Windy City maestro David Grubbs apparently has a raven obsession and has yet to quoth “nevermore” on the subject, as evidenced by this half-hour compact disc release from the Parisian Rectangle, a label that has released several other adventurous Grubbs project. This one involves an ensemble that includes French musicians such as the fine guitarist Noel Akchote, organist Charlie O, and even Quentin Rollet, who happens to be both the son of a French free jazz musician and the president of the label. The term “post-rock” might work for tagging this type of music, if such a thing is necessary. It is not groove or beat orientated and includes sections at such a low volume level and with such minimal activity that the casual listener might think someone had left the tape rolling in a club after the show had finished and the band was packing up. Beautiful use is made of the organ, and, needless to say, with both Grubbs and Akchote on board there is some finger guitar. Both players get into extending some very subtle sounds, so again the casual listener might think nothing is going on. The musicians before too long provide musical “ravens” in the form of sound events that might have the effect of poking a beak right between a drifting listener’s eyes. – Eugene Chadbourne
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