Brokeback
Morse Code in the Modern Age: Across the Americas
[Thrill Jockey]
Rating: 6.8
This is the information age, so we've been told, and with mastery of
information comes mastery of communication. Right now, virtually any piece
of information can be transferred from any place on the planet to any other
place instantaneously. Less direct methods become outdated, and therefore
obsolete. Morse code is one of these outdated methods. Whereas nearly anyone
can use a cellular phone or e-mail, it requires time, patience, and training
to decipher even a sentence of Morse code.
Brokeback have chosen to name their second and latest record, Morse Code
in the Modern Age: Across the Americas, after this particular method of
antiquated communicative technology, and it seems to fit, somehow. It's not
a literal thing; there are no Morse code sequences hidden anywhere on the
record. But the entire work seems to exude a lack of clarity and directness.
It's the feeling of driving in open country, listening to AM radio, and
listening to only static broken occasionally by purely gorgeous music from
an unknown source, which promptly fades away again.
Chicago-based post-rocker Douglas McCombs, on hiatus from Tortoise, Eleventh
Dream Day, and Pullman, is the original and once sole member of Brokeback. On
1999's Field Recordings from the Cook County Water Table, he approached
his new project from a solo standpoint, creating simple, often concise
compositions around his bass, the contributions from outside collaborators,
and the found, ambient sounds of his environment. On this record, however,
Noel Kupersmith of the Chicago Underground Trio and Quartet has officially
joined the project, and the difference in sound is ultimately striking.
The first two tracks on Morse Code in the Modern Age seem as if they
could drift endlessly. "Lives of the Rhythm Experts" begins with a Yo La
Tengo-style sudden organ-- which, appropriately enough, happens to be YLT
bassist James McNew's donation to the 16-minute track. The organ drone
reverberates and hovers aimlessly throughout, never even accidentally
stumbling upon a melody or a structure, as a subdued electronic stutter
provides the rhythmic base. Kupersmith's drum kit fades in and out with
restrained clatter until it finds a steady rhythm all too briefly, only to
once again collapse and disappear.
McCombs and Kupersmith are both bassists, but on this track, as on the rest
of the record, McCombs uses his six-string electric bass for more melodic
purposes, and Kupersmith's acoustic double bass handles most of the low end.
They remain absent for the majority of "Lives of the Rhythm Experts" until
the 13-minute mark, at which point the humming organ and electronics fade
away to reveal McCombs' beautiful, silvery melodies and Kupersmith's
anchoring support.
"Flat Handed and On the Wing" comes off as an improvisational piece built on
Kupersmith's wandering double bass, with the exception of a brief bassless
coronet interlude. McCombs' bass is unrecognizable, ostensibly treated with
effects that resemble oceanic sonar. Joey Burns of Calexico contributes
trembling, echoing electric guitar that appears sporadically within the
track's 12 minutes. The song rambles and almost begins to flounder towards
its end, until Burns' shimmering, strummed guitar saves the piece, creating
the record's clearest and most radiant moment.
After these long, largely meandering compositions, Morse Code in the Modern
Age seems to end rather abruptly, with an effective but poorly placed
instrumental cover of Roy Orbison's "Running Scared" that runs just under
2½ minutes. Featuring both members of Calexico this time (Burns and John
Convertino), as well as the choral vocals of Stereolab's Mary Hansen, this
traditional rendition utilizes McCombs' capable imitation of a baritone guitar
lead with his six-string bass. It's short, sweet, and to the point, and would
be one of the record's highlights if it hadn't been placed with such desultory
works as the previous two.
The disc includes an enhanced, visual portion to be viewed on your computer,
which features videos of the first two tracks created by Dutch Harbor
filmmaker Braden King. "Lives of the Rhythm Experts" is accompanied by images
of South American villages, and "Flat Handed and On the Wing" coexists with
footage from the wing of an airplane. The videos seem to compliment the tracks
nicely, but after time, they become boring, as these pieces generally lend
themselves to the background and the audio/visual experience doesn't hold
enough interest to maintain the full attention of the viewer.
Like the subject of its title, Morse Code in the Modern Age seems
inefficient, and involves a heightened level of patience to decipher. The
first listen is rewarding and, at times, fascinating, involving full
recognition of Brokeback's incorporations of various layers and structures of
sound and effects. But with future listens, the static moments become too
static, and the majority of the time is spent waiting impatiently for those
glimmering moments that you know are there, when the beautiful music comes
through the white noise and then just fades away again.
-Spencer Owen