DESENSITIZED TO INSANITY

Drummer Barry Conners met the other half of Where´s the Nine Dean Watson ( everything else than drums and percussion) in 1979 when he joined Dean Watson´s band AirKraft. Barry Conners was not satisfied with the low income that came from playing in a progressive/ jazz rock band and went on to pursue a commercial career. He has played with artists such as Coney Hatch, Lee Aaron and Toronto. Twenty five years went by without the two of them speaking to each other until they found each other through the internet and then started exchanging ideas. Desensitized to Insanity is a product of those ideas.

The music is Instrumental Fusion with both jazz and progressive rock elements. I hear a couple of heavy elements too. Artists like Allan Holdsworth, UK and Planet X are some of the influences I think I hear in the music.

2 Days Left is a favorite. Great dark and aggressive track. Listen to the fantastic drum playing in that song. Most songs are excellent and even the last track called The Camera Ear which I find a bit annoying ( it´s a bit too jazzy perhaps or maybe I´m just getting a bit tired at this point after listening to challenging and demanding music for 57:52 minutes ?) is extremely well played and composed.

The musicianship is outstanding. Dean Watson who plays both keyboards, guitars and bass is an extraordinaire musician to say the least. He handles all instruments on a virtuosic level. But the price does go to drummer Barry Connors. What a fantastic musician. Seldom have I heard as varied, challenging, fast and precise drumming. Being a big metal fan I would really like to hear him play some tech metal. I´m very impressed with his inventive and very powerful playing.

The production took some time to appreciate but when I got more into the album it unfolded to me and I enjoy it now. It´s a very cold sound IMO though and it might scare off some people.

I can´t say that fusion with this many jazz leanings is something I normally appreciate much, but Desensitized to Insanity is an excellent album that also blends other genres into the mix and besides that it´s really hard not to enjoy listening to such skilled musicians play. The compositions are very strong too though. This is not just a show off. 4 stars is well deserved. I expect much from Where´s the Nine in the future.

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