20/20 is the brand-new album by pop-punk quintet Knuckle Puck and on it we witness how the band consolidates its path to musical maturity. Let’s not kid ourselves: on Copacetic, their first album of 2015, these folks from Chicago already hinted that their intentions were not superficial or fleeting and they proved it in 2017’s second album Shapeshifter in which they expanded their sonority.
But on 20/20 the band seems to have decided to stop for a moment and take control of all its energy and then dose it with greater control and criteria throughout the record, achieving a perfect balance between power, melody and lyrics that continues to appeal to the introspection, reflection, catharsis and concerns of a youth that does not escape the problems that beset society. However, the anger and resentment that could be perceived in several of the previous songs give rise in this album to a feeling of greater tranquility, to more positive messages that tend to remind us that adversity is also temporary.
Brilliantly produced, the album exudes a generally positive vibe, including songs full of energy like the rolling, epic and hopeful “20/20”, the forceful “Tune you out” or the more upbeat and motivational “Breathe”, lead single in collaboration with Mayday Parade’s Derek Sanders. But there is also room for the beatlesque joy and sentimentality of “Earthquake” or the beautiful “Green eyes (Polarized)” in which the band demonstrates not only its increasingly sophisticated songwriting but also that at lower speeds they also can sound just as compelling. After listening to the entire album, we can affirm that not a single track feels out of place and that is not little within the musical panorama of pop-punk.
While Knuckle Puck’s craft is improving, the sound is varied but continues on the path of previous works, with the distinctive incisive guitars alternating between sparkling cleans and heavy distorted tones that are already part of the band’s identity. Joe Taylor’s voice imposes itself with his seemingly inexhaustible youthful energy (it is difficult to imagine how it will sound within a few years) maintaining high levels of intensity but also knowing how to handle nuances that make him one of the best voices of the genre. Nick Casasanto is up to the task when he alternates verses with his partner, bringing emotion, interesting harmonies and even very successful falsettos, but without a doubt his definitive contribution is greater in the lyrics, arrangements and overall sound of the band, becoming Knuckle Puck‘s musical architect. Kevin Maida holds the melodies with remarkable taste and solidity, while Ryan Rumchaks precise bass and John Siorek impressive drums (he’s a magnificent drummer, in case some have not noticed it yet) sound perfectly coordinated.
20/20 comes out on September 18th on Rise Records and it will undoubtedly be one of the releases of the year for the American punk scene. It is an ambitious work that exhibits the band in a pivotal moment, near maturity, full of strengths and continuing with a search for growth that probably will not stop on upcoming albums.
I’m Music Magazine Contributing Writer Emiliano Doldan
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