by David Wilikofsky
Upchuck, an Atlanta five piece, have been slowly building a name for themselves in DIY circles since they formed in 2018. Following a seven inch release last year, their debut album shows what the hype is all about; across its ten tracks, the band harness their electric energy to shape heavy music in their own image.
Upchuck’s songs often end somewhere near where they start, but they take you on a journey in the interim. Though the group’s most obvious influence is straight ahead punk, their songs zig zag between different strains of heavy music. Doom metal rubs up against hardcore; swirling psychedelia subsumes garage rock fuzz. For instance, “Facecard” has a muted, “Maps“-esque intro that quickly turns into a careening punk number with driving bass lines before concluding with some slo-mo classic rock riffs. It’s a common formula throughout the album; speedy punk passages give way to slower, sludgier ones, oscillating back and forth between the two tempos and styles.
As I’ve said before, the most crucial element of punk music is attitude; it’s music that lands best when it feels urgent and necessary, as if the band can’t hold it in any longer. Though the song structure sometimes start to feel repetitive, the electric energy of the band keeps things engaging. Lead singer KT’s rapid fire, impassioned vocals seem to blare out of an extra loud soundsystem, echoing through your headphones. The band careens forward behind her, easily moving between their sludgy riffs and punk barnburners. It’s about as close as you’re going to get to a basement show on wax; you can almost feel the sweat in the air and see the mosh pit form around you. It’s this energy that makes Sense Yourself a visceral, essential listening experience.