Who said "Can you imagine Bono singing in a Mudvayne cover band?"
That was me. In a short review of Maybe Memories, I marveled at lead singer Bert McCracken's ability to scream. Hey, let's face it: sometimes there's nothing more cathartic than a good, throat-shredding yawp.
Well, McCracken can still let it rip. The opening track of In Love And Death, "Take It Away", begins with a sharp, dissonant guitar double-stops followed by a scream punctuating some heavy guitar riffage. It's very similar to the approach taken on the previous record.
But, oh...there is some dissent out there. Take a quick peek at some of the Amazon commentary and you will see that fatal phrase: "sell out". Even worse: "Good Charlotte". Ouch.
To be fair, I did point out that there was quite a range of musical styles on Maybe Memories, and this has not changed. There's the cool,tangled opening riff on "I Caught Fire" (which sounds like a distant cousin to Rush's "Spirit Of Radio"), the bouncy power popish "Cut Up Angels" and the soaring "Yesterday's Feelings", punctuated with acoustic guitars and glockenspiel. Yes kids, not every song is the angst-ridden freight train. Remember, people do change.
It's kinda funny that "I Caught Fire" should remind me (just a little) of "Spirit of Radio". Last night, while reading Neil Peart's Traveling Music, I came across a section where the concepts of sincerity and intent were tossed around by way of a quote from Nick Hornby's Songbook:
- "I don't care who you listen to, or how good they are", you want to say to kids who are about to embark on a lifetime of listening. "Just make sure that whoever it is means it, that they're burning up in their desperation to communicate whatever it is they want to say."
Of course, I've got no crystal ball. I wasn't there to see how the Used put this stuff together. Did they intend to "sell out" (whatever that emotionally charged term means)? I don't know.
I do know that much attention to detail has been paid in the lyrics, the artwork (check out creepy Ralph Bakshi-meets-The-Wall stuff of artist Alex Pardee) and the nuanced arrangements. Yes, the screams of "Listening" can exist right next to the sparse structure of "Lunacy Fringe" (built up from a base of acoustic guitar and bass). It does sound like they mean it.
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
very interesting Mark - I agree that meaning it is one measure of music, especially if the artist is trying to convince you of just that. But there are other measures also: one of hte great things aobut art is that it's imagination-based - if you can imagine it well enough, you don't have to mean it.
2 - Mark Saleski
yep. you know, it's not even that i love this cd or anything (though i do think it's better than a lot of the typical "big riffs & yellin' fare), it's that those reactionary cries of "sellout" kind of bug me.
3 - Mark Saleski
and by the way, as much as flash sites can piss me off, i've gotta say that The Used' site (theused.net) has some very inventive stuff on it.
4 - BRICKLAYER
I'm quite for certain that Right Said Fred meant it from the heart when they told us they were too sexxxy for their cat. I was feelin' that.
But anyways Mark, I bought the first one and thought it was pretty okay, but in the time since then I've gotten pretty over seeing the lead singers scraggly, pasty mug everywhere I turn (Yikes! The new AP just came in the mail, and there he is again on the cover. Looks like the rest of the band got put into the Eighteen Visions/Hot Topic screamo makeover machine, and the machine must have gotten stuck because the guys from Atreyu had jammed it with black hair dye!-And on a side note, the cover of "you give love a bad name" on Atreyu's new record is just pitiful. Absofreakinlutely horrid. Lame. El-stinko. If it is supposed to be wink wink irony, sorry no worky, and if it is indeed a true homage, then you boys sadly have learned nothing of insturmental and melodic use from those heady and hairy days of spandex rock). That affair with pudge Osbourne was a real turn off too. I mean kudos to him for the publicity coup, but I'll bet he had to jack himself up on all sorts of substances just to be able to stand in the same room with her, let alone hold her hand!
PS-Dude, the new Converge owns! Check it out, I think you will dig.
5 - Mark Saleski
...the new Converge...
guy at my local record shop keeps tellin' me that too.
hmmmm.
6 - BRICKLAYER
Give it a try. All you have to lose is your hard earned money and valuable time.
7 - BRICKLAYER
Time, that is, that you can never, ever get back.
8 - mr. zak
the used rock.
9 - Abbie
love the used, can't wait to see you guys "down under" in october!! Mwa
10 - Ser-ah
The Used rocks my panties. Quinn is my husband and none of you hoes can have him.
11 - Debbie
Quinn writes the prettiest lyrics ever and even though I love Bert it's not fair that he takes all the credit. I heard somewhere that Quinn can't sing but I still think that they should, like more of a big deal about how awsome he is. He's also a great guitarist and I wish I could play as good as him or even play at all.
12 - Me Me Me
Bert is the ultimate song writer, i would give my left nut just to see them live