Albums by DIY artists are charming as they are honest. Australian artist Jovi Skyler released a pretty honest and without artifice album, Nothing To Do.
NOTHING TO DO – JOVI SKYLER
Whether it is with his biting guitars or his scratchy vocals, Skyler created a punk album with a brilliant and vibrant passion. If You Think So is a great first example of it with its catchy chorus. But, it’s Danger Land’s chorus that really, to me, shows it best. The dark sprays and mists around the vocals here are finding an echo on the whole record. Still, they’re letting some well-lit riffs pass through. Nervosa is sending shivers down my spine with its introduction’s mysterious aura, then visible on the ultra 90s’ video for the song, also edited by Skyler. Further down the road, with Tattoos, Evergreen, and Never Wanted, the spirit of the 90s, close to the artist’s heart and inspiration, shifts to something almost softer, closer to ballads, without ever sacrificing its unfiltered energy.
It’s Rocket that really makes it all for me, though, with its just-enough-cheekiness attitude. On this just-over-thirty-minute album, Jovi Skyler is pouring his body and soul into doing what he loves, screaming guitars with him. Survivor closes the whole thing with a crisp energy, a classic punk side, and a hint of nostalgia that just works. The prolific songwriter will, I’m sure, continue on this interesting road.
