DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Paper (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Fruit (remix) (MP3)

cover of Rafter's new album

Growing up in San Diego you hear kids toss around the name Rafter Roberts with a hushed kind of reverence. Little later those same kids get older and when the dude comes up in conversation, he's just that--a dude, a bro, a likable, lovable, redheaded guy you'll find dancing at the Whistle Stop with his lovely lady or just walkin' around in the good clean morning sunlight, smiling and healthy and right with the world.

The reverence I felt as an impressionable San Diego kid was for the albums the man produced and engineered. Black Heart Procession, Tristeza, Rocket from the Crypt, all the big guns were there. Later, he helmed records for folks like the Shaky Hands, the Fiery Furnaces, and label-mates Castanets, Sufjan Stevens, and DM Stith. (His credits are far too lengthy to list here but, let it be said, the guy has worked his share of wonders.) [Adam Gnade for Asthmatic Kitty]

Rafter's new electro/dance-pop record, Animal Feelings, came out April 13th, and it's currently streaming online. The (not totally SFW) song "Paper" is above, as is a remix of of the album's song "Fruit."

Rafter is currently supporting the new album with shows, and there are three in New York coming up. On Wednesday, April 21st, Rafter plays with Kings Go Forth at Mercury Lounge (tickets are on sale). He plays again on April 22nd with Hussle Club, My Gold Mask and C-Mon & Kypski at Public Assembly Loft (the upstairs space at Public Assembly) (the show was moved from Cameo - flyer below), and on April 24th at Glasslands with Frances and Necking.

All tour dates, a live video and album tracklist are below...

Continue reading "Rafter - new album out (MP3), 2010 tour dates (3 NYC shows)"

DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Sweat (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Salt (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Juicy (MP3)

The EP began as a collaborative project with photographer Lizeth Santos to complete an art project a day. For Rafter, this often meant a self-made song entirely from production, vocals, to instrumentation, accompanied by a corresponding photograph from Lizeth. Asthmatic Kitty published a handful of these on their website, and they made their way onto blogs and forums from there.

Rafter's Sweaty Magic EP was released by Asthmatic Kitty in September. Three of the seven tracks on the disc are available at the top of this post for free. One of those songs first appeared on this blog last year.

TONIGHT (Friday, November 21) Rafter plays a very rare NYC show at Cake Shop at 8PM (his actual posted set time). That's it. 8 PM on a Friday, one Rafter show and then he's probably going right back to San Diego to live in obscurity for another two years.

A video and his only other scheduled date, below...

Continue reading "Rafter (Bunky) is here, and with a new EP - download some "

DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Salt (MP3)

salt - i had this dream - i'm dancing with this girl, see, and i really like her, yeah? but there's this other dude - step off, dude! hey lady, we should jam! yeah, we really should jam. then i feel bad and apologize to them both for being so forward, but really it's the truth. we get cooking at the end, and we're jamming. cooking and jamming. sweet! -Rafter

Remember how Rafter has been making kick-ass songs to match his girlfriend Lizeth's pretty pictures? Well, the above MP3 & picture are a set they created just for BrooklynVegan. Enjoy.

Rafter's new album Sex Death Cassette will be released by Asthmatic Kitty on January 22nd. MP3, art & tracklist below....

Continue reading "an exclusive RAFTER MP3 called "Salt" & info on his new album called "Sex Death Cassette""

DOWNLOAD: Rafter - Anthropomorphic (MP3)

about the project...
hi, i'm rafter (www.myspace.com/rafterroberts & http://asthmatickitty.com/musicians.php?artistID=7), and these songs are from a project i'm doing with my sweet and rad girlfriend lizeth - we both were feeling unproductive, and somehow ended up daring ourselves to finish 1 art project a day. we take turns giving the day a theme, and we both do something for it. for her, that's photos (www.lizethsantos.com) and for me it's songs. so i've been writing and recording a song a day... here's one of them, and her corresponding photo...

Here's another one and another one and another one and another one and another one and one more from Rafter and Lizbeth.

Rafter (Bunky)'s Asthmatic Kitty labelmate My Brightest Diamond is playing her show with Tim Fite at the Gramercy Theatre on Saturday (Nov 17). I have two pairs of tickets to give away. Do you want one of those pairs? E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: diamond) with the name of the Christmas song you wrote for Sufjan (or just tell me the last show you saw) (or recommend a song I should listen to). Include your first and last name. Two winners will be picked at random and notified ASAP.

Castanets are in this family too. Check out that beard.

and last, but not least (ok, maybe least)....

DOWNLOAD: Indie Blockedappela - Yes/No (Bunky)
DOWNLOAD: Indie Blockedappela - Golden Star (My Brightest Diamond)
DOWNLOAD: Indie Blockedappela - Come on Feel the Illinoise (Sufjan)
DOWNLOAD: Indie Blockedappela - Decatur, Or, Round of Applause For Your Step Mother! (Sufjan) (MP3)