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Rural Alberta Advantage debut video for "Not Love Or Death"

by Lindsay Kimball

May 28, 2015

Video still from "Not Love or Death"
The Rural Alberta Advantage's Nils Edenloff in the video for "Not Love or Death"
Courtesy the artist / Sean Wainsteim

The majority of the lyrical themes in Rural Alberta Advantage songs center on love: falling into and out of it. So it makes sense that their videos do too.

The new video for "Not Love or Death" from their third album Mended with Gold, features a young woman recalling the joys, the dramas, the everyday nothings of young love. The backdrop is her bedroom, and she and her first love are the starring characters with cameos from her parents. The soundtrack is the energetic RAA song complete with its trademark rapid-fire-drumming under bright harmonies building to an intense burst of sound.

"This was the first song we wrote and recorded for Mended With Gold," says the band's Amy Cole. "It's hands-down my favourite song from the record, and I think it's one of the best songs we've ever done. The whole thing sounds like it's seconds away from totally spiraling out of control and crashing hard, which is pretty much our sweet spot as a band."

Scenes of the young relationship fade in and fade out as Rural Alberta Advantage continue to play in in the corner of the bedroom as the couple cuddles, works on homework, hangs out, and as they have a fight. The song nears its end as the relationship comes to an end. "We've been fighting hard, the embers have been gone, going out for a while..."

The last sweet memory is a hug and kiss, and as it fades away, so does "Not Love or Death."

The video is directed by award-winning director Sean Wainsteim.

The Rural Alberta Advantage are touring in support of Mended With Gold on the festival circuit this summer. Tour dates at theraa.com.