Review Summary: Sometimes they suck, sometimes they're awesome. Always, they're The Used.
One day, while reading an issue of GP one of the editors made a comment that there is a difference between a band of good musicians and a good band. By no means are any members of The Used talented musicians, or anything close to a good band. Yet for some, I have almost fifty songs by The Used in my library. This poses a valid question: why do I even like The Used? Answer: because they're so fun to listen to.
As with every album by The Used, "Shallow Believer" has some great songs that are fun to listen to over and over, and some songs that really, really, suck. Usually, there are more good songs that bad ones, however "Shallow Believer" is more of an even split. "Dark Days" is probably one of their worst songs... ever (the worst being Smother Me). Although the name sounds like it might be one of their darker, heavier songs, its a nasty sugar-coated pop song that actually managed to make me gag. Emo is not supposed to be happy, and songs like "Dark Days" should not exist.
"Slit Your Own Throat" would have definitely been a better opening track to the album. Hardcore vocals fused with creepy guitar riffs is nothing new for The Used, but it's the kind of music that they are very adept at playing. The next couple of songs "Into My Web" and "Devil Beside You" are fun to listen to once or twice, but in the end they're just too boring to be memorable. "My Pesticide" was a big disappointment. At first the frenzied vocals and guitars made me like it, but the chorus was far too dragged out and ultimately incredibly boring. "Choke Me" is undoubtedly the heaviest song by The Used. It's short, two-minute existence is crammed full of angry guitars, frantic drums, and the most violent (and somewhat disturbing) vocals from Bert McCracken.
The last four... no three songs are probably the best on the album. "Sun Comes Up" was just another big helping of filler, and was uncomfortably similar to "Dark Days." "Sick Hearts" has a great, upbeat tune and packs some pretty funny lines (if you bother to listen to them). "The Back of Your Mouth" is my favorite song on the album, and possibly my favorite song by The Used. It's a very cool attempt at rock/jazz fusion with great brass sounds a very nightclub feel that reminds me of "With Me Tonight" and "Paralyzed."
"Tunnel" is one of The Used's better attempts at acoustic songs. It probably would have made a nice addition to their self-titled release, but it's just as well that they saved it until now, because it added a very nice ending to this album.
In conclusion, I liked half of it, and I hated the other half. It’s nothing special, but if you’re just looking for some laid-back easy listening, this is a good album to have. Oh, by the way, it’s not really much on an EP considering it's over a half an hour long, but it's not really a full-length release either. I don't really know what you would call this kind of album.
