Review: Upchuck delivers a quick barrage of energy in new single Plastic, signaling the dawn to their new era.

There’s no countdown to detonation when you press play on “Plastic,” the newest single from Atlanta’s own punk dynamo, Upchuck. A pair of drum hits ushers in distorted guitar before lead singer KT joins in, starting in on a blistering dissent against the inauthenticity of modern living. Like much of the band’s previous discography, it’s tough as nails and bursting at the seams with energy. 

Upchuck at Athfest 2025 \ Photo: Mary Beth Bryan

Upchuck have made themselves one to watch in a time where a new generation of punk and post-punk revivalists is popping off. Like all the best punk acts, their music is an outlet for pent-up disappointment and anger. They often speak directly on issues like racial injustice and sociopolitical unrest, while never neglecting to inject things with enough power to get a crowd going. The group finds an easy kinship with other female-fronted, outspoken acts like Mannequin Pussy and Amyl and the Sniffers (the latter of whom the band has even toured with). In fact, KT could almost be mistaken for Amy Taylor on her delivery of opening lines “Sharpshooter / Man, you never missed the big ones / Slick tongue / Always lookin’ out for the rich ones.” Upchuck’s sound is a bit edgier, though, with an unrelenting live presence to boot; security even had to push against the barrier to keep it upright during their set at AthFest this June. 

Upchuck at Athfest 2025 \ Photo: Mary Beth Bryan

The accompanying music video for “Plastic" is as confronting as the lyrical content. The five-piece is face-forward and fish-eyed. They’re smashing things. They’re setting things on fire. Money mostly. And plastic toys. Beating back against the “dumb luck” of wild success and the superiority complexes that come with it, Upchuck rallies their listener to stick to what’s real. “So whatchu wanna know?” demands bassist Ausar Ward in the chorus, to which KT punches back, “Know classics,” “Know truths,” “Know reason,” “Know you.” Drummer and occasional lead vocalist Chris Salado’s Spanish-language bridge gets even more scathing, calling out the emptiness of wealth and fame and slagging off hollow wisdoms on success with a “No me digas nada.” Fittingly, a lot of money is on fire during this part of the video in particular. 

“Plastic” marks the band’s first release since signing with U.K. label Domino Recording Company. Upchuck’s in good, mixed company here with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Cass McCombs, and Cat Power, to name a few. Though their representation may be new, “Plastic” continues the band’s production relationship with garage-rock legend Ty Segall, who also produced their 2023 album Bite The Hand That Feeds. Ideally, the single and the band’s recent signing with Domino signal a new record on the way. We can hope.

For now, “Plastic” halts to a stop as suddenly as it began with a screech of feedback, leaving a path of scorched ground in its wake and an open clearing ahead.