Pitchfork

Rafter Roberts-- noted San Diego music producer/engineer, bearded half of Asthmatic Kitty pop duo Bunky, and fancier of animal costumes-- is about to go Total Chicken on your ass. While the Shins wince away and Deerhoof get Friend-ly on January 23, Rafter will lay his latest golden egg via Asthmatic. And after intense deliberation, he's decided to title this seventeen-song affair Music for Total Chickens. So you know this guy means business.

What you may not know is he's also all about the YouTube. Following in the platinum-plated footsteps of Lil Jon, and probably inspired by all those clowns who filmed themselves dancing to "Chicken Noodle Soup", Rafter has announced a music video contest. Fans have from now until the album's release date (January 23, in case you missed it) to squawk together a filmed sequence worthy of Total Chickenhood, using one of the four album mp3s linked below.

A panel of "celebrity" Asthmatic Kitty judges (like, omg, maybe Sufjan!) will choose one clucky winner on the basis of video quality, while YouTube fiends will choose a second on the basis of quantity of views. Each gets $500, which should be enough for a Sufjan Christmas box for every soul on your holiday shopping list.

Bunky-- the duo of Rafter and Emily Joyce-- play San Diego's Ken Club on November 15 with the Places.

Music for Total Chickens:

01 Encouragement
02 Hope
03 Tragedy
04 Primera
05 Gentle Men
06 Inspiration
07 Your War
08 Unassailable
09 Interlude
10 Boy
11 Kantanker
12 Merchandise
13 Monsters
14 Hope
15 Peace
16 Intent
17 Ending