Rubblebucket

Biography

Rubblebucket is an indie-dance collective founded by Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth, who first met as jazz students at the University of Vermont and eventually formed a romantic relationship before graduating in 2006. The band officially began with a jam session at the Hood Plant in Burlington, Vermont in 2007, initially billed as "Rubblebucket Orchestra" before becoming active as Rubblebucket in March 2008. The project emerged as Traver and Toth's vehicle to explore beyond jazz, delving into pop, funk, dance, and psychedelia with a full ensemble of five founding members. Their early years were marked by significant life challenges; in 2013, Traver was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and underwent chemotherapy, yet the band managed to release their critically acclaimed album "Survival Sounds" in August 2014. Despite their musical success and the support Toth provided during Traver's illness, the couple's romantic relationship ended in 2016, though they remained creative partners.

Following their breakup, both members pursued solo projects—Toth created the punk-influenced Alexander F project after a silent meditation retreat in Canada, while Traver developed her solo work under the name Kalbells—before reuniting as Rubblebucket (but not as romantic partners) in 2022. The band's trajectory reflects their ability to channel personal hardship and transformation into artistic growth, with subsequent albums including "Sun Machine" (2018), "Earth Worship" (2022), and their most recent full-length LP "Year of the Banana." Rubblebucket has performed at major festivals including Bonnaroo and Glastonbury, collaborated with genre-blending artists like Arcade Fire and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears, and founded their own self-curated Dream Picnic Festival. Their music has evolved into what they describe as increasingly groovy and transformative work, reflecting the deep bond and creative synergy between its core members despite the complexities of their personal history.

As of 2025, Rubblebucket continues to be an active touring and recording project, with Traver and Toth remaining the group's front persons, co-writers, and co-producers. The band represents a unique case of musical partners who successfully navigated romantic dissolution while maintaining a vibrant creative partnership, channeling personal vulnerability into their art. Their genre-blending approach and emphasis on live performance have established them as respected figures in the indie-dance and psychedelic pop landscape.

Fun Facts

• Kalmia Traver was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013, the same week Rubblebucket received their first-ever record label deal from Communion Records. Despite undergoing chemotherapy starting the day before her birthday that summer, the band released the album "Survival Sounds" just over a year later.
• Alex Toth attended an 11-day silent meditation retreat in Canada at the end of 2014, which unexpectedly inspired him to write punk songs for the first time—material that would become his solo project Alexander F.
• The band was originally billed as "Rubblebucket Orchestra" when they formed in 2007 at the Hood Plant in Burlington, Vermont, before shortening their name to Rubblebucket when they became officially active in March 2008.
• Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth, along with other founding members, joined a reggae group upon graduating from the University of Vermont in 2006, an experience that broadened their musical education beyond their jazz training and influenced their collaborative approach to music.

Members

• Adam Dotson
• Alex Toth
• Annakalmia Traver

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• University of Vermont Jazz Program - Both Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth were jazz students who received formal musical training, with Traver specifically studying jazz composition (Foundation for their early musical approach before expanding into funk, pop, and dance) [Early 2000s (pre-graduation 2006)]

Key Collaborators

• Arcade Fire - Genre-blending collaboration with kindred musical artists (Cross-genre collaborations) [2008 onwards]
• Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) - Collaboration with fellow genre-bending musician and producer (Various projects) [2010s]
• The Moldy Peaches - Cover collaboration; Alex Toth knew someone in the band (Cover of 'Anyone Else But You') [2024]
• Communion Records - Record label that signed Rubblebucket for their first major label deal ("Survival Sounds" (2014)) [2013 onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Came out of a Lady (Omega La La)
2. Morning Glory Blanket (Year Of The Banana)
3. Moving Without Touching (Year Of The Banana)
4. Rattlesnake (Year Of The Banana)
5. Came Out of a Lady
6. Carousel Ride (Survival Sounds)
7. Go All The Way With Me (Year Of The Banana)
8. Fruity (Sun Machine)
9. The Sorrow That Comes With Loving You (Year Of The Banana)
10. Swimming In The Light (Year Of The Banana)

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not provided in search results)
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #alternative-dance, #alternative-rock, #art-pop