THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE - Hometowns

When I was in Grade 4, my geography class did a unit on the provinces of Canada. As a sheltered child going to school in small-town Ontario, I had a severe lack of knowledge about the rest my country. Learning about capital cities and the climate doesn’t really give a curious nine-year-old boy much real insight into what it’s like growing up in northern Quebec, coastal Nova Scotia, or rural Alberta. That’s why I wish my younger self had Hometowns, the debut album from The Rural Alberta Advantage, an insightful document packed with more lessons than any textbook. While Canada’s fourth-largest province (thank you, Grade 4 geography) is the literal subject of each of these songs, the themes and stories are universal and timeless. Singer Nils Edenloff is an expert at conjuring up romantic images of life growing up in the prairies, and though I never lived there myself, the situations and stories are still very relatable (Joel Plaskett's 2005 concept album Ashtray Rock would be an suitable comparison). Throw in charming backup vocals care of Amy Cole and outstanding drumming from Paul Banwatt, and you've got yourself a batch of tunes that will be hard to get out of your head.