Last time we checked in with Sydney’s Jovi Skyler, we were reviewing the ten-song LP Nothing To Do, full of Jovi’s unique blend of punk and psychedelic rock with a fun, raw approach. Having embodied the spirit of the ’90s with a DIY twist, we found his music to be charming underneath all the grit and wild, mind-bending antics and visuals. Jovi’s back with a brand new EP, the succinct, four-song Call It A Day, which finds the Sydneysider vegetarian punk-rocker singer-songwriter experimenting with more traditional song structures, sharper mixes, and a honed-in approach on straight up punk fervor.
Jovi opens the EP with the four-chord onslaught of “Asshole.” A four-on-the-floor tom beat pummels your ear drums as a swarm-of-bees guitar jams a simple chord progression down your throat. Jovi seems to have foregone the psychedelic influence of his last offering in favor of candid songwriting simplicity. Reminiscent of early to mid ’90s acts like The Offspring or even Nirvana, Skyler’s songs are straight to the point and cut right to the bone. My favorite part of “Asshole” is actually the super brief, chorus-soaked break in intensity around the forty second mark – it’s a welcome reprieve from the one-two punch of Jovi’s condensed songwriting. When “I’m the asshole, the asshole” rings out over and over, it’s impossible not to smile and appreciate Jovi’s frank approach.
One of the standout features of Call It A Day is Jovi’s use of repetitive lyrics. Whether this is intentional to drive a point home (or just Jovi being a punk at heart) remains to be seen… But either way, the lyrical motifs here stand as a backbone of familiarity, giving these songs a mosh pit singalong sensibility. Whether its the repeated aforementioned “asshole” callout; the heart-hurt “I don’t want to leave” in “Frankenstein;” or the gravely “rumble, rumble” in “Rumble,” there’s plenty to throw devil horns to and sing along with, even upon your first or second listen.
While we’d describe this EP as pretty straightforward punk rock, there are some moments where Jovi branches out a bit. The acoustic guitar in “Frankenstein” gives us Soul Asylum vibes as Jovi croons “stitched up and Frankenstein, all alone on the phone.” “Rumble” makes use of a shuffling snare-heavy beat on what might be the poppiest sounding song on the album. There’s also the rip-roaring “Lil Bo Weep,” with its menacing, descending chord progressions. There’s lots of fun to be had here on Call It A Day, and you don’t need a degree in music theory to enjoy its ruthless directness.
Jovi isn’t just a musician – he also dabbles in music videos. Check out the video for “Asshole” below, then, dive into the EP over on Spotify.