Castanets visit City of Refuge in October

It's hard not to make comparisons between Ray Raposa and Conor Oberst. Both are singer-songwriters that are the only constant members of their respective bands. Both make copious use of seemingly random instrument tinkering. Both deal in the musical currency of folk (albeit very different types). We could go on for a while, but this isn't about Mr. Bright Eyes. This is about Raposa and his Castanets.

After a three-week crash course in the Nevada desert (don't worry he was in a hotel room), Raposa created Castanets' fourth full-length album, City of Refuge. Along for the ride were myriad of other musically-gifted friends such as Sufjan Stevens, Jana Hunter and Dawn Smithson.

The album will drop on Oct. 7, and is joined by Dub Refuge, Ero Gray's dub version of City of Refuge, and a Castanets' album of Hank Williams cover songs, all set for release around the same time.

If Raposa goes on tour for City of Refuge you can expect a rotating cast of characters from town to town. Hey, maybe Oberst will stop by.

Related links:
Castanets on Asthmatic Kitty Records
YouTube: Castanets - "A Song Is Not the Song of the World"
Ctrl-V: Ray Raposa does not have lyme disease

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