Knuckle Puck

After a series of EP's spent honing their sound, Knuckle Puck approached the writing and recording of Copacetic (their debut full-length for Rise Records and one of Alternate Press' Most Anticipated Albums of 2015) by studying albums close to their hearts: classics like Jimmy Eat World's Bleed American and Motion City Soundtrack's Commit This To Memory.

The result is an album that, like the suburban Chicago band's raved-about live show, features rough-around-the-edges pop-punk urgency buoyed by frontman Joe Taylor's explosive, gritty vocals. At the same time, the introduction of keyboards, Rhodes piano and experimental percussive elements give listeners a chance to hear a side of the Knuckle Puck that's not drenched in sweat and hoarse-throated.

"There's a lot more patience in the music," guitarist Nick Casasanto says. "There's a lot of points where we just let the music breathe and do the talking, which we've never really done before. People perceive this genre as nonstop intensity and in your face. I feel like when you play opening slots of tours, you have to fit a lot of that into a short stint, but now we have the opportunity to explore a side of this band we never have before."