Jovi Skyler – Unpopular
Unpopular is Sydney-native Jovi Skyler’s sophomore attempt. Skyler resides in the annals of buffaBLOG: Brent Casillo gracefully reviewed his first LP, Nothing To Do, here; Nick Sessanna adeptly covered Skyler’s EP, Call It A Day, here. Recorded in a studio basement in the aforementioned Australian city, Unpopular marks a confident trek into punk and alt-rock. Moreover, the album was impressively mastered by “The Godfather of Grunge,” Jack Endino.
The lead single and first track off Unpopular is “Dead Rockstars.” The song itself is about the end of authenticity and searching for that next dopamine hit. The raw chugging and sort of perplexing dissonance of guitar is immediately gratifying. The lead single is energetic and aggressive. After noting that “… we’re just bones,” the mix is blasted open with suitable gang vocals.
Songs Two is slower and fuzzier than the first, and Song Three, “Outcast,” boasts a shiny, more melodic chorus. The next track, “Breakdown,” has a shifting tempo that entrances you. The heat of the stringed instruments serves to be more angry than welcoming. There is an alien noise that fills some of the open space. The tones of the drums are clear and rounded, and the bass and guitar strumming is distinctive.
Traversing the album brings us to Track Six, “Edie Sedgwick,” which features a cool linear drum beat. Eventually, listeners will find themselves at Song Eight, “Shame.” There is a starry guitar in the left ear, backboned by a technical snare roll with on-beat hi-hat closings. Skyler admits, “I’m so ashamed / I’m so ashamed I got no brain,” atop a light instrumental. Again, “Shame” utilizes tempo fluctuations to stave off a run-of-the-mill feeling. The album closes with “Night Time Is My Time,” which is very akin to something Black Sabbath might’ve released.
In conclusion, Jovi Skyler’s Unpopular is a great step forward in musicianship. Skyler has certainly displayed growth and has refined his sound with his latest LP. Unpopular is FFO Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., and a punk-infused Alice in Chains. The album is set to disseminate on Friday, September 25, 2026. Until then, check out Jovi Skyler’s repertoire on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Jake Sessanna