BRAIN CONNECT

Brain Connect is a quite intresting young prog rock/jazz fusion band from Poland. Founded in 2005 and after an EP issued in 2010 they released a full lengh in 2015 named Think Different. Well this is intresting album all the way, they had one foot in progressive rock and one foot in jazz fusion and add above some electronic moments. All album is instrumental, dominating by Jan Mitoray guitar and top performance of Krzysztof Walczyk on hammond, organ, no less great are the rest of the musicians. The songs are long, 5 out of 8 are over 7 minutes, even some of them over 10 min in length, with elaborated passages, very strong guitars and hammond organ, synthesizers when needed, all is done in perfect unit. The album is varied in arrangements and sounds, but in the end whole package is compact, the musicinship is more then ok and all album is intresting from start to finish, including the art work. Fans of prog rock/jazz fusion can easy take some spins, worth it for sure. 3,5 stars.

This Shit's Got To Go! is a single containing the songs "Eridanus" and Prognose." Both songs were later released on the CD Think Different.

Both songs are homages to prog rock, referencing heavy prog and prog-metal groups like Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree (both of which the band cites on the This Shit's Got To Go! bandcamp page). "Eridanus" opens with staccato guitar chords reminiscent the part Peter Banks plays on the fade-in to "Astral Traveller" by Yes, over which a clean solo guitar plays in a style similar to Alex Lifeson on Rush's "YYZ." "Eridanus" moves through a series of movements, varying between heavy prog and prog-metal, with some fusion-inspired lead guitar work - - until the final minute, when a saxophone appears! It makes sense, though, as it might in a King Crimson or Van Der Graaf Generator song.

"Prognose" is a different song, but cut from the same cloth. Its brief intro, which reminds me of Premiata Forneria Marconi, gives way to an upbeat, athletic fusion section which devolves into a brief Rush-like interlude before moving back into fusion territory, this time with a basis reminding me of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. By 3:40, "Prognose" has moved into slightly more subdued territory, with more direction taken from the keyboards, then the bass. The guitar reasserts itself in the closing section, which is a nice recapitulation of the main theme.

I'm not sure that Brain Connect is still active; their YouTube page has videos recorded as recently as September 2017, but this seems like a band that might take its time between releases. Anyway, that page (youtube user TheBrainConnect) contains a cool video called "Making of Brain Connect's EP This Shit's Got To Go!," which contains a few minutes of "Eridanus."

Given the similarities between "Eridanus" and "Prognose," I'm also not sure what I'd think of an hourlong album by Brain Collect (I haven't heard the rest of Think Different), but the thirteen-and-a-half-minute This Shit's Got To Go! is good. It's well composed, well performed, and well produced. While neo-prog fans will probably enjoy this, I'd also recommend This Shit's Got To Go! to fans of "heavy prog" bands like Porcupine Tree and Rush.

PA lists this band as Neo Prog, but I find them to be straddling the line between full-on prog and jazz/rock fusion. Indeed, their own characterization (from Bandcamp) has them tagged as experimental, hard rock, jazz fusion, progressive rock, ambient, art rock, instrumental, jazz rock, progressive metal, and Poland! Interestingly, I can find elements of all of those genre's on this fabulous gem of an album!

The album consists of 8 tracks spanning more than 66 minutes. Two of the tracks, Prognose and Eridanus, were previously released as an EP entitled "This Shit's Got to Go". It took another 3-1/2 years before the full LP was released.

I find this album to have a wonderful balance of musical elements. Guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, and saxophone all shine in the multispectral prog spotlight. At times, the guitarist, Jan Mitora, is reminiscent of David Gilmore. Other times, he sounds like Pat Metheny. Reportedly playing an Ibanez S2540 NT, an Aria Pro II semi-hollow, and an electro-acoustic Cort SJ-7X -- he is highly skilled and captivating. The keyboardist, Krzysztof Walczyk, plays Hammond organ, piano, and a variety of synths. Nearly hidden among the jazzier and classically influenced keyboard passages, you'll hear elements of Klaus Schulz and Tangerine Dream. On track 5 (Eridanus) you'll hear their guest saxophonist, Michał Szafraniec, channeling Didier Malherbe in a wonderful solo near the end of the piece.

Aside from the spoken words ("This Shit's Got to go") at the very end of Eridanus, there are no vocals. With ample groove, elements of surprise, and a strong sense of forward-leaning composition, there is no need for vocals in this work. It ranks a strong 4 stars in my book. Listen and purchase on Bandcamp!