Caught in the Wake Forever & Crow Versus Crow :: Excommunicado (Crow Versus Crow Editions)

The title Excommunicado makes the theme evasive, but while thwarting definitive interpretation, the sound and visuals embrace one another, proving the duo were anything but incommunicado.

This distinctive collaboration is audio and visual. All sounds on Excommunicado are the work of Scotland’s Fraser McGowan while Yorkshireman Crow Versus Crow has created the splendid packaging, a plain brown envelope sealed with a small round sticker that includes a booklet of his pencil and ink drawings (which look like edges cropped from Ralph Steadman illustrations) and a few other goodies.

The two have been in constant contact and taken cues from one another until mutually agreeing that the work was finally complete. Caught in the Wake Forever keeps his lips tight on the first track, eking out etchings on a slate of static. The very brief “Excommunicado (Part II)” captures that static in a module and casts it out into orbit. The third piece is a gentle, musing lay, almost folksy. The fourth initially broadcasts distress, sends out an abject SOS before drifting away peacefully, in the wake, seemingly forever. Though in actual time, it’s only a little over seven minutes. But it feels so much longer.

The title Excommunicado makes the theme evasive, but while thwarting definitive interpretation, the sound and visuals embrace one another, proving the duo were anything but incommunicado.

Excommunicado is available on Crow Versus Crow Editions.