P-Nuckle

On P-Nuckle’s latest album, it’s obvious to anyone who’s followed the band over the years that the members have matured remarkably. Two years in the making, Stand Up shows the group, which has undergone several lineup changes since its inception, outgrowing its Sublime-influenced party-time reggae rock and delving into more serious reggae/dancehall cuts with elements of hip-hop. And while there are a few politically slanted numbers, P-Nuckle strives to keep a positive vibe overall. One minor misstep: The bulk of the reggae-inflected songs are similar in tempo, so the addition of two pop-punk songs (“Place Called Home” and “Yesterday”) breaks up the continuity somewhat. Other than that, this is a solid effort from one of the area’s more respected reggae acts.