Upchuck I'm Nice Now
Upchuck's I'm Nice Now arrives as a bracing collision of punk aggression and dance-tinged variety, and critics argue it mostly delivers — the record earned an 80.4/100 consensus score across 5 professional reviews. Reviewers consistently single out “Tired”, “Homenaje” and “Un Momento” as focal points, while mentions of
The best song(s) combine paint-peeling ferocity with KT's vocal confrontation, as heard on "Plastic" and "Kin".
Not every review is uniformly ecstatic, and perspectives vary on cohesion and focus, but the professional reviews converge on the idea that Upchuck balances hardcore intensity with
Best for listeners looking for hardcore intensity and stylistic variety, starting with Tired and Good Riddance.
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Full consensus notes
Upchuck's I'm Nice Now arrives as a bracing collision of punk aggression and dance-tinged variety, and critics argue it mostly delivers — the record earned an 80.4/100 consensus score across 5 professional reviews. Reviewers consistently single out “Tired”, “Homenaje” and “Un Momento” as focal points, while mentions of “Forgotten Token”, “Good Riddance” and “Math Equation” underscore the album's stylistic breadth from paint-peeling rockers to quieter, live-to-tape moments.
Across reviews the critical consensus highlights themes of cultural reclamation, exhaustion and burnout, and a politics shot through with wry humour and righteous anger. AllMusic praises the band's force and the record's shifts into slower, deeper passages; Louder Than War frames “Tired” as an opening manifesto and credits communal fury and grief for the album's emotional weight; Kerrang! emphasizes KT's ragged vocals and the record's protest-driven intensity, especially on Spanish-inflected tracks like “Homenaje” and “Un Momento”.
Not every review is uniformly ecstatic, and perspectives vary on cohesion and focus, but the professional reviews converge on the idea that Upchuck balances hardcore intensity with moments of surprising tenderness and stylistic variety. For readers searching for an I'm Nice Now review, the consensus score, repeated praise for its standout tracks, and the album's thematic blend of resistance and personal grief together make a strong case that the collection is worth hearing and debate.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Tired
2 mentions
"Simply titled Tired, in that one word, it empathises with the many."— Louder Than War
Good Riddance
1 mention
"she manages a perky as well as gorgeously floaty, cathartic, if still bittersweet final track - Good Riddance"— Song Bar
Homenaje
2 mentions
"However, it is on Homenaje and Un Momento that he really takes centre stage, a call to arms to his own community."— Louder Than War
On Plastic, the song that, in style, aligns them closest to Amyl And The Sniffers, he pointedly takes aim at someone clearly only searching fame and riches.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Tired
Plastic
New Case
Fried
Homenaje
Kept Inside
Pressure
Un Momento
Forgotten Token
Kin
Lost One
Slow Down
Nowhere
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
On I'm Nice Now Upchuck sound like a band that still lives for paint-peeling rockers, and the best songs - notably “Plastic” and “Kin” - showcase KT trading blows with a rampaging band. The record gains depth when it slows into moments like “Kept Inside” or strips back on “New Case”, and those diversions make the best tracks stand out even more. With hummable grungy turns on “Forgotten Token” and “Slow Down”, the album proves its best songs are as much about variety as sheer force. The result is a set of top tracks on I'm Nice Now that push Upchuck from hardcore contenders to indispensable rock & roll voices.
Key Points
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The best song(s) combine paint-peeling ferocity with KT's vocal confrontation, as heard on "Plastic" and "Kin".
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The album's core strengths are intense live-to-tape energy, stylistic variety, and convincing performances at multiple tempos.
Themes
Ke
Critic's Take
Upchuck sound like they have swallowed every injustice and vomited it back on I'm Nice Now, a record of unrelenting punk rage. The review highlights opener “Tired” as an unflinching rallying cry and points to “Homenaje” and “Un Momento” as moments of cultural reclamation. Kaila ‘KT’ Thompson is praised for embodying rage with sharp, ragged tones, while Chris Salado’s Spanish-sung contributions deepen the album’s purpose. For anyone searching for the best songs on I'm Nice Now, the review makes clear those three tracks are the standouts here.
Key Points
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The best song is “Tired” because it channels exhaustion into a defiant rallying cry.
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The album’s core strengths are raw, politicised anger and moments of cultural reclamation through Spanish vocals.
Themes
Critic's Take
Upchuck's I’m Nice Now is most alive when it centres communal fury and personal pain - the best songs on I’m Nice Now are plainly “Tired” and “Forgotten Token”, with “Homenaje” and “Un Momento” close behind. The result is a punk record that pulses with righteous anger but never forgets the people at its heart.
Key Points
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The best song, “Tired”, works as the album’s manifesto, fusing empathy and rallying punk fury.
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The album’s core strengths are its blend of communal political rage and intimate personal reflection, giving it both urgency and depth.