Upchuck’s ‘Sense Yourself’ Is Hands Down One of the Best Punk Records of 2022

So Work
All day
And still ain’t make a payment
Ice
Image I gotta be impressive

Atlanta’s Upchuck have been tearing up the scene lately. Seamlessly re-combining all of punk’s various strains into One Sound To Rule Them All, they boldly toss off the increasing nichification of heavy music. The result is flat out one of the best punk records of the year.

From the tough as nails eponymous opener “Upchuck” down to the blistering “Our Skin,” the band mines their instruments for every decibel. Vocalist KT shouts her fierce missives like through an overdriven PA. The delivery transports you instantly to a packed basement show 2 feet from the amps. It’s immediate and direct, and goddamn riveting.

The band plays with tempo, frequently switching from almost thrash riffs to breakneck hardcore. Highlights like “Wage For War” and the unreasonably catchy “Facecard” gleefully defy expectations, shifting vibe on a dime. There’s a palpable sense of fun among the rage at the generational warfare that gives weight to the whole thing. Jumping between pointing a finger both inward and outward, jumping just as quickly between sounds, this is a band that absolutely refuses to be pinned down.

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