Mended With Gold

LP PACKAGING NOTES: Grey vinyl pressed at GZ Includes download card Mended With Gold makes it clear that The RAA have reached the next level. Two key elements led to the band composing the most fully-realized work of their career: the band’s road warrior status and the chance to take full advantage of their time in the studio this time around. The trio spent months shaping the songs, sometimes first on keyboard, then guitar (and visa versa), and taking others on the road to workshop live. “We spent this past winter both touring and writing.  We'd never combined the two before,” Amy reflects, “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. I think you can really hear how the three of us came together to shape the songs on this record.” While the sonics have now evolved, through the help of long-time live sound engineer Matt Lederman co-producer Leon Taheny (Owen Pallett, Austra, F*cked Up), the plaintive lyrics and creative arrangements that helped define the band have remained. Standout tracks “Terrified", "On The Rocks", "Runners in the Night", and "Vulcan, AB" confront ideas of love, loss, and heartbreak through the pain of going through such experiences and the person that comes out on the other side of it. Nils recalls, "Last spring, I rented a remote cottage up in the Bruce Peninsula on the recommendation of some friends to try to do some writing for the new album. It turned out to be a pretty terrifying place to be alone with your thoughts- locals told me to watch out for black bears, the heat wasn’t working and at night it sounded like the cottage was surrounded by wolves. I slept with a pocket knife at arms-reach. It’s funny the lines that will run through your head when you’re alone like that and trying to get yourself to sleep- they inspired "To Be Scared", which is probably one of my favorite songs on the record." The ideas and moods created in these songs tie back to the album title Mended With Gold, embracing the idea that the breakage and repair of an object becomes part of its unique history and ultimately makes it more valuable instead of a blemish to disguise. The Rural Alberta Advantage have taken all of their successes, losses, adventures, and heartbreaks over the past few years, and forged them together into an unforgettably powerful work of beauty. Release Date: September 23rd, 2014 TRACK LIST 01. Our Love… 02. This City 03. On the Rocks 04. Terrified 05. Runners in the Night 06. To Be Scared 07. 45/33 08. All We’ve Ever Known 09. The Build 10. Vulcan, AB 11. Not Love or Death 12. …On the Run