Brokeback - Morse Code in the Modern Age: Across the Americas
(Thrill Jockey)
Brokebacks second record, following up the lovely Field Recordings from the Cook County Water
Table (also on Thrill Jockey) is not as good. It features
three tracks, two of which are long songs, soundtracks to short films (included on the CD in its enhanced
mode), and a third which is quite short and was written by Roy Orbison. Where the first record was a
stripped down and subtle affair, showcasing Doug McCombs' exceptional and emotive ability on various
basses, Morse Code in the Modern Age is disjointed, pretentious and not really too musical at all in
the sense of coherent melodies and rhythms and such.
"Lives of the Rhythm Experts," the first track starts off with Yo La Tengo-style organ drones (courtesy of
Yo La Tengo's own James McNew), which fade out under rhythmic pulses, while weird random tones pop
up in the background. They are underscored by an almost inaudible double bass, and then back comes the
organ drones, accented by some spasmodic bursts of a trap kit. Its all very "free" and kinda "jazzy." But
mostly its just an unfocused, misshapen nebula. After ten minutes or so of this, the song evolves into some
heavily processed studio trickery, which is actually much more interesting and listenable than the first part.
In its final segment, the song actually finds itself, as a guitar, bass and organ create a somber and evocative
soundscape that is kind of like This Mortal Coil in their more restrained and better moments.
"Flat Handed and on the Wing" is a more atmospheric piece. Less instruments (two basses, guitar and
coronet), each being not so busy, creates a more enjoyable song. Though it is nearly as formless as the first
piece, it feels much natural and fluid, less forced. The double bass and coronet sing in otherworldly voices,
offset by the tension of the punctuating bass and meandering guitar. However, like the first track, the length
of the song is burdensome and there is not enough substance to support such weight.
I like to believe that theses songs are the result of being teamed with some crazy underground arty-farty
filmmaker and not that Brokeback has become as directionless as these songs. Perhaps there is evidence of
this in the last track, "Running Scared," however, they didn't write that song, so who knows? Anyways.
The last track is a jaunty little number with a nice vocal contribution from Stereolab's Mary Hansen (not
words, of course, but "oohs" and "ahs"). It's a lush production built around a martial snare march and a
maudlin bass line (in the higher register) that reminds one of nothing more than the theme song from
Twin Peaks, by Angelo Badalameti. Its barely over two minutes long, but every time I play this
record I have to hear this one at least twice. It accomplishes more in that two minutes than the first two
tracks do in a combined half of an hour.
In any case, this is not really a proper album, so let's just credit them with the success of Field
Recordings from the Cook County Water Table and hope for the best for the future.
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