Copacetic, the first full-length album by pop-punk 5-piece, KnucklePuck, is finally here and it’s perfect for these bittersweet last few weeks of summer. Currently finishing up their rounds on the Vans Warped Tour, the band dropped the album just in time to perform some new material during the last leg as well as when they head over to Europe in September for a short stint with the “shot boys” of State Champs.
Much like the other up-and-coming bands in the pop-punk scene, the sound is rough, the vocals are raspy, and the lyrics are melancholic on Copacetic. However, instead of being 40 minutes of wailing laments about relationships and a boasting sound that will give your parents a migraine, Copacetic includes a handful of songs that feature soft guitars but hold true with coarse vocals. Halfway through the album at track five, “Ponder” breaks-up the harsh openers and slows things down; but just enough to reel the listener back in so they can be fully aware of the quixotic sound and distant vocals that tell you “everything is copacetic.”
While the album starts off as any other high-energy pop-punk album, the band’s desire for divergence in sound comes alive in “True Contrite,” one of the most interesting songs on the album. At just four seconds shy of being five minutes long, “True Contrite” packs a punch with it’s initial heavy guitars and pulsating drums which are swiftly followed by lead singer Joe Taylor’s raw vocals. Mid-way, the song features an erratic but prominent five-second bass solo and then later, a minute and a half interlude which leads the song to conclude in static, distinctly showing the band’s fearlessness for diversity. Another stand out track is “In Your Crosshairs,” a melodic piece with drifting guitars and elongated vocals during the chorus, which creates a whimsical and thoroughly enjoyable sound.
Overall, Copacetic is an impressive and memorable debut from the Chicago natives, Knuckle Puck. Each song has a notably distinct sound, leaving the listener intrigued rather than bored. The album is a well produced, thoroughly thought out, LP that is simply fun to listen to.
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Recommended Tracks: “In Your Crosshairs” & “Evergreen”
Keep up with Knuckle Puck on all things social
Website // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube
