The Used
The Used


4.5
superb

Review

by Julio Babilonia USER (16 Reviews)
October 18th, 2007 | 317 replies


Release Date: 2002 | Tracklist

Review Summary: The Used debut album has power, beauty, emotion, catchiness, flare, and impressive musicianship; everything a person looking for a new band wants to find.

The Used’s self-titled debut album is one that many other bands would have wanted to make. With this album, The Used brings new meaning to the phrase “beginners luck”. What would have taken other bands various attempts to make, The Used nails on their first try. It has power, beauty, emotion, catchiness, flare, and impressive musicianship; everything a person looking for a new band wants to find.

This album can’t be placed in a specific genre. In different quantities it contains punk, pop-punk, hardcore, post-hardcore, and probably some bits of others like screamo. However, it doesn’t matter exactly where it belongs because for good music, genre falls into a second plane.

This album is one that changes back and forth from heavy to calm. This isn’t only in moving from hardcore punk to a ballad, this is something that also applies to the vocals and music. In the same song Bert’s vocals can extend from screaming, to hoarse singing, to a clean delivery, and the music can go from acoustic strings to full on punk guitar riffs and drum attack. Now, don’t get me wrong and think that this album is just a chaotic mess. The songs are very well constructed, the vocals and the music complement each other perfectly, and it all goes in tune with the lyrics and emotions.

Bert is able to give an impressive vocal delivery. From the hard hitting punk songs like Says Days Ago, to the soft beautiful ballads like On My Own, he hits every note, screaming where he had to, knowing the extend of his voice, and spreading through the album intense and heartfelt emotion that gives The Used something that other bands vastly lack. Also showing their greatness are the backup vocalists. They give the songs more depth and help in creating the powerful and beautiful atmosphere of the album.

Musically this album is flawless. The most impressive characteristic of this album is the ability to elevate the general sound and be solid all around without there being a clear better instrument. This isn’t one of those albums where the drums just have basic beats and the guitar carries the music on its back. The album is perfect team work from all the sides, creating strong walls of music that drowns the listener to the point where one can’t help but enjoy it. A good comparison for this great collective musicianship is the band Thrice. Thrice is a band that has a PhD in making great collective music like the one found in their song Paper Tigers (and also in many others).

The same way the album has changes in its tempo, it has changes in its lyrics and its atmosphere. The first half of the album follows the line of angst and frustration. Escalating from song to song until its peak in Poetic Tragedy where one finds a consideration to suicide. After that, the album takes a turn into a “happier” place. The atmosphere and lyrics start turning brighter, moving to a line of hope and, towards the end, satisfaction. It even includes a marriage proposal in the song Pieces Mended. Someone that knows about Bert McCracken’s life can see the reflection of it in the lyrics.

The Used debut into the music society was a successful one. This is hopefully the first in a long line of excellent albums. The Used has the talent to make that a reality, and if this album is a foreshadow of things to come I just can’t wait to see what the future holds for the band.

Recommended Songs:
Buried Myself Alive
Maybe Memories
A Box Full of Sharp Objects
Say Days Ago



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user ratings (1539)
3.8
excellent
other reviews of this album
1 of


Comments:Add a Comment 
Willie
Moderator
October 19th 2007


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This album is 100 times better then their second one, but certainly isn't a 4.5, and they definitely can't be compared to Thrice musically or in any other way. On this album and the next, they're no different then most the other bands in their genre, except on this one they did it slightly better.

Cesar
October 19th 2007


2732 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

The only comparison this has to Thrice is the great collective work in the musichianship, besides that they are very different.



For the record: Thrice is a better band than The Used.



I wrote this review as if The Used hadn't yet release anything but this. Idk why this gave me much problems to write, but I think it came out well.This Message Edited On 10.18.07

Willie
Moderator
October 19th 2007


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

A very good comparison for this type of musical style is the band Thrice.
That doesn't say anything about musicianship, just musical style... and The Used don't even hit Thrice-quality in musicianship.

Cesar
October 19th 2007


2732 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Ur right, I used the wrong words.., got to fix

descendents1
October 19th 2007


702 Comments


Something doesn't feel right about this review. Remind me to be more constructive later.
Nevermind I'll be constructive now. I read it and I can't find worthy points within the review. You talk about stuff that doesn't matter to me when I consider music and what makes an album good. But I don't think that's the problem. You do make relevant points, but you don't back them up well. The review reads like it's not well-prepared.
My suggestions are to map out your review. Sort of brainstorm and get your ideas on paper before you begin writing. It will help you be more creative within your paragraphs. Also, referencing to Thrice at all was probably a bad idea. It limits the extent to which I can trust you in this review.
Aside from that, I can tell you've got a bucketload of potential for music writing. I just don't think your writing is focused enough. I suggest picking up a book on argumentative writing. You'll benefit a lot from that. But yeah dude, party on.

AtavanHalen
October 19th 2007


17919 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This is still the band's best album. How fitting I was listening to the album just as I came on Sputnik.



Not bad review, take descendents1's advice for sure.

Cesar
October 19th 2007


2732 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

My suggestions are to map out your review. Sort of brainstorm and get your ideas on paper before you begin writing.




I'm gona have to start doing that. Lately I've been having problems to coherently express my ideas, and I've also been having a big creativity block. Wanted or not, I'm going to take a break cuz college has loaded me with work again, maybe a break will help. This Message Edited On 10.20.07

Fort23
October 20th 2007


3775 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

quotes are like this bro-[Quote[/Quote]









anyway this is my biggest guilty pleasure, like ever. well not realy, but i love it. review is pretty good, but you should definetly take descendents advice, and add some things to this. then ill vote.This Message Edited On 10.20.07

TheStarclassicTreatment
October 20th 2007


2910 Comments


Taste Of Ink owns.

Cesar
October 20th 2007


2732 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Fixed some grammatical errors and sentence structure errors that I didn't see the first time. Rewrote the 6th paragraph adding a little more information. It was the parahraph I was the less happy with at first, so at leat now I don't feel so bad about it.



As of now this is how the review will stay unless I get some sort of divine illumination. Considering the 2 other reviews for this album, both TBT, I think a review like mine was needed.



BTW descendents, thanks for the advice and constructive critic, appreciate it. Writing reviews are also practice for my college essays so what u said helps in both.

descendents1
October 21st 2007


702 Comments


Good fixes man. I hope you keep writing lots of reviews. I'm totally getting my ass kicked by college too and it sucks. Good luck with that.

understone
October 21st 2007


51 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

One of my fav albums all-time

Iamthe Nightstars
November 8th 2007


2988 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I agree with understone. This album brings back memories when The Used was my favorite band. It makes me sad that they had to change their style.

Cesar
January 27th 2008


2732 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Album is still one of my all time favs. It is just so good... Buried Myself Alive really gets to me, I love it

NOTINTHEFACE
January 30th 2008


2142 Comments


I concur. I listened to this just the other day and was pleased to find that this band isn't just a post-adolescent craze for me. I still love them, especially this album.

LocoLopez
March 27th 2008


2 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This is probably my favorite modern rock album of all time. A classic that takes a few listens to warm up to, but stays with you through and through. The self titled album is a raw, gritty, heartfelt rollercoaster ride that certainly climaxs at Poetic Tragedy. On the other hand, I'm sad to hear that the band has drastically mellowed out and fallen into the pop scene with their new albums, namely Lies for the Liars.

KillerLikesCandy
April 27th 2008


13 Comments


I love "The Taste of Ink". I like the first album by the used and 4 or 5 songs on the second but the third was a big dissapointment. I like "The bird and the worm" and for some strange reason "Liar Liar (Pant's on fire)" but i really despise "Smother Me" , "Earthquake" and "Find a way." They strike me as really sappy and annoying.

Sciroccu
June 17th 2008


977 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I would give a 4 just for "choke me" even if there are other great songs in this album (maybe memories, say days ago...). But choke me is really incredible.

xPoeticxTragedyx
August 6th 2008


5 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

I really like this band. They're soooo amazing!

tarik28
September 9th 2008


37 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i used to think this band was junk until i gave them a good listen. this album impressed me. i really liked the taste of ink. this album is definetely worth a listen.

oh yeah, and bert sounds like a better version of ryan from greeley estates



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