The Used
“Self-Titled”
(Reprise Records)
Sometimes when I run out of deodorant, I use my wife’s. Without it, I’d smell like a sweaty gorilla. And people don’t respond well to that. Just as I suppose people in Orem, Utah didn’t respond well to The Used lead singer, Bert McCracken, throwing up during live shows. Granted, most people could do without vomit during sets of live music, but if it helps to make music this good, then by all means, let the man wretch. Not merely post-rock or post-punk, this is post-music; an all-encompassing creation, melding pleasant sounds from several past styles and creating a unique and expressive conglomerate akin to the Deftones, Boysetsfire, Glassjaw, As Friends Rust and even Quicksand. Manic, elegant, powerful and emotive, the boys in The Used have produced a melodic marvel with the potential to appeal to open-minded music lovers of all genres; hardcore and punk, indie and emo, metal and rock. A unique mix of thought and structure, with guts and gusto. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to listen again because it’s exceptional.
