GRAVEYARDS - Endings Vol.3 - LP (American Tapes)

   
  Graveyards is the horrific free-jazz/noise project of Wolf Eyes/Dead Machines/American Tapes main man - John Olson. Ben Hall(Traum)and Hans Buetow run the awesome Editions Brokenresearch label,and also makeup this genre bending act.In the last decade they have released a literal slew of lp's,cassettes,seven inches,splits,and tour cd-r's on various labels,including their own American Tapes and Editions Brokensearch.They originated as a two piece and now travel with three,but often collaborate with other well known noiseniks from time to time,in a live setting.They are a mysterious bunch indeed.Their releases never include photos of the band,information on the who plays what,or any sort of real text whatsoever.Mostly just some disturbing images and GRAVEYARDS thrown in somewhere,but even that is a stretch.Their music is nearly as vague in the sense that their influences are nearly impossible to pin.The obvious free-everything pioneers Peter Brotzmann, Arthur Doyle, and even Earle Brown's sparse minimalism all come to mind,but they are like ever-changing chameleon,so nothing sticks with them for too long.

  Endings Vol.3 is a wild concoction indeed.It carelessly tosses a saxophone,cello,drums and a handful of nails into the blender,and forces us listen to it slowly liquefy.The loud,violent grind of metal shrapnel scraping against the glass,mixed with the whirring motor-hum is their aim,but it's only is the first half of their plot.After a while,a sweet and syrupy ooze drips very slowly into a bucket miles below.Spooky strings cry off in the distance,but it's unclear what they are saying.A tattered saxophone whispers a breathy hiss into your ear,and jabs at you unexpectedly.Close by someone is scratching their fingernails against a sheet of metal.Drums flutter with anticipation and eventually burst into tiny pieces on the floor.There are stints of accidental,cohesive jazz bliss that shine throughout this frightening journey.But damage is their game.It's hard to make out exactly what is being played here at times,and that is what they do best.This is a giant gasp of very fresh air.Watch your back music,Graveyards are coming for you.
MJO