Jim O'Rourke - Disengage

All Music Guide

Disengage surely is a tough piece to swallow, as it offers more that an hour and a half of music. And it's not just the length -- the content itself is pretty difficult and abstract for a composition by Jim O'Rourke. But those things surely don't makeDisengage a bad album. Tracks one and three of the first disc (entitled "Mere") offer very interesting moments; however, the first half as a whole falls apart every now and then. The second CD ("A Young Person's Guide to Drowning") has more to offer. It starts with a traditional composition, but soon some field recordings and beeps kick in. The diversity of the second CD might attract some noise-heads, but Disengage probably only fits a handful of people. If you don't get inside Disengage fast enough, you'll hate it. But as it can offer something to everybody, it might be wise to give Disengage a shot, even if you're just remotely fond of Jim O'Rourke's more avant-garde works.

- Antti J. Ravelin, All Music Guide