PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

I thought it would be tough work for Disconnect to top their last album, Enough Blame to Go Around?but apparently they were up to the task with Planned Obsolescence. All of the familiar trademarks are still there, but the keyboards seem to have taken a full time position in the band, and I for one, love it. The album opens with Unbroken?A solid opening track?and when a track as good as this opens an album, and it's the weakest song on the album, it's a testament to just how good the following material is. Following that we have the longest track on the album, I Am The Memory, clocking in at 17+ minutes. There's a great bit of keys in the middle of this song that gives it a bit of a Floydian atmosphere, and a great segue into the 2nd half of the song. Next up is Trennan, instrumental track #1, a great bit of musicianship that leads into my personal favorite, Relevance. A nice laid back opening, leading into one of the greatest odd time hooks I've ever heard. The 2nd instrumental track, The Pedestrian Hobbyist follows. It opens with what sounds like a review of Enough Blame?and from there, just explodes into one of their finest moments ever. I like the nice touch with the pretentious voice for the review. Closing the album is the title track and Reprieve. Planned Obsolescence is the kind of song I really love?a slow build to a great payoff and they couldn't have chosen a better track to end the album on than with Reprieve. Vintage Disconnect, alongside the ever increasing keys. Make sure to come back after the brief silence, as some of O'Dell's best work puts the finish on this great album. Have I mentioned that Disconnect has increased their keyboard contribution? That's not meant to say the album is over-bearing with keys?but they found the perfect balance to go along with their sound. Which speaking of, I think now truly is a Disconnect sound. The inspirations of King Crimson are still there, but much like Porcupine Tree did with their Floyd sound and made it their own?Disconnect has done the same.

To picture this Mid-Atlantic American duo, take bits and pieces of your favorite prog bands on the rockier side - mid 70s and 80s King Crimson, mature Rush, Floyd, Kansas - with a poorer vocal. Despite some laid back sections, overall mood is gloomy (though not crossing over to metal, like many do nowadays). It's bad now in a middle-aged male's life and will get worse.

This is not your riff-keyboard melody-long bridge kind of prog. Songs are very long, with multiple sections and those odd-time thingies. It doesn't always gel together, but not without anthemic moments. Erich O'Dell uses a lot of different guitar tones, including clean ones, and backing synths, but seriously overuses Discipline-era King Crimson ascetic guitar lines. If you're familiar with Disconnect, this sounds like Twisting the Knife - the longest but least consistent song off their Enough Blame to Go Around album. If not, that album is a better introduction to them. And, uh, guys, really mature of you to get offended at a review. You know what I'm talking about.

DISCONNECT are a Prog-Metal band out of New Jersey who offer us lots of proggy moments on this 2014 release. They are a duo but we get some guest backing vocals on the first track. I think TILES was the band I thought of most with the music here but this is different. The sound quality could be better especially on the opener. Overall though there's lots to digest and enjoy although at almost 69 minutes there's some not so great moments as my rating suggests.

"Unbroken" is guitar led and quite heavy at times. Synths lead 1 1/2 minutes in during this instrumental section. The guitar is back then vocals. A calm 3 1/2 minutes in with bluesy guitar then back to the previous sound after 4 1/2 minutes. Nice guitar solo 6 minutes in.

"I Am The Memory" opens with keyboards then outbursts of sound as the guitar solos in between. It's okay. Vocals and a steady sound 2 minutes in. Sounds like processed vocals after 4 minutes. Synths and drums lead starting before 7 minutes. A change after 8 minutes as we get distant sounding strummed guitar and vocals. It kicks back in at 10 minutes then vocals return a minute later. Piano and a determined rhythm with vocals after 12 minutes. Lots of synths follow until the guitar kicks in after 14 minutes.

"Trennen" has a nice heavy sound to it. This is an instrumental and synths start to lead before 2 minutes. Some ripping guitar a minute later then some brief piano in this uptempo section. Its quite heavy after 5 1/2 minutes. "Relevance" is one where I'm not into the start of it at all, either the vocal or song style. It turns heavier a minute in though with different sounding vocals. I like the guitar before 5 1/2 minutes as the vocals have stopped but not for long. There's a sinister vibe before 6 1/2 minutes then synths followed by processed vocals and a cool sound. More great guitar after 7 minutes, it's heavy again late.

"The Pedestrian Hobbyist" opens with acoustic guitar and synths as another guitar joins in. Sampled spoken words arrive before a minute. It turns heavy and uptempo 4 1/2 minutes in with plenty of guitar. Synths to the fore then more guitar but it's more pleasant this time.

"Planned Obsolescence" starts with a heavy atmosphere where the synths are swirling about. I like the TOOL-like sound 1 1/2 minutes in as the vocals arrive. Unfortunately it changes after 2 minutes and I'm not liking this section. I do like the guitar and sound 5 1/2 minutes in. A calm with reserved vocals before 7 minutes. Slow soaring guitar 8 minutes in as the vocals step aside. Vocals and a dark sound end it.

"Reprieve" kicks in after 2 minutes with vocals. Not really into this. It's kind of dramatic sounding both vocally and instrumentally. Suddenly after 3 minutes it turns pleasant with vocals. Back to the dramatic sounds as the guitar leads then synths. I like this. A calm 6 1/2 minutes in as we eventually get quiet beats and atmosphere that builds. The guitar comes in at 8 minutes lighting it up. It turns heavy after 9 minutes.

Lots to like here and there clearly was a serious amount of work that went into this. This is good as in 3 stars good.