If Nothing Else - 'Dirty'
Deep vocals and a unique fusion of multiple genres is the identity of this album. Mostly coated with country elements, a layer of rock is gently injected into all the songs. Strong drums have depth, with the vocals separating them from other higher-pitched elements. The guitars are crunchy and add colour through their smoothly performed riffs, fillers and overall tone. Right from the first song 'Ode to a Headstone', we can feel the pure strong driving force in the music, but not at the expense of the thematic melodies or harmonies. The energy doesn't dip too low at any point and all tracks hook into the energetic power of the one before it, which keeps the album engaging and entertaining.

Chord progressions are simple and thoughtful, influencing the emotion delivered in each song. The lyricism and composition are packed with creativity and talent underpinning the passion that this band has for their music. The end of the last song on the album literally communicates with the listeners, adding a hint of a live performance flavour.

Definitely listen to 'Dirty' by If Nothing Else on Spotify.


About If Nothing Else:

"Hailing from Central Minnesota, If Nothing Else is here to blast your speakers and get your toes tapping. While performing live, these four musicians combine their talents, experience, and love of music to form a true bond with their audience. They have made the perfect fusion of country, roots rock and outlaw, which they have so dutifully coined “Northern Rock”. If Nothing Else guarantees an exciting and enthusiastic live performance that is sure to get the audience up on their feet dancing. Their second studio EP Dirty takes a deeper dive into the bands' outlaw roots with songs like “Ode to a Headstone” and “Dirty”. If this EP can get you to crack a beer, nod your head and get a “yep” out of you, it did its job."

If Nothing Else - 'Dirty'
The band members, in their own words:

Jacob Bushman - bass

I am the Bassist for the band and I'm 32. I have been playing bass for 13 years. I really started to hone in my abilities in college which I attended for music theory, composition and new media. I Met the rest of the band at an open mic in St. Cloud, Minnesota. It’s been a great time so far! I lost all hearing in my left ear in 2019 after undergoing surgery to remove a vestibular schwannoma near my brain stem. Thankfully it didn’t affect my playing ability. My inspiration comes from a wide variety of genres and life experiences.

Dan “Boone” Skoog - guitar, vocals

Boone is a 33-year-old electrician and proud father of 3 handsome boys. His fiancĂ©e of 10 Years makes it possible for him to do what he loves. He plays Lead Guitar, sings regular vocals on songs like That’s Where I Belong and Tongue Tied, and Backing vocals on many other tracks. Boone started playing the guitar at the age of 13 years old and hasn’t stopped playing for 20 years. His main musical influences are AC/DC, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Although he plays country-rock in INE, his favourite music to listen to is Post Hardcore Punk Rock.

Nick Willard - vocals, guitar

Nicholas is 26 years old and is the rhythm guitarist and one of the lead vocalists for If Nothing Else. Nick started off playing the bass guitar when he was 13 and transitioned over to regular guitar when he was 17. He has been singing in theatrical productions since kindergarten. Drawing a lot of his writing for this band from his experience growing up on over 20 acres of meadow. Bailing hay and hanging out with his friends draws lots of inspiration for him. As per musical inspirations, names such as Mark Hoppus, Brantley Gilbert, and Hayley Williams comes to mind. He is always looking to grow himself as a guitarist, vocalist and entertainer in general.

Justin Willard - drums

I got my first drum set when I was 13 (Now 32). The first two songs I learned to play were “Smoke on the Water” and “Wild Thing”. I had a couple reasons why I wanted to play the drums. The first was because one of my friends played the guitar and the second was because my elementary school band teacher told me I couldn't play the snare cause I didn’t have enough rhythm. He put me on trombone which resulted in a lot of fun elephant noises, so I quit… or got kicked out. The details are fuzzy now. I’ve gone through many music phases in my career but I'm not going to bore you with the details cause you know where I'm at now. I get to go up on stage and write kick-ass tunes with a great bunch of guys, who are quite literally my family, and I wouldn’t want to take this ride with anyone else.