ARTIST: The Used
ALBUM: Imaginary Enemy
LABEL: GAS Union/Hopeless
RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014
Used & Abused
Written by Silas Valentino
Six albums in, The Used is still mad as hell at just about everything in the world. Lady friends who broke their heart, the United States, their generation— you name it and The Used will write an angry rock song about it. Imaginary Enemy is a solid effort from the Utah don’t-call-us-Emo rock band and while certain songs demand your attention, many of them fall behind destined to be lost in the crevices of your library.
“All revolutions are impossible until they happen—then they become inevitable.” This spoken-word statement, from album opener “Revolution,” begins Imaginary Enemy and it’s a fitting ethos for the whole record. Take a look at their album cover. It looks like a Sgt. Pepper’s hit list on every political leader from the last quarter century, plus a few historical favorites shuffled in the mix.
“Revolution” is a heavy mix of distorted guitar, technological breakdowns and a crashing-of-the-walls chorus. It’s laced with lyrics about the end and revolts, and The Used can sell it. But the only downfall is that their message lacks the tenacity and originality needed to inspire a teenager to drop their phones and write to their congressman.
Missing the political cue is all right for The Used has composed an instantly enjoyable single, “Cry.” Damn, singer Bert McCracken can sing a hook. “I’m going to let you bleed for a little bit/ I’m going to make you beg just for making me cry,” he croons but with enough power pop gooeyness to make you want to jump in and join the destruction of his former lover, or whoever he’s singing about. In the past, The Used have covered songs by David Bowie and the Talking Heads meaning that they respect the greats in cool pop and can reflect part of their musical ability.
Remember when Emo bands used to have long song titles that would take 10- seconds to scroll by on your iPod? “A Song to Stifle Imperial Progression (A Work in Progress)” may not be the longest song title, but it carries the same attitude that bands like Panic! At the Disco and My Chemical Romance used to flaunt but have since demised. “They say democracy, they really mean disease/ Not satisfied ‘til everyone is on their knees,” McCracken howls during the chorus. Hopefully the band paid their taxes this month because with lyrics like these the government might be coming after them.
The last half of Imaginary Enemy parks itself in ballad territory only raising the fist of fury during the penultimate track “Force Without Violence.” The strongest effort from the ballad caliber is the drum-heavy “Kenna Song.” Though the drums command the track, “Kenna Song” is marked by the little poppy musical additions that sprinkle down throughout the track.
During the recording of Imaginary Enemy, The Used decided to make drastic changes in their song writing process. Instead of producing the music first and then adding the melodies and vocals, the band opted to working backwards by playing off of what McCraken laid down first and then writing music around the vocals. An interesting way to record an album, the trick worked for a few of the best tracks on Imaginary Enemy. “Cry,” “A Song to Stifle Imperial Progression (A Work in Progress)” and “Overdose” are excellent highlights and deserve a listen but unfortunately that can’t be said for some of the other tracks that sound secondhand and worn. Thirteen years into their career, The Used may be sounding a bit too much like their name.