Customer Reviews

In Love and Death

5 star:		(120)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(39)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(45)

 

 

When The Used released their debut in 2002, they won me and many people over very quickly with their own quirky blend of pop and hardcore, and helped usher in, whether you like it or not, the current "screamo" trend. However, The Used have enough originality and talent at their disposal to avoid being painted into a corner, so when their second album "In Love & Death" comes around, it's no surprise that it sounds little like their debut. The band has matured in plenty of ways. For starters, the songwriting has shifted a bit. On the first album, they were a band full of young kids who were starving to taste some success. On this release, we have more of a loose concept album full of songs dealing with the subject of both love and death. The songs range from brutal ("Sound Effects & Overdramatics") to harmonious ("All That I've Got) and the band effortlessly handles each moment with glorious soundscapes that speak just as loudly as vocalist Bert McCracken. Songs like "Let It Bleed" and "Listening" tread a similar path that the debut did, but other songs like "Hard To Say" and "All That I've Got" delve into The Used's knack for pure melody that they toyed around with on previous songs like "On My Own" and "Blue & Yellow." "I Caught Fire" is the catchiest of the bunch, combining all The Used ingredients, and would make a perfect second single. "Take It Away," the first track & first single is absolutely brilliant and addictive (and also features production by Danny Lohner of Nine Inch Nails). The album as a whole is perfect. It definitely lives up to the standard set by the debut. I was a bit skeptical at first, and it took me a few listens to fully warm up, but it pays off. Give this album it's fair chance. The Used are easily the best in their game, and we can only imagine what tricks they will pull out for us on their third album.

it's hard to produce a "5 stars" album, especially when your debut album is already a "5 stars", because of the expectation of the audiences is extremely high. "In Love & Death" is the follow up of the The Used overwhelming self-titled debut, which they pretty much kept their own style, combine style-merging rhythm with emotional energetic vocal, turn out to be another album full of interesting arrangement and powerful melodies, "Light With A Sharpened Edge", "Hard To Say", "I Caught Fire" seems to be more melodic tunes, whereas others like "Sound Effects And Overdramatics", their first-single "Take It Away", "I'm A Fake" will be more on their harder, emo-ish side,

i personally enjoy listening to it very much, it deserve a nomination fot the album of year.....

If it's any supirse, this CD is amazing. Although it doesn't sound quite the same as their self titled CD it definetly shows maturity. The Song I Caught Fire is probably the best track along with Sound Effects and Over Drematics. If you don't already own this and like their self titled... You need to pick it up. You wont be dissapointed.

Most fans of the first album liked the band's screaming, slightly death metal edge and provacative lyrics. With the second album, the lyrics are still fairly evocative, but the band's style has changed dramatically. I really like the second album, but I like for a whole different set of reasons than I liked the first. Love or Death is a lot more pop-sounding than the first album--much more in the mainstream emo-type realm. If you're looking for the hardcore sounds of their self-titled album, you probably won't enjoy this one, but if you like Bert's voice and you're into the emo thing, you'll love Love and Death.

In my opinion this album is not as bad as the majority of reviewers say. I think what really happened for this album is The Used failed in making good soft songs as they did for the first record (the taste of ink, poetic tragedy, blue and yellow). Moreover, they didn't manage to make great hard songs with emotions (maybe memories, say days ago, bulimic, buried myself alive, noise and kisses, A box full of sharp object).

This results in a more or less boring album. However, we must ask ourselves if we would have tought the same if The Used haven't previously made a masterpiece album as their self titled. I personaly think their first album just set the step way to high for these guys.

There are some good songs, some average songs and some lousy songs.

Masterpiece songs:
-none

Great songs:
- Let it bleed
- I'm a fake

Good songs:
- Take it Away
- I caught fire
- All that I've got
- Cut up angels

average songs:
- Listening
- Light with the sharpened edge
- Sound effects and overdramatics

lousy songs:
- Yesterday's feelings
- It's hard to say

garbage:
- Lunacy fringe


Final word:
The Used - The Used 1000000/10
In love and Death - The Used 7/10

The Used review by: Mr. Roman

The Used are a very awesome band from Utah. The album "In Love and Death" is great. The lyrics can make an old lady scream and their powerhouse guitar style can make Ozzy Osborne, the `Prince of Darkness', want to listen to them. I first noticed The Used when I went to their concert with My Chemical Romance, and they kicked some serious butt. I couldn't believe that this new band was so awesome.

The best songs on the album `In Love and Death' are: "Listening", "Take it Away", "Lunacy Fringe", "All That I've Got", and "Let it Bleed". The lyrics and style of the song "Let it Bleed" makes it unbelievably addictive and it just makes you want to sing it at the top of your lungs. They are sort of like a better version of Billy Talent and have a more punkish sound than My Chemical Romance.

If you want a band that can make you feel better on a bad day, well then listen to The Used because they can relate to your problems especially if you are a teenager because the songs have the same sort of outlook as a teenager. The song "All That I've Got" is about appreciating what you have because you might not always get what you want. As Tesla would say, "you don't always get what you need, you don't always get what you want". The band, The Used, is a very awesome band to watch in concert and to hear at home. If you are young like me go and buy the album and you wont be disappointed because they are like Kiss.... they rock and roll all night and party everyday.

i'm sick of reading reviews where people constantly think that the used sucks because its "not punk" or "not rock and roll". the used is not TRYING to be any of those things. they are being original, which is more than i can say about mainstream bands such as yellowcard and good charlotte. face it people punk is dead. the rock and roll days are over. the used is not just another of the MTV/top 40 bands either. and people who think that emo sucks, all they talk about is cutting and suicide and angst, well thats what emo IS. its a style, a way of thinking, that a lot of people are into. GET OVER IT. the used is awesome and so is every one of their songs. i recommend this album as well as their self-titled album.

I dont understand why everyone is giving this album negitive reviews, its a great album. Yeah i will agree that it is different from there last, but you dont want every album sounding the same. Every negitive reveiw has said there is no more anger and rage like the first, yes and no. Have they not listend to Sound Effects and Overdramtics, great song. The slow songs are good as well. I think its good that they arent as angery as they were. There people too and go through different things and have ups and downs, i think they have grown as musicans and are experimenting with some sounds. I've been waiting for this album for a long time and am not disappointed. Keep up the good work and i look forward to the next album.

In Love and Death is a breathtaking arrangement of pulse throbbing songs that transform you to another world. The Used's debut album proved to be a hard act to follow with chart hits such as "The taste of Ink" and "Maybe Memories". This new C.D. starts off right where they stopped with hard hitting songs that tell the stories of the four band members.
Unique is a word that you could use to describe the style of music. With variations of new tracks such as a punk approach to "I caught Fire" and then a songs like "I'm a fake", this makes "In Love and Death" the single greatest C.D. ever produced.The topics of Love and Death are being seen through the bands eyes as their new writing style is more mature then their first C.D.
Bert Mccracken leads The Used with his insane singing style. He leaves it all out on the stage as he shows the different types of variations he is able to sing with. Harmonic control seems to be a bigger theme in this C.D. compared to the first C.D. when the younger band was still full of raw potential. Quin and Jeph string the guitars with exceptional melodies and Branden keeps the beat with the drums.
My favorite song on this C.D. is "I caught fire" while "Maybe Memories was my favorite on their first C.D. Two totally different songs that have a nicotine effect on me with the repitition of me playing the song over and over. Total addiction is what happens after listening to all the tracks on this album. It might not catch you at first, but after listening to it again, the ingenious instrumentation and vocals keeps you coming back for mor.
There just is not enough I can say about how amazing this new C.D. is. The Used is still an up and coming band with a growing fan base all over the world. The Honest songs have caught the eyes of fans and have made "In Love and Death" a highly anticipated and top selling album.

In the summer of 2002, Utah branded quartet, The Used, embraced us with one of the best "emo-screamo hardcore" albums known today. This album only caused the band to be a well known favorite amongst thousands and prompted them to score a main stage slot on the 2003 Vans Warped Tour and an opening slot on the 2004 Projekt Revolution Tour.

Having achieved such success, the wait for the new album was one of the most anticipated albums of Fall 2004. Upon the release of the album, the band released their first single, "Take It Away" in the spring of 04. The song seemed to be a promising preview of what to expect from the band in the fall. On September 28th, the wait came to an end and the band dropped their sophomore release, entitled "In Love and Death."

As soon as you put this album in your CD player, you couldn't help bust notice that something has changed. Their first self-titled album was overflowing with hardcore melodic songs, which showcased the Used at their best, while the new album was lacking a bit in the hardcore department, possibly causing disappointment to the old-school Used fans.

However, it is emotionally better than the first album. In ballads such as, "I Caught Fire (In Your Eyes)" and "It's Hard To Say" singer Bert McCracken proves that he is capable of singing heart-felt songs without screaming which actually makes his amazing voice stand out.

While the band has melowed out a bit, the album has a unique twist to it. It has two sides that are clearly visable. The new side of course, showing the new-softer Used and the hardcore side showing the old-aggressive Used. In tracks such as, "Sound Effects and Overdramatics" and the album's stand out track, "I'm A Fake" it shows that Bert still has his amazing talent to scream that made everyone fall in love with them in the first place.

The new album in my opinion is another masterpiece created by one of the most well-respected-rising bands. The Used definitely have what it takes to make it in the industry today. Although, it doesn't really match up to their first release, this album is highly worth paying $13 and I highly reccommend checking them out.

Review written by: Kristie Taft