The Rural Alberta Advantage - A Metacritic Success Story

Jedi

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by thecosmos:
I was in my local record store today and I overheard someone asking the clerk if they had any copies of Hometowns today. They didn't, but then later I asked him about it and he said that they had just ordered a bunch directly from the band. I then preceded to tell him that it was an awesome, awesome album.

Just another fun story I thought I'd share.

Cool! Thanks for the story, Cosmo!

How long is it going to be before these guys get signed?

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

Elitist_Pretentious

Apprentice Guru

Posted

Does the bandwagon have room for one more? I finally got this today and I'm loving it so far. "Drain the Blood" and "The Deadroads" are my current favorites.

Wow. This CD deserves way more than the shoddy packaging it was sent to me in.

Thanks Troy, nmeiborg, and the rest of the forum for pushing this band hard. I'm glad to have heard this album.

"You're the shit and I'm knee-deep in it."

Posts: 549 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 28 August 2008

Ignored post by Elitist_Pretentious posted

Jedi

Posted

I was bored at work, so I was checking on the status of "our band". I found the following article on AOL Music Canada:

9 in '09

It says that they will be releasing an EP sometime in '09, and will be playing some dates in the US, including NYC in January. (Please come to L.A. Please!)

Also, there is this statement:

quote:
Often dubbed “the best unsigned band in Canada,” the RAA are currently considering their record-label options, but haven’t decided whether or not they even want to go that route.

What does that mean? They "haven't decided whether or not they even want to go that route"? I don't know what labels have come calling yet, but they must not be promising if remaining unsigned seems like a better option at the time.

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

Jedi

Posted

I also found these links. The RAA made Chromewaves' top ten, complete with decorative dinnerware: Chromewaves' Top 10

I discovered this while browsing through NOW Magazine, which prominently features the aforementioned decorative dinnerware with its article Beginning of the Year-Ends.

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

RavingLunatic

"Forum Moderator"
Jedi

Posted

Wow, very cool, Troy. That Chromewaves dude must be pretty serious about his year-end list to create decorative dinner plates for each of his top-10 picks.

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I have no race prejudices, and I think I have no color prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All that I care to know is that a man is a human being—that is enough for me; he can't be any worse.

Posts: 4621 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005

Ignored post by RavingLunatic posted

Jedi

Posted

Update: Hometowns was #49 on eMusic's list of best sellers. Not bad.

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

Jedi

Posted

Wow! A top 10 finish in the year-end poll. That's awesome.

To put this in perspective, last year Bon Iver self-released For Emma, Forever Ago. It received a lot of attention on these boards, and many people had it in their year-end lists. But, it finished at #48. This year, it was #2.

So, if Hometowns gets a record label release, are we all going to vote for it again?

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

I should coco

Participant

Posted

Thanks The Fall of Troy and all of you guys for letting me know about this record.

I saw your recommendations, checked the RAA out on myspace, then ordered their album online (that was the first time I did that, ever!).

In eight days time it arrived, here in Italy.

I love the album, one of my faves of last year.

Thank you!

Posts: 45 | Registered: 15 January 2007

Ignored post by I should coco posted

RavingLunatic

"Forum Moderator"
Jedi

Posted

I gave a burnt copy of Hometowns to a co-worker of mine who's a music fanatic. He loved it and is going to order the album. Like some others, he said he really liked the drumming. Everyone seems to love the RAA, don't they?

Posts: 4621 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005

Ignored post by RavingLunatic posted

Jedi

Posted

After the results of the voting came in last Saturday, I sent the following e-mail to The RAA:

quote:
Hello again,

I just thought you guys would like to know that Hometowns was voted by Metacritic users as the #10 album of 2008. 150 voters worldwide selected their favorite 20 albums. Hometowns appeared on over 40 lists and received 4 #1 votes.

There is some precedence for an unsigned act receiving recognition by Metacritic users. Last year, Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago was on many year-end lists, but finished just outside of the top 20. This year, after being re-released on a respectable indie label, Bon Iver came in #2 on this year's poll. So, Hometowns making the top 10 is quite an accomplishment and foreshadows big things for the band.

If you're interested, here's a link to the top 40 with a write-up for Hometowns written by yours truly: http://forums.metacritic.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6520081715/m/7270015985

Next week, the top 20 will be added to Metacritic's "Best of 2008" page with all of the top 10 lists from major websites and publications.

Congratulations. I sure hope the RAA gets a good record deal soon. You sure deserve it.

This morning, I received the following, very gracious response:

quote:
Hey Troy,

#10! That's unreal.

Thank you again for all the support over at Metacritic. Who knows what will happen in the future, but we definitely feel that getting so much support from you guys is a really amazing accomplishment for us.

We have some upcoming shows in the States and it looks like we'll be heading to SXSW as well, so hopefully we'll be able to meet some of you in person!

Thanks again,
--AMY

So, what do you guys say? Let's have a Metacritic RAA Fan Club field trip to Austin, March 18-21 to catch the RAA at the SXSW Festival.

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

Jedi

Posted

Here's a link to a list of acts playing at SXSW:
SXSW preliminary list of bands.

Holy Shit! The line-up includes: Andrew Bird, Ra Ra Riot, Langhorne Slim, The Tallest Man on Earth, St. Vincent, J. Tillman, Gang Gang Dance, The Airborne Toxic Event, Akron/Family, Anathallo, Beach House, Black Lips, Blind Pilot, Elliot Brood, Grampall Jookabox, The War on Drugs, Grizzly Bear, Horse Feathers, The Mae Shi, Laura Marling, Port O'Brien, The Ravonettes, Shugo Tokumoru, The Week that Was, and . . .

A chance to meet the RAA.

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

Shadrach

Jedi

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by The Fall of Troy:

So, what do you guys say? Let's have a Metacritic RAA Fan Club field trip to Austin, March 18-21 to catch the RAA at the SXSW Festival.

Dude, you are on a first name basis with Amy?

Nice. I think it would be cool if a group from the board could get together. The problem is, if you tried to pin us all on a map, we would quickly discover how very spread out we are. Good luck meeting the band though. That would be cool.

Also, We should send an email out to Metalica just to let them know that they lost this year.

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There's an ember in the rafters and it's gonna burn this whole thing down.

Shadrach on LastFM

Posts: 2679 | Location: Anchorage, Alaska | Registered: 08 August 2007

Ignored post by Shadrach posted

Jedi

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Shadrach:

Dude, you are on a first name basis with Amy?

We're BFF.

________________
The record buying public shouldn't be voting.

Posts: 1117 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006

Ignored post by The Fall of Troy posted

EricG75

"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Shadrach:
Also, We should send an email out to Metalica just to let them know that they lost this year.

Poor Metallica. They're probably weeping in their mansions knowing you're mocking them.

On a serious note, maybe more people should send bands a letter about their placement in our poll. Who knows, maybe you'd get some free shit out of it. At the worst, maybe you'd get an email from Dave Sitek wondering why "Dancing Choose" failed to top our songs poll.

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Use all your well-learned politesse or I'll lay your soul to waste.

Posts: 5924 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005

Ignored post by EricG75 posted

youandwhosearmy

Apprentice Guru

Posted

Still trying with this album, still not seein' it. High hopes for their next one.

---
Sometimes fake fights turn out bad, sometimes actresses get slapped.

Posts: 372 | Location: Map Ref. 41° N 93° W | Registered: 19 August 2007

Ignored post by youandwhosearmy posted

goathouse

Jedi

Posted

Hey RAA.

If you're reading this thread on occasion please take this advice: Enjoy yourselves! Be happy! Make it happen for yourselves and for us and for your other fans and families! Juzz do it!

(And be nice to each other.

)

_______________________
I deal with criticism

Posts: 1241 | Registered: 07 December 2006

Ignored post by goathouse posted

Chamberk

Jedi

Posted

Amy, if you're reading this:

What's up.

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Aren't there any girls out their who like good music? I need to and want to meet them. My favorite bands are Overkill River, The Nife, Songs:Ohio, and Nuetral Milk Hotel. Please let me know if your into indy music and like to go to show's and drink beer's and makeout.

Posts: 2712 | Location: ATL-abouts. | Registered: 24 October 2006

Ignored post by Chamberk posted

theelfpat

Know-It-All

Posted

http://www.last.fm/user/pitchwick/

Are there any NY meta-criticers out there interested in seeing them make their USA live debut next Tuesday at Pianos for $8?

For the rest of you, if I can get off work and go, I will make sure to takes lots of photos and start a RAA group on Flickr (which I'm sure will grow quite large once they break out).

Posts: 336 | Location: Brooklyn | Registered: 17 December 2006

Ignored post by theelfpat posted

crob3888

Jedi

Posted

Goddamn, I wish I could attend that show.

The more I listen to Hometowns, the more I feel completely terrible for placing it at 20 on my best of 08 list!

I hope they make it out to Los Angeles, if they ever do.

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Will the fight for our sanity be the fight of our lives?
http://www.last.fm/user/crob3888

Posts: 1787 | Location: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: 16 August 2008

Ignored post by crob3888 posted