Artwork [Extra tracks, Import]

The Used | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 18, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: Warner Japan/Zoom
• ASIN: B002B9TR48
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,123,273 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Limited Edition contains a bonus DVD with behind the scenes, making of the album and exclusive interviews. The Used, whose last album, 2007's Lies For the Liars, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200, spent the first half of 2008 in LA exploring and refining tangential riffs and melodies into a scattering of songs that contained a surprisingly cohesive sensibility. The band members dubbed the music they were writing 'gross pop,' their own new genre of hook-laden numbers that pushed the boundaries of what defines the extreme simplicity and indescribable complexity of rock music. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars C'mon Really? This is their best album hands down., September 23, 2009

By 

Number6 (Blasdell, New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Artwork (Audio CD)

C'mon I'm reading these reviews and am ready to puke. This is hands down the album of the year. It probably won't get that by the establishment that handles that, but to me it is. The band finally has become something great with this album. They put their heart and soul into this and it shines because of that. If anything they lost production. This is not over produced, if people even know what that means nowadays. Did anyone listen to Lies For The Liars? Which was an amazing album. But that production does no good here on the subject matter. Finally without Feldmann they've come back together stronger than ever. Hands down their best work, seconded only to the debut. Maybe it's just me, but Burt's lyrics really hit me hard. This album has literally been my life the past 5 months. All 11 songs are amazing and just flow so well. This will be in my CD player for a long long time to come.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I Blame Matt Squire., September 5, 2009

By 

Matt Poole "Prying Open Your Third Eye" (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Artwork (Audio CD)

The Used have changed producers for this album, as I'm sure some of you know. In doing so, they left the emotional rawness of their prior music (especially vocally) behind for what seems to be dark pop music. Bert's vocal's are too clean, which may sound odd, but anyone who love's Bert seemed to love his erratic vocal patterns and maniacal screams. Now he's dropped most of the screams and coarse vocal dynamics in favor of a more emo-pop melody--which I don't like nearly as much. I welcome change and progression with artists, even with a band like The Used who I've seen change a little with each album. I'm one of the people who actually really dug "Lies for the Liars", although I do agree that some of the lyrics seemed forced. Anywho...

Musically, like I said--it sounds like dark pop music. No band members really stand out. It almost seems like they're just there to be a back-up band for the new (but not improved) Bert McCracken. In other words, they're the equivalent of Chris Daughtry's band (ooohh, that burns).

The only stand-out track on this whole album, to me, is "Men Are All the Same". That track is actually pretty freakin' gnarly. It has a little bit of everything good about the band.

I highly suggest to any fan of The Used, SAMPLE THIS BEFORE YOU BUY IT! It is different for them, and if you're like me, the change isn't too good. Thus, I blame their new producer, Matt Squire, for their "far-too-polished" sound.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Is this "In Love and Death 2"?, September 3, 2009

By 

Weston (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Artwork (Audio CD)

Remember that tried-and-true Used formula? Intricate little intro, verse, building crescendo to a loud chorus, repeat... Well it's all too structured on this album. Every song follows this formula, and the end product doesn't end up as ripe or tasty as "In Love and Death", so it honestly sounds to me like tracks that didn't make it.

As much as I didn't personally enjoy "Lies for the Liars" for it's songwriting, I did applaud them for trying stuff out, like the use of horns and some neat little guitar work (see "With Me Tonight"). It was a good effort on their part, and songs like "Earthquake" and "Pretty Handsome Awkward" were to "Lies" what "A Box Full of Sharp Objects" and "The Taste of Ink" were to their self-titled.

Overall, none of the songs stand out the way some of their other tracks have over the years. The beginning of "Blood On My Hands" is promising, but ends up with the same emo-kid lyrics ("I hate to say that I told you so, but I told you so") and chord progression that has always been there. Another song that made me hopeful was "Sold My Soul", but the track ends with a melancholy piano bit, which ultimately ruins it.

Overall, this is the Used. It's just not the Used I love and scream along with.