Thrill Jockey
2001
Morse Code In The Modern Age: Across The Americas
About This Album
Brokeback lets loose on Morse Code for the Modern Age: Across the Americas. More improvised than Field Recordings From the Cook County Water Table, Douglas McCombs and friends have strung together a flowing, watery set of three unrelated pieces. It exhibits the cohesiveness of a few post-rock stars and liberates the deep-down, head-nodding sound that's made McCombs semi-famous. On this EP, Neil Kupersmith joins McCombs as a full partner. The first of the three tracks, "Lives of the Rhythm Experts" throbs with understated bass melody. Not surprising, since both full-time members play bass as their first instrument. Song number two, "Flat Handed and on the Wing," exudes much of the same. More jazzed up than the intro, it weaves in and out of groovability; it's neither energetic nor boring. The final song is a concise, spruced-up cover of Roy Orbison's "Running Scared." All in all, the album is a patchwork quilt: McCombs and Kupersmith never recorded together. McCombs laid down the early tracks in studio improvisations with friends, and Kupersmith overdubbed his parts later. A good buy for Tortoise and Chicago Underground Duo fans. ~ Kieran McCarthy, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 1 and 2)

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