Arborea Raises Funds to Tour New Album

There are not many musicians I would use the word “privilege” for when speaking of getting to hear them play. But it is a privilege to hear Buck and Shanti of the indie folk duo Arborea create their music live. It is a privilege they would like to share more widely as they raise funds to bring their new album Red Planet to the world.

Arborea has previously have produced three critically successful albums (Wayfaring Summer [2006], Arborea S/T [2008], and House of Sticks [2009]). The duo played in Brewer previously, in a show arranged by collective member Martin Chartrand of the then-trio BreadRose, which opened for Arborea. It was the first time I’d heard of them; their CDs soon became an essential for road trips and making dinner. But their live performances are such that once you’ve been to one, the CDs are a bit of a tease.

Though Shanti and Buck reside here in Maine, they tour widely and internationally.
Throughout their journey, Shanti and Buck have recorded and produced all of their CDs, videos and artwork themselves, and it’s taken everything they had to do so. Now, they are asking for some help through the fundraising site Kickstarter to help produce what they feel will be “one of the very best records and tour of our lives!” Their goal is to raise $2500 of their total costs on Kickstarter, allowing them to master and manufacture the CD. If they raise $2000 over their goal, they will be able to press vinyl records, something fans have been asking for. (For vinyl fans like myself, there is nothing like the ritual of extracting a record from its paper sleeve, setting it down and hearing the brief static as the needle finds its first song, and hearing the warmth of that analog sound fill up your house.)


“Careless Love,” music and film by Arborea

Shanti and Buck are also hoping to raise more than their goal so that they can put funds toward their international tour. “Shanti and I love sharing the intimate part of making the music come alive through performance and we are committed to traveling in America, Ireland, the UK, and Europe...but we'll need extra pledge funds to help us all get there,” says Buck.

Kickstarter works in a very simple way. There’s a fundraising goal and a time limit, and donors make a “pledge”; if the goal is reached by the end of the fundraising period, Kickstarter charges your credit card for the amount of your pledge. But if the goal is not reached, you aren’t charged anything-- and the group doesn’t raise any money. You can pledge a dollar or $100-- and Arborea has added some wonderful gifts to inspire you to be generous. There are free mp3 downloads, CDs, free entry to shows, and more.

Can you help? Click to the left to help Arborea reach their goal!