In Love & Death,
The UsedI remember posting a news item at the beginning of the summer stating I was looking forward to the new Libertines album more than the new Used album (They were released the same week if you’re wondering why) and I also seem to remember getting slated for it. Well to my disappointment the new Libertines album was a bit of a let down, but what of Bert McCrackens mob? Well I wasn’t expecting the privilege of reviewing it to begin with, let alone actually… (Gulp) …liking it? But that is the situation I’m in and although it is far from perfect, it isn’t the mess I was expecting.
It has taken me a long time to come round to it though. The first few listens and I was less than impressed with some of the production along with the one or two sickly sweet tracks on display (more on that later), which generally brought it down to a level I was expecting to begin with. Many Used fans will be glad to know it retains that edge from their self titled effort from 2002, along with that knack of finding annoyingly catchy melodies which stick in the memory long after the track has finished. ‘Take It Away’ begins the twelve songs well (Managing to remind of the modern day Lost Prophets at points rather worryingly) and continues with the equally tidy - if a little meek ‘I Caught Fire’.
From here on in though, it becomes a little more disjointed. The majority of tracks on display vary from the metal sounds of ‘Sound Affects & Overdramatics’ to the poppy shite of ‘Yesterdays Feelings’, and this unfortunately is where it falters. When the Used are bang on form, tracks such as the former stamp their mark over anything else the scene can deliver, but one too many slushy “nothing” songs take precedence and ruin what should be a tasty hard edged flow. Saying that though, the impressive ‘All that I’ve Got’ stands out amongst some of the more platonic efforts, as does the bouncy ‘Lunacy Fringe’.
So in conclusion, do I recommend it? Well I still don’t know. Big things were expected, but in my opinion they have failed to deliver by a nose. The stand out tracks get to easily lost amongst the mediocre and as a result it loses half a star. Fans of The Used’s original sound will lap it up; as will any other ‘emo-metal’ fans out there, but for those undecided, you may well want to steer clear.
Jay
www.theused.net
Reprise/Warner
