The Used
The Ocean Of The Sky


3.0
good

Review

by spartanawasp USER (4 Reviews)
July 24th, 2013 | 22 replies


Release Date: 2013 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Something new and something old.

Asking Alexandria once stated in an interview that they particularly liked EPs since it let them experiment, basically, do things that you wouldn’t normally fit on a full album. To be honest, it certainly sucks that their concept of experimentation are cover songs and fan-made remixes of their tracks, but it's good advice.

The Used followed this advice and tried to experiment with their sound in this EP. To be honest, it feels like a weird natural evolution. Their 2009 release, Artwork, pretty much fell flat (for me at least), with the Used clinging to their roots while incorporating a small amount of pop to attract a more mainstream audience. It was great and yet still a little bit stale. It was only natural that they would head in a different and “more modern” direction with 2012’s Vulnerable, incorporating electronica sounds. Mixed reception ensued.

So, with a sixth record already announced, who would’ve thought that the Used would have time for a 40 minute EP? Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Iddy Biddy made its way into their next album.

Don’t let the first tracks fool you, because this is definitely not your typical Used record. There’s still classical Used stuff here, and that is easily summed up in the EP first 2 songs. “Iddy Biddy” is one of the strongest songs the Used have ever released; I’ve never been good at explaining songs, but this one has that awesome “rock-out!” feel that Pretty Handsome Awkward oh-so amazingly had. The chorus is quite good and it's bound to become a live fan favorite.

“Quixotica” and “Thought Criminal” follow, both being nothing out of blue. The former is your standard Used track, with an infectious chorus and great instrumentation. If there’s one thing to be noticed here (specially on the intro) is how much the drumming has improved. It also features some (sloppy and muffled) spoken vocals, which generally fall flat until the end, when they merge with Bert’s vocals as he screams his lungs out, which is all kinds of awesome. The latter is your typical Used ballad, packing a melancholic start, an uplifting section during the middle and a so-so ending.

It’s not until the latter half of the title track, which is not-so interesting at that point, that the record suddenly takes a sharp turn. What was a characteristic release of this band becomes a wholesome mess of sounds and noises. While the eponymous track has a lot of Bert’s muffled speaking, which I'll admit is kind of entertaining, and makes up for a small interlude on the EP, “Tethys” completely abandons vocals.

Oh yeah, “Tethys”. If there’s one word to describe this song, is boring. It lasts 20 minutes (!) and has pretty much no instruments, just noises, lots and lots of noises and weird sounds. Despite constantly switching pace as much as a bipolar patient changes moods, it just never feels interesting. I was already bored by minute 3, and by minute 15 I was incredibly anxious for the song to the end. I’m sorry for the adjectives, but it’s not just a bad attempt at noise rock, it’s a monotonous track from start to finish. To be honest, I don’t feel like ever listening to it again.

In short, the Used tread their familiar songwriting style with some revitalized energy, and then throw everything out of the window for some “experimentation”. If this is what’s to come for their next record, I am certainly worried, although I can’t really blame them for trying to shake up their sound a little.

2.7/5


user ratings (90)
2.8
good


Comments:Add a Comment 
Calc
July 24th 2013


17459 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

A for effort buddy.

spartanawasp
July 24th 2013


303 Comments


I definitely feel that this better than my first review.

Also kinda surprised nobody had reviewed this one yet, it's been out since July 9th.

Trebor.
Emeritus
July 24th 2013


60013 Comments


First line of the review

>Asking Alexandria


spartanawasp
July 24th 2013


303 Comments


...so? I was using an anecdote to start off

CK
July 24th 2013


6104 Comments


This EP has a song called Iddy Biddy so I won't be listening

Crymsonblaze
July 24th 2013


8232 Comments


Artwork is best

spartanawasp
July 24th 2013


303 Comments


That's why I put the "for me at least" part. I personally didn't enjoy it except for Blood on My Hands and Men Are all the Same.

CK
July 24th 2013


6104 Comments


Yeah Artwork is easily my second favorite by these guys

SCREAMorphine
July 24th 2013


1849 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Not a bad review, I won't listen to this because The Used haven't really appealed to me for awhile. I disagree about a few things but the review isn't that far off.



Just my opinion but Artwork and their debut were their best efforts.

Crawl
July 24th 2013


2951 Comments


Their debut is da shit.

spartanawasp
July 24th 2013


303 Comments


Hm? I've always liked In Love and Death much more than Artwork.

spartanawasp
July 24th 2013


303 Comments


Will probably edit this a little bit.

joshieboy
July 24th 2013


8323 Comments


Iddy Bitty Spider Climbed Up The Water Spout.

spartanawasp
July 31st 2013


303 Comments


Ugh a neg without a comment

joshieboy
August 1st 2013


8323 Comments


Not really likin this.

spartanawasp
August 1st 2013


303 Comments


I actually thought Vulnerable > Artwork. Tethys honestly sounds like something you would put as
background music.

stuck_in_decades
August 3rd 2013


814 Comments


Wow, are these guys still around? I like some of their older stuff but other music has pretty much knocked them off of my ''things I regularly listen to'' list. I might give this a listen though, see what these guys sound like nowadays.

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
August 18th 2013


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 2.7

For 3.5 tracks, 'The Ocean of the Sky' sees The Used promisingly tinkering with their usual sound... Self-produced & recorded, the rather raw & gritty feel may even get fans of their earlier work excited. And then things go positively weird, with the 2nd half of the title track containing seemingly random - & annoying - soundbytes, before the ambient white noise of instrumental closer ‘Tethys’ painfully goes on for 20 whole minutes! A love or hate proposition, it will be interesting to see just how much the experimentation on this EP plays a part on future releases. Probably a 3.5 rating for the 4 songs proper. Recommended Tracks: Iddy Biddy & Quixotica.

tcat84
August 18th 2013


1341 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

ck you made me LOL with that iddy biddy comment

spartanawasp
August 18th 2013


303 Comments


Yeah Tethys ruined it for me.

Also, @DaveyBoy, are staff the only ones that are allowed to put ratings like 2.7?



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