Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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47 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
New Sound, But Still The Same Great Band, November 14, 2004
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.
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37 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent follow-up album, esp. after a overwhelming debut, November 16, 2004
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.....
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not great, not garbage, but still above average , October 11, 2004
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
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by The Used 
