1+1=OK

Jeavestone is an exceptionally good band, with an original sound and an attitude that differs a lot from the mainstream prog of the day. However, their third album 1+1=OK is a hard nut to crack. One would have expected them to go deeper into the somewhat crazy and multi-stylistic world of the preceding album, Spices, Species and Poetry Petrol (2008), because its overall atmosphere raised so many eyebrows and made the band so different from their contemporaries.

On the contrary, Jeavestone has turned the clock backwards and made a more straight-forward, almost a heavy prog rock record. It is much closer to the band's first album, Mind the Soup (2005) than SSAPP, although with much stronger compositions than on their debut. Gone are the strings, the woodwinds (bar the guesting sopran sax on the final track), the orchestral percussion as well as the obvious humour that gave SSAPP so special angle. We even hear much less Angelina Galactique's flute than before, which is a pity, because it's become an integral part of the band's sound. 1+1=OK is definitely Jeavestone's darkest album so far.

What rescues this record, is the quality of the compositions. The band has again put a myriad of classic influences into a box, shaken it carefully to avoid to sound like a copy of anybody, and yet there are a few familiar elements. For example, the opening track Laser Fluxus Bombus Interruptus starts like an 80's hard rock track, but soon evolves into fusion that turns the band into "The Jeavishnu Orchestra", and eventually fades into a mellow exit. The Tip Reader is the heaviest track on the album; here Jim Goldworth (probably the best prog rock singer around at the moment) sounds like a sophisticated version of Bruce Dickinson. Furute Shock is one of the high points of the album with a very catchy chorus. Quite astonishingly, both tracks of the 2009 single Hot Summer Fun are included. This hints at some lack of material, although both songs are good. With the use of melodica, Hot Summer Fun is the closest the band comes to the sound of SSAPP. Do It Right is maybe the simplest song of the record, whereas Factory's colour and subject are relatively dark, and Senseless goes ahead with a constantly changing key. The last song, Poet's Eternity is an expected finale to the album, with a colouring sopran sax solo, and with a short ghost track after it.

1+1=OK (I have no idea where the title comes from) grows on me with every spin, and I believe with time it really will challenge its fantastic predecessor. It is neither a step forward nor backward, but rather a side-step that broadens Jeavestone's image. I feel tempted to give it full five stars, but that would mean I'd consider it a better album than SSAPP, which it is not - not yet. Time will tell.

This is one of the strongest prog'n'roll albums there is, and anybody with the access to Spotify can go and check it out themselves right now. If you can, do it - you won't be disappointed.

'1+1=OK' - Jeavestone (6/10)

Although they are a fairly small country, Finland has produced many great bands, quite a few of which have achieved international success and acclaim. Jeavestone are another group of hopefuls seeking to find their place amongst the stars of progressive rock. '1+1=OK' is the band's third full length, and now having been around for around a decade, they have solidified their sound into something fairly distinctive. I can evidently see that this group avoids many of the conventions of prog rock, yet they look to the 70's for inspiration. While I am all too used to hearing prog bands emulating other prog bands, Jeavestone go for a more straightforward rock sound. The band's sound is a clear homage to classic rock, with that progressive edge to give it a more vital style. '1+1=OK' is a well done album that pays proper tribute to its influences, and while Jeavestone's more streamlined rock approach has some good potential for it, the collection of songs on '1+1=OK' don't move me the way I was hoping they would.

Jeavestone may have a classic rock sound, but they do not forget to put a little bit of proggy technical edge in their music. Although the songwriting rarely seeks to go beyond the waters of five minutes, the instrumentation sometimes works in rather technically accomplished fills. Sadly, this is an exception rather than the rule, and from a personal standpoint, the rather straightforward musicianship can lack the intensity I look for in prog rock. Jeavestone's primary influence appears to be Jethro Tull, minus the overt folk elements. In terms of performance, Jeavestone play their parts well, but I don't see anyone going beyond the call of duty. If there is a highlight to Jeavestone's sound, it is the voice of Jim Goldworth, a name of which I believe to be a pseudonym. He has a dark, yet very melodic voice to him. He is not graced with a particularly stunning range, but he performs his role with skill and talent.

The songwriting is the centerpiece of Jeavestone's product, and it is quite well done, although there are no songs here that particularly grab my attention. The single 'Hot Summer Fun' may turn off proggers from the suspiciously poppy song title, but it's actually a very intelligent, albeit catchy tune. Especially in terms of lyrics, the wordplay is quite impressive. Even after several listens to '1+1=OK', the single was the only song that left an imprint. That is not to say that any music on this album is bad, it's just that Jeavestone's prog-tinged classic rock emulation leaves little to the imagination, past enjoyment of the hooks and some clever arrangements. Perhaps it's largely a matter of personal taste, but while Jeavestone manages to find a different sound in prog than the one that I'm used to hearing lately, it doesn't do anything for me.