The Used
“Artwork”
Release Date: August 31st, 2009
Label: Reprise
Genre(s): Alternative, post-hardcore

Up until Artwork, I had never listened to The Used. Typically classified as post-hardcore, and in some regards full-on emo, they fall just outside of my musical taste spectrum. Regardless, I’m always open to new things so after receiving a copy of the album I decided I’d go ahead and give it a chance.

The album starts off with a track (and the lead single for the album) called “Blood On My Hands”. Instrumentally, the group isn’t anything “mind-blowing,” but each member contributes a certain unpolished “charm” to the band. “Blood On My Hands” however, sounds a LOT like Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl,” vocally, and for proof try searching for some Used/Katy Perry mashups. At times the melody sounds directly lifted from Ms. Perry… but hopefully that was an accident and not done on purpose.

“Empty With You” is the sound that has kept me away from bands like The Used — the music itself is okay but vocalist Bert McCracken has such an irritating tone to his voice that I simply cannot listen to this song. It does nothing to separate out The Used from so many other “post-hardcore” bands; unfortunately there are no tracks on the album that help to make this distinction.

Artwork continues on and on with cut-and-paste teenage angst lyrics and mediocre song-writing. While it may be pointed out that this isn’t a genre that I particularly enjoy, this album is like a definition of why I don’t like it. Irritating vocals, repetitive melodies, over-glossed production… some of this album comes across as actually unlistenable.

I can’t even really list a high-point of the album; everything is so similar that if you don’t enjoy one track, none of the others are going to move you either. For fans of The Used, I’m sure this is what you are looking for, but for those looking for a new band or new genre to step into, all that Artwork provides is a bland look at a traditionally “teenage” genre, conventional at best; copycat at worst.

Rating: 3.5/10

Check Out: A different band
BAD: Bert McKraken’s vocal work for the majority of this album, mediocre song-writing