The Rural Alberta Advantage has been creating buzz over the digital airwaves for years now but will be officially releasing their first full length EP on July 7.

Lead singer and songwriter Nils Edenloff named the band when he moved from Edmonton, Alberta to Toronto, Ontario in 2003 and wrote a series of tributes to his hometown. A friend convinced him to begin playing the songs at an open mic night in Toronto and so it began from there.

In 2006, Edenloff and friends Paul Banwatt and Amy Cole became the permanent band members of RAA and recorded a five song EP. The band spent most of 2007 recording “Hometowns”, their first full length album. They began selling the record at their shows in early 2008 without an official release. Via pure word-of-mouth promotion, Herohill.com titled RAA “the best unsigned act in Canada”.

RAA really started catching people’s attention in November 2008 when they were suggested to digital music retailer eMusic by a fan and became an eMusic Selects artist. eMusic also put RAA on stage at this years South by Southwest festival. The gig hooked the Canadian trio up with Saddle Creek Records (Bright Eyes, Cursive). The band will be releasing “Hometowns” officially on the label in July and will then set out on a full North American tour.

Sat, Jun 20, Indianapolis, IN, The Vollrath

Sun, Jun 21, Madison, WI, High Noon Saloon

Mon, Jun 22, Minneapoils, MN, 7th Street Entry

Tue, Jun 23, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Royal Albert Arms

Thu, Jun 25, Calgary, AB, Canada, Sled Island Festival

Fri, Jun 26, Calgary, AB, Canada, Sled Island Festival

Sat, Jun 27, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Brixx

Tue, Jun 30, Regina, SK, Canada, The Club at The Exchange

Sun, Jul 5, Vancouver, BC, Canada, The Media Club

Mon, Jul 6, Seattle, WA, Sunset Tavern

Tue, Jul 7, Portland, OR, Backspace

Thu, Jul 9, San Francisco, CA, Bottom of the Hill

Fri, Jul 10, Los Angeles, CA, The Echo

Sat, Jul 11, Phoenix, AZ, Modified

Mon, Jul 13, Salt Lake City, UT, Kilby Court

Tue, Jul 14, Denver, CO, Hi-Dive

Wed, July 15, Omaha, NE, Slowdown

Sat, Jul 25, Guelph, ON, Hillside Festival

Sun-Jul-26, Guelph, ON, Hillside Festival

Sat, Aug 1, Montreal, QC, Canada, Osheaga Music and Arts Festival

Sun, Aug 2, Montreal, QC, Canada, Osheaga Music and Arts Festival

Tue, Aug 4, Brooklyn, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg

Wed, Aug 5, Cambridge, MA, Middle East (Upstairs)

Thu, Aug 6, Ottawa, ON, Canada, Mavericks

Sat, Aug 8, Wolfe Island, ON, Canada, Wolfe Island Musicfest

Mon, Aug 24, Chicago, IL, Pritzker Pavilion

Thu, Aug 27, Mount Pleasant, MI, Rubble’s Bar