The Used (Official Thread)

[Soot and Stars]

The Used Official Website

Albums

The Used (2002)
In Love and Death (2004)
Lies for the Liars (2007)
Artwork (2009)
Vulnerable (2012)

The following thread is one of those hard to write threads because of the so much to say factor and the added weight that they are one of those bands that are hated by many just IMO as a factor of them having a large teen fanbase and for being a screamo band. On my end I think they are one of the most raw, energetic, varied, artistic forces in the music industry in the past decade!

The Debut c.d. by The Used was a revelation for me. Up until that point I really never bought anything with a screaming vocal in it. A lot of metal screaming sounded like gorillas IMO. No attempt at melody or any purpose behind the screaming outside of sounding demonic or hardcore. Of course there were exceptions but few and far between. When I first heard the second single (I came in after first single A Box Full of Sharp Objects) for The Used debut:

The Taste of Ink


I was hooked. This was a pop song with real raw energy. It sounded like youth in a bottle which is fine because even at 30 I can relate to the energy in a youth driven song. I was still hesitant to buy the c.d. because I felt the screaming vocals would be just a headache of the c.d. but I kept hearing over and over what a great c.d, this was with a little bit of everything. I finally caved in and bought this self titled debut:

The Used


The reviews were right for once. What a complete flawless album full of different tempos. I also attribute the hard hitting sound that up to that point was pretty new, as in screamo was unheard of at that point, to the production of John Feldmann. John definitely had a great hand in developing their sound and they haven't been quite the same since leaving him.

Ironically one of my favorite songs is the loudest and most aggressive. I love the opening track and it gets me amped up like nothing else:

Maybe Memories


The ballads on this album were completely out of left field because I never thought this band would have it in them but both these songs could make it into my top 50 songs of all time easily! On a unique point neither one are typical love songs for once and they are more about friendship and just a general state of being respectively!

Blue and Yellow
(Just amazing IMO)


On My Own
(a more raw acoustic type ballad, the scream in it is great and carnal and it's a great combination of ugliness and beauty, I love the strings)


Other great tracks are the heavy:

Bulimic
(great energy)


The raw, punk tale:

Poetic Tragedy


and the epic closer:

Pieces Mended


Anyway, loving the album track for track I'll end with those. Since I've developed a love for every album I'll leave this for now and do one album at a time! I'll also do one with live clips seeing as that's a great element for them. I've seen Taste of Chaos twice and they own out of every band they've played with. They stand at the top of what they do for music and deserve immense praise for being a band that cares about what they do. Every c.d. and performance has more energy and emotion and work put into it than most new bands even know how to muster! so I'll be keeping this alive because I have a lot to fill in! Cheers for now!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

Before The Used came out with the official followup they came out with a collection of live tracks, b-sides and demos on an album called:

Maybe Memories

The highlights from this album of rarities were the two unexpected surprises:

A holiday song:

Alone This Holiday


and the awesome piano solo:

Sometimes I Just Go For It
(love this one)

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

Maybe Memories is a cool tune...it has a bit of that AFI vibe to it....a band I like so that's a good thing. I have to check out the other vids

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

The second official release was

In Love and Death
(awesome cover and book art IMO)


was the sound of a band breaking into the mainstream but the results were so good it doesn't even matter! One thing for sure, it was still heavy as this awesome first single attest to:

Take It Away


and one of their heaviest tracks ever

Sound Effects and Overdramatics


The best part of this c.d. were some of the best pop singles ever in the last decade:

I Caught Fire (In Your Eyes)


All That I've Got

 

[LG]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

I have "The Bird And The Worm", and I like that album, they are probably the only band in this classification that I can listen to.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

I have "The Bird And The Worm", and I like that album, they are probably the only band in this classification that I can listen to.

You just gave me a proper introduction to the next album in line (besides a live one) LG! Sweet!

 

[snakes&ladders]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

Their music is fine, but their official forum sux big time

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

In 2007 came both a live and a studio c.d.!

The live c.d. had one of my favorite album covers ever!

Berth

Here's a track originally performed on their debut that was on the live c.d.:

A Box Full of Sharp Objects


The studio album was

Lies For The Liars

This album was their most experimental IMO and had some great sonic ideas! It was less pop than the last and the energy was very high!

The Bird and the Worm


Pretty Handsome Awkward


Wake the Dead
(My album favorite)

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

The last release

Artwork

had to be a lighter album vocally due to the damage to lead singers Bert McCrackens vocal cords. This was obviously because of the wear and tear due to the screaming vocals that had been continually done throughout his career. Regardless, Bert does just fine without the screaming and they make up for it by being even heavier in the music itself!

Blood On My Hands


Empty With You


Come Undone


Meant to Die

 

[rtbuck]

Re: "The Official" The Used Thread

Thanks for introducing me to this band! I like them alot!!!