but it's also refreshingly simple, well-written, well-played, and well constructed. I think it's even better than their debut, and as such, deserves even greater acclaim. I always like great two or three member bands, I think fewer band members works very well in this case (and none more are needed). Basicly, buy Departing, you'll love it.

I totally agree with all the reviewers before me, but I wanted to just echo how great this album is. I recently listened to the new Strokes album and after it was over, this album came on. And wow, the difference is amazing. While the Strokes album is good, it lacks something, and that is melodies that stick out. The Rural Alberta Advantage caught my attention with "Hometowns", an album that is incredible on its own right, with great emotional lyrics, guitar bliss, and solid melodies, but not as polished as "Departing". "Two Lovers" is an interesting first song on the album, and it is one of the slowest tempo songs on the album. It does not set the mood musically but it does musically. The next 7 or 8 songs are mid to fast tempo songs with incredible percussion, amazing lyrics, and gorgeous melodies (e.g. "North Star"). This is the album so far in 2011 that sticks out to me as the best...it will be hard to take down. The Strokes don't even come close, but perhaps it is just personal preference. But in my opinion, this band is probably the most underrated but most talented "unknown" band out there right now.

Hands down a masterpiece. Once I took "Two Lovers" off repeat, I was treated to an album full of songs as rich and inspiring as the track that prompted me to buy the album. This three piece squeezes a lot of sound out of a format that would limit lesser musicians.

At first when listening to RAA's second album I didn't think that it was up to the standards of the first album they put out "Hometowns". But after a few play throughs I found that it actually surpasses that first said album. With this new album every song featured is well orchastrated and is well thought out and polished.

The real difference from "Hometowns" and this new album is that pretty much every song on this new album is great to stupendis, where as "Hometowns" as amazing as it was, had a few duds, holding it back from being truly perfect. The "Departing" is one of the best albums to come out this year, and with good reasons with songs like "Under the Knife", the lyrically reminiscent "North Star", and the fantastic and best track "Stamp" (Until you play the album over and over, and discover how amazing all the other tracks are). As before, lead singer Nils Edenloff brings the heartache and relevent vocals and lyrics that he pulls from his past memories from small town Alberta. Being someone who grew up in Alberta I completly feel where he's coming from, but the emotional lyrics will reach all that are willing to listen.

While this album might hook you right away it will blow you away with further listens. The final thought is that you will either think this is a really good album or one of the best you've heard in a while. You can't go wrong with picking this disc up. Enjoy!

9/10

Ice is the driving metaphor and lyrically it means a good love gone bad, and there you have it. I'm more intrigued when they're naming places like the Central Rockies or the North Star. The context of Alberta's snowy fields also helps. The rest are very well done dynamics. They have an expansiveness in their tight little arrangements that is both dramatic and melancholic. Just like the frontier life.