LYNDO JACO’s “3” is the kind of rock EP that feels like it was made by someone who simply enjoys picking up an instrument and seeing where an idea goes. The project comes from his home studio in Happy Valley, South Australia, where guitar, bass, drums and vocals are brought together under one roof. That hands-on approach gives the EP a personal feel, while the influence of Southern and hard rock from earlier eras can be heard in its foundations.

The songs also have stories behind them rather than simply using the rock setting as an excuse for a collection of tracks. One idea comes from the frustration of supporting a sporting team through the bad times and wanting that winning feeling. Another follows a bungling thief who is desperate for money. Then there is the stranger image of looking at life as if everything were happening in a sandpit. Those ideas give “3” an unusual personality and make the songwriting feel more like JACO is having fun with his characters and situations.

The biggest change on this project seems to be in how the songs have been put together. JACO describes the songwriting as more structured and the sound as warmer than his earlier work, and the use of new bass and guitar amps has helped give the recording its own character. The home-studio setting overlooking the garden adds to the sense that this is a project built from the ground up by one person, with JACO handling the different musical roles himself.

“3” doesn’t try to hide its simple setup. Instead, it leans into it. The combination of rock influences, unusual stories and a warmer sound gives the EP a personality that feels distinctly JACO. It is a project about rough patches, strange situations and the search for better days, told through the perspective of an artist comfortable working on his own terms. For a small rock project, it has plenty of character.

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