It can be hard for bands known for their live shows to translate on record. With two drummers and lead singer Nils Endeloff’s heart-on-sleeve singing, the Rural Alberta Advantage is a dynamic force in person, but their two albums can sound kind of thin. So the Toronto band went back to the drawing board. For album number three, they toured and wrote at the same time to retain that live energy. “We’d try out a new song live on stage, listen to the recording of that performance the next day in the van and then repeat the whole process again the next night,” says multi-instrumentalist Amy Cole.
The result is Mended With Gold, out September 30. The RAA sounds re-energized, tackling weighty subject matter with shouted choruses and dramatic flourishes. Their secret weapon has always been drummer Paul Banwatt, and on Mended With Gold, he’s pushed to the forefront, just like their live shows. “Terrified” is a crashing tour-de-force, filled with group harmonies, pianos, and the band’s trademark explosive power.
