Fucked Up – One Day
Written and recorded in one day, Fucked Up's latest album is staggering, and arguably the purest and fullest expression of the band in its current form
In 2019, Fucked Up guitarist Mike Haliechuk began pondering what he could write and record in just one day. The resulting answer to that question – in the form of the Canadian hardcore veterans' aptly-titled sixth album One Day – is staggering, and arguably the purest and fullest expression of the band in its current form. It's also utterly joyous. Opening track Found sets the album's maximalist tone in a cavalcade of ripping classic rock guitar harmonies, stadium-sized hooks and an absolutely savage vocal performance from Damian Abraham, whose gravel-throated bark is hungry and positively dripping with raw energy here.
It's a level of (mostly) upbeat intensity which rarely lets up throughout, providing some of the album's most enjoyable moments in Huge New Her, Roar, Broken Little Boys and propulsive title track One Day. Then there's Cicada, a bittersweet Haliechuk-sung nugget of vintage alt-rock Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü/Sugar would be proud of; the hardcore-meets-glam-pop of I Think I Might Be Weird and soaring album highlight Falling Right Under. For those already converted, this is sure to tattoo a permanent smile on your face, but it will no doubt satisfy even the most casual appreciator of punk, hardcore or classic rock too.
Listen to: Found, Falling Right Under, Cicada