I’m Nice Now follows the trajectory of this band into boiling temperature. The current socio-political stasis of their environment fuels Upchuck’s rage to another level. Twisting their energy even more in their brash brand of punk rock that carries defined tones, yet doesn’t go far out of their comfort zone to add more punch and risk to their melodies.

The slew of policies and political transgressions against POCs in the United States has only amplified more bands to kick things further, sharpening their rage while also letting niceness be a saving salvo to their well-being. Coming through into I’m Nice Now, Upchuck definitely puts that into mind. After weaving two albums that dip into brief yet raw punk sonics and clawed songwriting, there is a newfound energy running through the band’s veins. In a time where the powers that be are rife with corruption, the band’s voice is only getting louder and tenser.

The songs on the new record, produced by Ty Segall and mastered by Heda Kadry, carry more nuanced textures to the band’s grooves and performances. Opening song, ‘Tired’, is a good example of this. Outside of its stilted hook, there is a pummeling weight that comes through the melodies. Rumbling bass lines, nimble guitars, and punchy drum work surround KT’s shouty warnings: “What if I told you that the States not the only one? / What if I told you this a worldwide problem?”

This refinement in production only strikes polish in the band’s sound, where clarity puts more expression to their compositions. ‘New Case’ is a shuffling cooldown that captivates through its sparking grooves, with KT’s singing cultivates a more relaxed inhale before going back to the struggle once more. ‘Lost One’ simmers with its bass lines, just before loaded strings of “Fuck you!” and distorted guitars unleash hell on the moshpit. And ‘Nowhere’ ends the record with straightforward rock progressions, but throws in potent guitar solos at the last part of the song, elevating KT’s strident passages even further.

What’s noteworthy in the record is the presence of drummer Chris Salado. Only showing through brief interludes before, but this time, he steps up onto the microphone. Expanding the themes of the album’s sense of rage as he barks in Spanish on cuts like ‘Un Memento’ with its grizzly riffs and ‘Homenaje’ with its stomping rhythms. His vocals also seep through on the back half of the burly fuzz of ‘Plastic’ alongside other tracks (‘New Case’, ‘Fried’, etc) where he provides additional vocals. It’s a welcome interplay with KT that evokes camaraderie with the band themselves and other people of color living in such harsh environments; their personal experiences contain resonating connections.

Upchuck’s sonic refinement gets pulled back with a lack of risk to go out of their familiar melodic paths, where their brand of creating blistering tunes (‘Kin’, ‘Pressure’) starts to blur together. Or when risks are taken, they fall short in execution. KT attempts to sing out of her usual range on ‘Kept Inside’, yet she comes out sounding clunky, trying so hard to release a weighty emotion but ends up heaving as a result. ‘Forgotten Token’ carries a weak transition leading to an even weaker hook, to the point that KT’s intensity sounds less effective, more sluggish. And the addition of the glitchy section on ‘Fried’ is a decoration that does not add in terms of developing the melody into interesting directions. It’s a cute little texture, but nothing else beyond that.

I’m Nice Now pulls itself into two directions: the desire to branch the band out of their comfort zone, and the elevation of their bread-and-butter punk rock songcrafting. It’s a conflicting situation to be in, where Upchuck aims to do both but ends up trodding a rocky road, where every successful step immediately follows up with a stumble. Nevertheless, newfound polish amplifies potent grooves and deliveries that this band certainly accomplishes. The method of using niceness as self-preservation is a constant process, where eventually, Upchuck can channel their rage with a leap of change and impact in the future.

Pre-order I’m Nice Now by Upchuck HERE