Track by track review of ‘The Used - Heartwork’
Well… I’m Shaken!
Oh My Frick! It is finally here and I couldn’t be more excited! My favourite band has returned! The Used are back, tackling right into the 2020’s, and if you ask me, it seems not a moment too soon! The Emo fanboy in me is squirming, headbanging and screaming, doing everything short of straightening my hair and penning on eyeliner. The time we’ve all been hoping for has arrived. Bands have been reforming, tours will be commencing once the lock down is over, and the ‘Rawring 20s’ are in full swing, baby! But perhaps most wonderful of all, is that it is The Used who has been one of the bands that brought this about. My first music love, my beginning and my rebirth. I fucking love this band so much! And today, I get the pleasure, nay the privilege, nay the honour, of reviewing The Used and their newest album, ‘Heartwork’. So, let’s dive right in and get into a bit of history.
Aaaaahh!!
The Used are a band originally from Utah, who over the last 20 years have shot right up to the top in the music industry. I’m sure most rock fans will have heard of this band, but if not, then you might have seen or heard of them in circulation with big names like My Chemical Romance and Taking Back Sunday. The Used started out in the year 2001 after adding their iconic lead singer, Bert McCracken to the line up. During a short period of recording songs and sending out demos early on, they got the attention of John Feldman (Lead singer of the band Goldfinger), who would become their favourite album producer. After signing with Reprise Records, the band began to sky-rocket into the hearts of everyone who saw their high energy live shows and heard their Screamo-Pop music. Much like bands such as Silverstein, Senses Fail and Thursday, they’ve become well known for bringing a clean cut, catchy Screamo to the mainstream in Rock, but it’s been The Used especially who have been held up as a major scene favourite for over a decade.
Their first three albums, ‘The Used’, ‘In Love And Death’ and ‘Lies For The Liars’ are usually considered the early favourites by hardcore fans, as these records express their most youthful and explosive energy. Their fourth album, ‘Artwork’ and their fifth, ‘Vulnerable’ stand up as well written works too, but there have been mild complaints of selling out and debatable vocal quality. ‘Artwork’ and ‘Vulnerable’ also hold the mild crime of deviating from their trademark sound, either into a darker, grungier territory or one more akin to Hip-Hop and Electro music. In my opinion, their first five albums are exceedingly strong and pumped full of personality, even if some of their songs and concepts might’ve been a bit hit and miss for me. I love the sound and the aesthetic that brought them into the limelight and I suppose there’s always been a part of me that wished they could stay that way forever. But understandably, the band were getting tired of being tarred with the same brush all the time. They wanted to branch out, broaden their horizons, and show that they were so much more than just a sub genre. Fair enough. Unfortunately for me however, their next two studio releases weren’t exactly everything I hoped for.
Their sixth album, ‘Imaginary Enemy’ was probably my least favourite, even though the concept of it seems like a good idea on paper. It does have a strong mix of heavy and soft sounds. It is built on an interesting political concept, one which showed us a new side to this band. And it does have a fucking amazing album cover. But a lot of the actual music and the songs on ‘Imaginary Enemy’ feel a little bland and dry. It’s very alien and annoyingly lacking in the usual flavour and character you’d expect from them, although I would say that their songs ‘A Song To Stifle Imperial Progression’ and ‘Imaginary Enemy’ are highly enjoyable. Their seventh album, ‘The Canyon’ does come a little closer to their usual mark, trading in the revolution based anthems of ‘Imaginary Enemy’ for something a bit more experimental and progressive. With strong influences from the band’s Hardcore Punk roots, experimental song structures inspired by groups like Every Time I Die, and a heart piercingly intimate concept, The Used made ‘The Canyon’ into an album that could be described as a modern day Pink Floyd record. Nevertheless, the long, endless songs on this release and its experimental nature make for a challenging listen. But have no fear. Because suddenly, after eight years of taking what we could get and putting up with what we were given, The Used turned around and surprised us!
In December 2019 the band dropped their single ‘Blow Me’ and well, it definitely did blow us away! As did their second single ‘Paradise Lost, A Poem By John Milton’. Their madness and their catchy choruses destroyed our fears and blew the previous two albums out of the water. They awoke the sleeping fans with their promise, not only of a return to the sound that we all love, but a return to a part of ourselves that we’ve grown to hide over the years. And now, we have a whole new album for our return. For me, ‘Heartwork’ really is the album that I’ve been waiting for. The return of that Emo rock/Screamo combine harvester, splashed with the brightest pigments and adorned with the deepest bruises and cuts. But before you take a sigh of relief and celebrate for what you’re hoping is the most brutal, early 2000’s album you could ever imagine, let me tell you this.
This album was not what I was expecting it to be. It probably won’t be what all of you are expecting it to be. However, you may find that it will be even more than that! This is probably the most ‘The Used’ like album we will ever hear and destroy any preconceptions we originally had about them. To understand what I'm talking about, let’s get into the track by track run down.
We begin with ‘Paradise Lost, A Poem By John Milton’ which on its own you wouldn’t expect to be the opening track for this monster comeback, however, the grooving bassline and beautiful flow of the chorus only accentuates the poetic qualities of the lyrics, making it a perfect intro for The Used. Nice job guys! Then, the nail is spun on its head by ‘Blow Me’, a very spindly, mad starting track with a ride around verse and chorus structure that’s highly reminiscent of 90's Grunge and Punk. As well as being a perfect new favourite, the addition of Jason Aalon Butler for screamed vocals during the heavy bridge and extended, creeping ending gives the song a tasty Emo-core flavour that I, and so many hardcore fans are overjoyed to hear. But then we spasm into the next track, ‘BIG, WANNA BE’. It begins with a piano/Electro mix, before falling into slow-paced drum and bass, a swanky pep to the lyrical cadence, and symphonies not too distant from softer moments on the album ‘Stand Up And Scream’ by Asking Alexandria.
Next we have ‘Bloody Nose’ which admittedly isn’t a favourite for me. But the murky lows and pulsing display a kind of Hard Rock/Melodic Metalcore that’s interesting to hear from this band. The added quirks of strings and samplings also give the song a nice, deranged feel that has served The Used well on past works. ‘Wow, I Hate This Song’ is next up, and I actually really like this one! It starts off with a nice Ambient Pop feeling for the verses, which rises and increases in heaviness for the chorus. I also love the higher ranged, more discordant backing vocals during it’s hyped up moments, and the harpsichord-like ending is beautifully strange and sad. The next track, ‘My Cocoon’ is the shortest and most Pop like song on the album, and it actually featured at the start of the music video for ‘Paradise Lost’. Despite seeming a little generic on first listen, this song has a nice flow and emotive quality to it that I don’t think any Pop star could pull off in the same way.
But the Electro experimentation continue with ‘Cathedral Bell’. I’m not especially thrown or put off by this song, because it’s twitchy, creepy shivers of fright and imprisonment makes for a sound that’s still very ‘The Used’. I also like the minimalist score and soft airiness of the vocals at first, which make for a song that Billie Eilish could have sung. The Used are fans of the teen idol so it wouldn’t surprise me if she had been an influence. Moving on, we come to ‘1984 (Infinite Jest)’ a track that takes the playful Baroque style of Panic! At The Disco, paired up with a crushing monster ball bass and guitar in the chorus. It’s also worth mentioning the added lyrical references of one of their previous albums, as well ‘The Black Parade’. Hmm, curious… Keeping the chamber music feel going, we have ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ that strikes in with a string veiled 3/3 thunder so significant of early 2000’s Emo bands. There’s simpering, soft pattering, staining tears and whines, and then a charge into the courtroom like an extravagant medieval parade. It feels very ‘In Love And Death’ era for the band, but the added kick from a Your Demise like guitar intro gives us a bit more crunch.
‘Clean Cut Heals’ then blares in and licks the melancholy away with a mix of electric horns, banging twiddles and riffs, and a catchy seizure-like beat, no doubt brought on by the god-like influence of Michael Jackson. While not the heaviest track on the album, this song will make you want to dance. Next up, another short song, being this album’s title track ‘Heartwork’, except it’s also another poem rather than a song. Even though there’s more of a hip-hop edge to it, this puts me in mind of a similar spoken-word interlude on ‘In Love And Death’ which called in before the album’s final track. The addition of choral singers within the sampling overlay also adds a nice ‘Vulnerable’ feel to the track too. ‘The Lighthouse’ featuring Mark Hoppus, will probably not be a huge favourite for rock fans with it’s build up and chorus hooked like a Kesha song, but the vocal arrangement and occasional twangs are well done, if a little generic.
Perhaps thankfully, before we get too repelled by the modern influences in this album, we next have ‘Obvious Blase’ featuring Travis Barker. While not exactly profound, it’s stomping foundations and catchy melody will call back to the band’s early days of their debut, self-titled album. Travis Barker’s soft vocal interjections are also very nice and comforting to this new emo anthem’s strumming ponders. But before we have time to remember the words to it’s scream and shout chorus, ‘The Lottery’ crashes in and takes us off guard with it’s heavy, rummaging guitar and bass, wandering drums, growling screams, and a clear Exotica feel from the powerful chorus. The addition of Caleb Shomo seems perfect for this song too, as his singing complements Bert McCracken’s vocal talents beautifully. With his influence, we also get a magnificently out of place breakdown of the highest finery in Deathcore. It’s heaviness and angular sounding danger puts me in mind of the early works of the band Alesana. It might sound messy and out of sorts, but it’s actually so good the way it’s melded together. Awesome job on that one guys! Next, we charge into a new age The Used banger. ‘Darkness Bleeds FOTF’ might be spliced again with Hip-Hop tracks and even a bit of a Gothic techno prodding, but the song also showcases it’s heavy rock/Post-hardcore mastery. It pushes for the screams and hardened rock instruments, before finishing off nicely with a decline of funk like drums, piano, and choral calls.
The final track, ‘To Feel Something’ is probably the ‘Smother Me’ of this album. Despite starting with an interesting strut of Electro strings, it then swings into a wholesome float along of piano, guitars, and a stinging crush of an ending. But the song wants us to focus on the vocals above all else. The baby velvet, sometimes powerful singing, and tortured screams of Bert McCracken make this band. So, perhaps that’s the way this album should end. Featuring the purest example of the voice that made this band what it is.
Track by track rundowns are a lot of work. But they can be very rewarding. By working through this collection of songs in a systematic way, I’m able to pick apart the different elements and components that make a song stand out from one to the other, and as far as this album goes, every song does that just fine on its own. I think I’ve already summed this up pretty well, but there’s a lot to ‘Heartwork’. The layers are rich and various, the music is interesting if not wonderfully catchy and powerful, and in all honesty, I think this album might be the best The Used has ever done. I’m sure that a lot of you might not agree, and that's okay. Perhaps the saturation of Pop music within this catalogue is a little worrying. But let’s think about it this way.
So, is this album what we were all expecting? No. Are you going to like every song you hear on this? Probably not. However, is this the album that we all need right now? I think so. Finally, is this the best album this band has ever done? You better believe it is! Because it isn’t the return to its roots, the heaviness, or the more Pop injected musical sensibility that makes this album worth our time. It’s the fact that, despite the variety and the new horizons, it’s definitely The Used in there. Their songs feel and sound like them. Only now, rather than just being a rocking Post-Hardcore band that you can feel something to while you mosh, they’ve become richer, stronger, more varied, and perhaps even more like themselves than they ever could have been, and there’s something to be said for that. I think this album is kind of perfect. It's the album that should’ve come after ‘Vulnerable’, and I am so glad that it's finally here. However, rather than disgrace any of their previous work on a personal basis, I think I'll just say this.
Welcome back, The Used. We missed you, and we love you.
So, now for the marking. For leaving us in the dark for a fair few years, but coming back in spectacular style, I award The Used a 9/10. Ideally, I would mark a lot higher, but that might be a bit too biased. Then again, I could mark lower… But I can’t! I love these guys too much! As for this new release, for being the most rewarding album I’ve heard this year, and no doubt ensuring a rise in creative productivity for me for the next month, I award ‘Heartwork’ with a perfect 10/10. That’s right friends, this will be my new favourite album! But then how could it not be?!
The Used have been there with me since day one. Sure I might’ve had my flings with Paramore and Black Veil Brides, but really it’s The Used that have stayed with me all this time. Even at their worst, this band is one of my truest and most defining treasures, and as of such, it's only fitting to finally be able to talk about them in a constructive light. I know this review has been a long one, but if you’ve read up to the end, thank you so much for joining me.
It’s a pleasure to be able to write about the bands and music that I love and have inspired me, as well as being able to put my music knowledge to good use. And even if it’s not the most popular thing to read online, even if it doesn’t get the level of notoriety it needs, I still love what I do. Even if only one person reads this, I know I'm doing something worthwhile.
Go and listen to ‘Heartwork’ right now guys, you’ve earned it! I’ll see you next week.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7nuTopxM42gzBYG7iPbAGp?si=nZfEhrjLRhWfgTmjPN03hw
Heartwork - 9/10