Castanets go into Refuge with Fall tour

By Alex Young on October 11th, 2008

Considering the atmosphere surrounding Ray Rapos as he recorded his latest studio endeavor under the Castanets pseudonym, the New York native probably can’t wait to get out on the road. The result of three weeks alone in a middle of nowhere Nevada motel, the 15-track City of Refuge is Rapos’ forth attempt at an all out music exploration - this time around, he took a stab at the “realism and naturalism of the source material” (ie., that secluded, isolated hotel.)

Minimal overdubs by friends Jana Hunter, Sufjan Stevens, Dawn Smithson (Jessamine, Sunn O)))), solo), Scott Tuma (Souled American, Boxhead Ensemble, solo), and co-producer Ero Gray were added later, but the silence of the sparsely populated region underscores the sounds of Raposa’s voice and instruments. With an uneasy, asymmetric weave of sung songs, chants, electronic noise solos and spaghetti-western guitar interludes, City of Refuge suggests a film soundtrack, with overture, mood-setting and plot-development songs, intermission, character studies, and themes of resolution and reconciliation.

Needless to say, Rapos’ newly announced fall tour surely comes as a welcome relief, at least from the respect that socializing opportunities will be a plenty. Castanets will proceed the November dates with a stop at CMJ for Chouette’s Showcase at the Cakeshop.

Check Out:
“Glory B”

City of Refuge Tracklist:
01. Celestial Shore
02. High Plain 1
03. The Destroyer
04. Prettiest Chain
05. Refuge 1
06. The Quiet
07. Glory B
08. High Plain 3
09. I’ll Fly Away
10. The Hum
11. Savage
12. Shadow Valley
13. High Plain 2
14. Refuge 2
15. After the Fall

Castanets 2008 Tour Dates:
10/24 - New York, NY @ Cakeshop (Chouette Official CMJ Party)
11/06 - Columbus, OH @ The Summit *
11/07 - Chicago, IL @ The Hideout *
11/08 - Beloit, WI @ Beloit College *
11/11 - Vancouver, BC @ Media Club *
11/12 - Seattle, WA @ High Dive *
11/13 - Portland, OR @ Holocene *
11/14 - San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah *
11/15 - Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s *
11/17 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive *
11/19 - St. Louis, MO @ The Bluebird *
11/20 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone
11/21 - Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn *
11/22 - Chapel Hill, NC @ UNC Chapel Hill *
11/23 - Washington, DC @ DC9 *
11/24 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *
11/25 - Boston, MA @ TT the Bear’s *