Wow. If this isn't classified as one of the albums of the year come December, I'll eat my hat. A potent blend of punk, pop and hardcore, The Used come over like the friendlier cousin of Finch, snarling vocals and buzzsaw guitars mixed with some amazing melodies. And of course it all blends in beautifully, fighting 'What It Is To Burn' toe-to-toe in the genius stakes. The only thing it lacks is the sense of emotion - whereas you can feel Nate Barcalow screaming his guts out, Bert McCracken seems toned down in places - but that's a major label for you.
Either way, 'The Used' is an awesome debut record, fall of the harshness of reality and the subtleties that every great record needs. There's full on driving basslines, piercing screams and more than the odd blistering guitar riff. Oh, and there are some fantastic songs to boot. The opening 'Maybe Memories' sets the tone and emphasises The Used's sound - it's harsh, melodic, sweet, dynamic and very good, all in one sweeping motion. Bert can switch from the demonic to the angelic in one breath, always a good trait for a band of this type. And the crunching riffs are great too - the closing "I'm not going to look back" rhetoric is especially good.
The clean production, curteousy of Goldfinger's John Feldman, is emphasised most on the future single 'The Taste Of Ink', a track which posseses a great singalong hook. 'Bullimic' is much harsher without ever losing that shiny pop-laden edge, and even despite this the lyrics are as thoughtful as on any record this year - "Each drag's a drop of blood a grain, a minute of my life, it's all I've got just to stay down." 'Say Days Ago' is just as good, the inventive guitar fills bringing out that extra edge in the sound. 'Poetic Tragedy' again uses the dynamics brilliantly, switching through the quiet and loud bits well. A tale of drug abuse written in the third person, yet quite clearly coming from the heart, it again shows that there is a depth and a quality to the lyrics that is severely lacking in other releases.
'Buried Myself Alive' features a chugging guitar riff and another 'poppy' chorus, while the single 'A Box Full Of Sharp Objects' stands out a mile as being a brilliant song. It's an obvious MTV2 hit-in-waiting and after already featuring on the Atticus compilation it shows that The Used are ready and waiting for world domination. Whether or not the song is about self-harm is open to debate - either way it's heartfelt and very good indeed. 'Blue and Yellow' features the use of a piano and some very whispery vocals and despite being a polar opposite to the previous track, it fits in perfectly with the flow of the album, relieving a bit of the tension before the emotional onslaught of 'Greener With The Scenery', one of my personal favourites from the album.
'Noise and Kisses' raises the tempo, and the screaming factor, up a notch, with Bert back to his bursting best. Again the production is not over used and the melodies are not lost on the listener. This is a band that want crossover appeal and good luck to them. 'On My Own' is maybe one acoustic track to far, but even then it's a cracking song that shows Mr McCracken's vocal range. The closing 'Pieces Mended' is awesome too, with riffs bouncing off the walls and a cagey vocal that again is on the verge of cracking up. Even the hidden track, with includes Bert's birthday surprise and what seems like a deranged cover of the riff from 'Tainted Love', is a masterstroke.
From out of nowhere (and from a major label) The Used have come up trumps with one of the best records you'll hear this year. Bert McCracken is a star in the making and it seems that this time next year, as Finch have, planet punk will be swept off their feet by another melodic post-hardcore crew. It's an over-saturated genre already, but when records are as good as this, all is forgiven.
Paul.
