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Good music does more than just please the ear; it fuses and connects people.

And that’s precisely what the new album from Asleep — an indie-rock band from Youngstown, Ohio — does. It brings us together by asking the question on all of our minds in this modern age of Twitter and Facebook:

Is it possible that we are more connected, while at the same time, even more disconnected than ever before?

That’s the question that drives “Unpleasant Companion,” the third full-length album from the emerging Ohio band.

“We’re like aliens. We have these cell phones that contain all the history of the world on them.” The band’s guitarist, Jon Dean, told me in an interview that, ironically enough, took place on a cell phone. “It’s crazy to think about.”

“But our record is more of a reflection than a finger-point.” Dean said. “Let’s just say I don’t think that Arnold Schwarzenegger needs to pick up a sawed-off shotgun and take care of it.”

In this age of the Internet, Dean said it’s more about what people choose to do with that information and knowledge.

The same could be said for the band. It’s all well and good to have lofty concepts and interesting lyrics, but it’s what you do with them that matters.

Rest assured, from the very first song, it’s apparent that Asleep has the musical goods as “Hip to Deaf” opens the album on a frenetically catchy note.

The drums set a blazing tempo that one guitar matches before another one recklessly ups the ante even further.

Todd Kaden sings, “A lie, a fashion of the time/ A cheap and hip disguise/ It’s in our heart that’s beating out of time” before launching into the chorus: “Hip to death making music for the money/ Music for the money/ Hip to deaf now you look so funny/ You look so funny tonight, tonight.”

Frustrated with the final results of their previous album, which suffered from what Dean called “sterile production,” the band turned to analog tape and legendary Chicago sound engineer Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey) who is known for his ability to capture a live dynamic.

Reveling in the low-fi production, which provides the perfect amount of noise to counterbalance Kaden’s somewhat tender vocals, Asleep have crafted an album that is anything but an unpleasant companion.

4/5 Stars

Noteworthy Tracks: “Hip to Deaf” “Must’ve Been” “Magik Numbers”