Ska-punk has always been about irreverence. Not caring about what other people think about you and your music but embracing what makes you happy without taking it too seriously defines the genre. Fewer albums in ska have managed to capture that theme of irreverence and joy than Do Your Art, a new album by Big D and the Kids Table.

Big D has amassed a cult following while riding the many waves of ska since the band’s inception. The Boston-based group formed in 1995 and has since released several albums over the years. They’ve always remained a small act, preferring to stick to their local scene. Do Your Art is a letter to hardcore fans and an invitation to newcomers like me.

After first hearing of the band through contemporary ska acts like We Are the Union and Kill Lincoln, I dove into this album expecting more of the same. But Big D’s unique interpretation of the genre incorporates reggae and dub, the slowed-down contemporaries of ska.

On top of that, Big D and the Kids Table preaches an egalitarian approach to art—hence the album title—that encourages working-class people to make time for their art as it’s the most revolutionary and magical thing a person can do. It sounds corny, but the album never lets the party die, interjecting weird sound bites and skits between each track.

“Too Much” embraces the band’s inner rude boy, arguing they aren’t too much to handle—you are the one who needs to change your attitude. There are noodling guitars layered over chops and tight beats all over the track. The horns stand out grandly with sax, trombones and even a flute inflating the whole album.

The four-track run between the slowed-down reggae of “Beautiful Way” to the quick-spat “Dispirit” is some of the best work on the album. On the flipside, “Lost in London” has some of the dullest lyricism on the record and drags on the longest. There are 20 tracks on Do Your Art but six of those are intermission-style soundbites. It can be a bit jarring to have that many pauses, but they do add to the overall character of the album.

There’s a lot of nostalgia on the record with Pac-Man arcade clips and other ’90s-era teen throwbacks, but it never seems stuck in the past. The album feels inviting and accepting. “Forever a Freak,” featuring The Doped Up Dollies, balances out the end of an album with the message of embracing weirdness with over-the-top harmonies and a crooning sax. If you’re willing to give ska a chance—again maybe?—Do Your Art offers a firm first step.