SIMILARITY

Some wonderful rock played jazz style. Eyot have made some neat, smooth rock by adding piano and playing like the Softs, and that alone makes it a great album. On top of that, though, there is also viola on "Druids" and brass on the wonderful closer "Blessing". They and the ten minute long title track stand as the best songs on the record. A lot of different directions and sounds are explored just with the guitar/bass/drums/piano combo already, and it is the bass as much as the guitar that really carries this piece. Just plain enjoyable, just plain good. Recommended to all fans of rock, this is what truly new and great rock can sound like in our current age.

Eyot is the 4-man Serbian ensemble crowning a multi-award wining combination that music speaks widely for it's self. Founded as recently as 2008, they have quickly amasses a noble reputation holding a high regard of appraisal. Their third album Similarity from 2014 graciously felt like a transport mechanism to the 'bygone' smoky-bar-room era of sparkly contemporary brass-string Jazz movements, sporting its style in a crisp, rich manner that effectively classifies itself among the overall album content. Though the Jazz aspect dominates the scene as its intended expression, it still gets a fine collaboration of etheric and futuristic sounds from Milenovic to establish almost a Post-Neo modern take. Milenovic seems to get the pacified arena worked up with an array of eerie and spacey measure. Track-2 'Druids' soon makes addition of finely sprinkled Post Rock and 'Mild-Hard Rock' essence in an 'echoy' air, allowing the Jazz to hold its form and that crisp clarity. Even Ilijic's Prog Jazz signature that comes thru on occasion feels contemporary and intentional. Stojiljkovic's bass lines are also a truly classic entwined with signature lines. May bands arrange for a small bass note to vibrate thru, but Stojiljkovic plays a fantastic set clearly audible and well stated stance. Vojvodic's take on the Classic Jazz Drumming scope is something to behold, with fantastic arrangements to simple mood. This fine instrumental album is by no means a complication of matters generally involved with Prog or a unique collection of sound tools which interprets that unique does not necessarily constitute a complex heavy arrangement that can emerge from inventive or improvisational setups. Although Similarity does listen like an arrangement of eight tales in (large) variation, no track complimenting the previous or the next, the emotions are still warm and committed. Ilijic's small nuances with the keys on 10.41 minute track-4 'Similarity' makes the listen personal, like when you have that urge to increase your monitor levels a 'little' more to appreciate the fine technicality. It does sound fantastic louder. All instruments are meticulously (mathematically) played in a variety of styles from classic to contemporary to modern?. Am I feeling a taint of future here, The Chalmun's 'Mos Eisley' Cantina? I'd like to think so. I felt it the four times the album was listened to, evolving with fresh content along side the Jazz. Eyot makes a bold statement about its intent, but does not attempt to barrage or hammer-home its distinctively classy form. Absorbing the rewarding experience of Similarity is one different in the way you would expect normally associated with absorbing high value audio, one is left with a quality reminiscing of classic jazz worked with a modernity. I loved this work. ~Approgximation~ ~ProgNational~

EYOT are a band out of Serbia that is very much a piano driven affair with bass, drums and guitar. All instrumental as well I should mention and I reviewed their 2017 release about 6 months ago and the fact I'm back so quickly reviewing another from this band considering the mass amount of stuff I need to get to should tell you how much I like their sound. Piano driven music isn't usually my thing but the compositions are so well done and varied plus even the titles of these songs took some creative thinking in my opinion. I'd rate this higher than "Innate" but I haven't heard the first two albums. We also get some guest viola on one track and trumpet and sax on another.

Up first is "How Shall The Dust Storm Start?" and drums and bass lead the way as the piano comes in over top. It settles back around 3 1/2 minutes but the tempo does shift slightly at times. It picks back up with power after 6 minutes to the end. Nice. "Druids" is such a cool tune, very melancholic with piano and a beat to start, quite relaxed. It picks up after 1 1/2 minutes as the bass joins in along with viola. This is really good, quite meaningful. Viola only after 4 1/2 minutes to the end.

"Similarity" is the longest track at over 10 minutes. Drums and bass to start along with faint guitar expressions as the piano joins in. Why does this sound so good? Just a killer track that slowly builds before settling in around 4 minutes then it calms back down. It builds again and check it out after 8 minutes. So good! "Pools Of Purple Light" opens with piano and drums as the bass joins in. A fuller sound before 1 1/2 minutes but it settles back again quickly with some intricate guitar as well. It's building again after 4 minutes then a calm arrives a minute later with piano, guitar and drums, very laid back here. It stays this way to the end.

"New Passover" starts out with drums and piano as we get some energy here. Some power 1 1/2 minutes in but it's brief. We're cooking before 3 minutes. "Nirvana" is catchy and powerful to begin with but it settles quickly with bass and drums before the piano returns. It kicks in again around 1 1/2 minutes as contrasts continue. I like the calm after 3 minutes as it's kind of dark with bass and drums before the piano returns again.

"Walking On Thin Ice With Iron Shoes" opens with bass but soon a beat and guitar join in. Still it's relaxed. Piano just before a minute with a meaningful melody. Contrasts continue. A chilled tune(haha). I like how the bass is out front yet it's all so melancholic and laid back. "Blessing" ends it. It has this trippy beat with guitar playing over top in a laid back manner. Horns just before 2 minutes replace the guitar. Great sound 3 minutes in then it calms down with a beat and piano with horns over top. Piano takes the lead before 5 minutes. Horns are back. Such a good closer.

A band that exudes class and the music is so well composed and meaningful, I just think every one should check them out.