The Used
The Used

THE REVIEW

If the Utah group is on the lips of many and one of the most talked about in its musical field, and certainly not for merits and in a manner anything but positive, the blame is solely their own. After all, being skilled in producing unbreathable radioactive solid waste like "In Love And Death" is a feat for the few, and anyone with even slight familiarity with the emo scene already knows where I'm heading.

This is the typical "alternative" band, note the necessary quotation marks, which enjoys notable success at home and is decidedly in the shadows here in the beautiful country, that reeks of plastic and sycophancy from miles away. And at this point, let's also add, rather strangely, that MTV, so keen on searching for cheap "talent scouts" to launch, hasn't pushed these four guys. Let's say it clearly, I would be happier to see them in heavy rotation even here with us, after all, they are not lacking money since they are signed with a major, Reprise, and if in addition to further fame, since the money is already rolling in, all the consequent antipathy directed at The Used came their way, no one would object, given that My Chemical Romance are signed with the same major, are promoted, but know how to do their job ten times better than them.

But since I decided to talk about their debut dating back to 2002, for the moment the criticisms stop here, unlike the subsequent horrible singles and albums with which they practically changed genres and softened the sound, this self-titled is not bad at all. I don't even know what drove me to give them a chance, given the horror I felt hearing the productions following this one, but overall when compared to the subsequent flatness, this record appears even profound and immense and manages to provide a decidedly different and good perspective on the combo.

Perhaps it is the only one for which the tag emocore can be used. But let it be clear that it would be a huge mistake to define this as a mere emocore record like others. In fact, within it, there are innumerable influences and references to various genres. This latter aspect is a positive note of the platter. A perfect mix of power-pop, indie rock, emo, hardcore, and nu-metal, that's what's inside the record.

The show opens with "Maybe Memories" which, with its swings to nu-metal and almost hysterical screams, already makes it clear that the music is different here, and that the track's power is not self-serving and fake anger just to end up in a sea of banality like the refrains of "Take It Away" or "Pretty Handsome Award". The piece, after a quick melodic interlude, ends with a series of piercing screams from the frontman. Skipping the horrible "The Taste of Ink" (they should have called it the taste of plastic...) and "Bulimic", which already anticipates what the band will offer in the future, and moving forward in listening, one finds other points of interest.

Namely, the three melodic gems: the splendid atmosphere emphasized by piano and acoustic guitars of "Blue and Yellow", "On My Own", an acoustic song with great impact, with heart-stopping string arrangements and the dreamy and melancholic with a beautiful riffing "Noises and Kisses". And from these latter compositions, it is clear that the melodies here are genuine and natural, unlike the subsequent plastic tracks (see "All That I've Got", "I Caught Fire (in Your Eyes)" and "The Bird and The Worm").

The more hardcore and metal side of the group, opener excluded, emerges from "Say Days Ago" and from the extreme in the high and determined rhythms and in the intense and prolonged screaming of the excellent bonus track "Choke Me". The piece perhaps most relatable to an emocore rhythm is "A Box Full of Sharp Objects". One of the singles, "Buried Myself Alive", makes it clear that the balance of the record definitely leans towards melody.

Good work from the guitars and even behind the microphone by Bert McCracken, with his distinctive vocal tone reminiscent of a frustrated child angry with the world. As customary in this field, the lyrics address themes of love, such as reflections on suicide and a marriage proposal on "Pieces Mended". The production is well-curated and precise with notable additions in arrangements provided by acoustic guitars, piano, and strings.

We were speaking of an anomalous emocore record, and indeed the most direct comparison one can attempt is with a band somewhat foreign to the scene, namely Lostprophets of "Start Something", with whom they share frequent transitions from more screamed parts to others with a pop flair as if nothing happened.

Overall a good debut album, worth three and a half stars. If one wants to listen to the band for the first time, definitely turn to this one without doubts.

Recently, the band, in an interview, has provided news about the release of a new album titled "Artwork" in June, describing it as "the noisiest and most chaotic thing we've ever produced", should we believe it? Well, we shall see.