The Rural Alberta Advantage On World Cafe

The Rural Alberta Advantage met in Toronto, but their name is a play on a provincial slogan from singer-guitarist Nils Edenloff's native Alberta. Memories of small-town childhood loom large in the RAA's music, particularly on their breakthrough 2009 album Hometowns.

The trio's inventive arrangements (swapping in lo-fi keyboard for bass) and heartfelt, plainspoken songwriting have earned them critical acclaim and a reputation as one of the indie-folk scene's rising stars. Their latest album, Departing, was recently nominated for Canada's Polaris Music Prize.

The Rural Alberta Advantage perform live on this week's episode of World Cafe.