The Used
Artwork

"Our songs will be 10 times more chaotic and powerful than we've ever done."

This was declared by Bert McCracken before the release of "Artwork"...

The story of The Used is quite simple to explain to the uninitiated: a quality debut album that mixed elements of pop, rock, emo, hardcore, and a bit of metal, which showed promising signs for the future, and then a downward trajectory in the name of the Almighty Dollar starting with the second album "In Love And Death" and continuing to this day. It goes without saying that the expectations from fans and critics were high, to see if we would witness yet another flop or a rebirth and return to the creativity and power of their origins, especially after a pre-release statement like that.

The only certain novelties were the new entry Dan Whitesides on drums (the former drummer found a home with the Rancid) and a new producer Matt Squire (in place of the historic John Fieldman).

It is needless to note that certain impactful phrases are released solely to generate hype around the group and boost sales, perhaps attracting early fans disgruntled by the latest bland performances. And the colossal boast from The Used is no exception. Those who expected a return to the atmospheres and power of the self-titled album will be almost disappointed. As the album has a somewhat plasticky pop aftertaste, with practically easily memorable choruses, with the much-hoped-for heaviness almost negligible. Not surprisingly, the album suffers from repeated listens: the flatness and boredom, due to a bland songwriting (with all mid-tempo pieces), set in almost immediately.

It must be said that the pop soul of the Utah group was always there from the beginning, but it was a genuine nature not geared towards radio-friendly choruses at all costs, contrasting with post-hardcore outbursts or however you want to call them, gradually diminishing over the years. And, the heavy remnants left here sound at least out of place, as demonstrated by the embarrassing first single "Blood on my hands" (on the model of "Take it away"), an example of pop-metal (two hard guitar strums put in the right place and lots of sugary appeal for teenagers) of the worst kind, with a considerable plasticky aftertaste. The times of splendid pieces like "Maybe memories" and "Choke me" seem light years away.

More successful in this sense is the second single "Born to quit," a simple and immediate mid-tempo, with a more dynamic bridge and hard-rock guitars, but without that annoying tendency to want to squeeze in two metalcore riffs and a fake scream over a pop-rock carpet to attract young metalheads. Let's not be deceived: what "Artwork" offers is a simple exercise in typically American modern rock. Associating terms like "alternative rock" or "emo" with their name today are accolades they absolutely do not deserve.

The point is precisely this, understanding what we are talking about, and within its field, the mainstream one, the album is not absolute trash, having its ready-to-use melodies as demonstrated by the better episodes ("Watered down", "Sold my soul", "On the cross and "Meant to die"), in which the melodic parts manage to be slightly more concealed than the average. Appreciable in this sense are the acoustic guitars intertwined with the electric ones on "Watered down" that create a dreamy and magical atmosphere. While slightly more varied structures are found within the grooves of the convincing "Sold my soul" with a beautiful pianistic coda.

However, there are no lack of sickly sweet episodes ("Men are all the same," above all) or out-of-place stews ("Come undone"). The piano semi-ballad "Kissing you goodbye" would also have its charm, with a good first part, too bad it then falls into the usual redundant refrain.

The focal point of the American 'machine gun' is the emblematic vocalist Bert McCracken, lyricist and author of a not very satisfactory and mature vocal performance, due to a vocal timbre too sugary. And it's a real shame because his particular youthful timbre in the past knew how to touch the listener with sublime melodies. Certainly, he is not helped by a formally perfect production that turns out to be too pumped and lacquered, standard for mainstream productions.

The final result is fluctuating and casts many shadows on the artistic and creative future of the combo, since for the rest, they consider this their best work. The only certainties of "Artwork" are two: pleasing that adverse criticism that was waiting to slam them and perhaps, this time for good, distancing the early supporters of what was once an honest band.

How can one not regret The Used version 2002.