The Used – In love and death (2004)
Bert McCracken: Vocals
Quinn Allman: Guitar
Jeph Howard: Bass
Branden Steineckert: Drums
How to describe “The Used” to you? Well, to start, I could try comparing them to the likes of My Chemical Romance, the vocals, the guitars, the feel to the songs. But to do so would be an injustice. This is a band that has a category to themselves, and fully deserves such.
Now, if I were to be totally honest with you, if, maybe a month or so ago, you’d asked me who The Used were, I wouldn’t have a clue. Until I heard the collaboration that they did with MCR with the cover of “Under Pressure” in aid of the Tsunami appeal, I’d never heard of them.
And then I came across “Blue and Yellow”, a song from their debut album. To say I was drawn in, would be like saying the pope might be catholic.
So here we are. “In Love and Death”, released in 2004.
Tracklisting:
1. Take It Away
2. I Caught Fire (In Your Eyes)
3. Let It Bleed
4. All That I've Got
5. Cut Up Angels
6. Listening
7. Yesterdays Feelings
8. LIght With A Sharpened Edge
9. Sound Effects And Overdramatics
10. It's Hard To Say
11. Lunacy Fringe
12. I'm A Fake
‘Take it Away’, the first song on the cd, launches itself at you with guitars beating you in the face and McCracken screaming a few bars in. Easily one of the best songs on the album, this is one to be identified as your ‘mosh’ track, and if you’re telling me you don’t have one song in your entire music collection that you just like to bounce around to screaming along, I’m telling you now, make this it.
Feeling quite optimistic about the rest of the album, I settled in for a good listen. And I was in no way disappointed.
Some people might class The Used as “emo” purely due to the lyrics. Well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I guess. However, the term ‘moderate rock’ springs to mind, when I think about the music. And kudos to anyone who can tell me where that quote is from.
“If your heart's still beating it must be the blood
If your lungs are still working it must be the mud
If its still light out than a kick in the ribs
And today's worth living, it probably is”
-‘Listening’
McCracken screams like it’s all he can do to get his words out to you on “Take it Away”, infusing almost desperate lyrics with a hopeful tone, leaving you grimly satisfied at the end. Yet couple that with surprising mild tracks, and that would be the run-down on this album at a *very* basic level. It’s a pick up wrapped in a rock package.
And that’s all I can say really. I don’t feel I’ve given this album the glow it deserves, but I think I’d be better to say, if there’s only one more album you’re to buy this year…this is a serious contender. Now go and buy it. And that’s an order! ;)
