The Used: Lies For the Liars

Poor The Used... They peaked so early what with Warped Tour cred and a lead singer that could date a reality TV star (though probably not anyone's first pick). They had a 'Taste of Ink' and TRL fame, and now? Well, there really isn't a place for The Used in pop or punk. My Chemical Romance and Panic! at the Disco have filled in the pop gaps, both enjoying major success in their young careers. Bands who have paid their dues are also starting to get their time in the sun as well--groups like From First to Last, etc. Then there are the other bands who have enjoyed consistent success, such as AFI. Never taking over the rock and roll world, but when their new material came out, it gained some hype.

So what about The Used? Since their big bang in the beginning of the decade, the group has little to show for their success. Starting out as a mainstream punk band in the vein of My Chemical Romance, The Used have repeatedly sought to reinvent their sound on each release. Their last album, In Love and Death, sounded a little heavier than their typical 10-14 yr. old fans might have enjoyed. These were the same kids that made mix-CDs with Simple Plan and Sugarcult juxtaposed alongside their beloved The Used--not Between the Buried and Me and Killswitch Engage tracks.

Now on their latest, Lies For the Liars, the band has taken this edgy approach to their old sound to produce a poor substitute for an uber-electro-AFIish, post-Refused, washed up, overdramatized, and unoriginal record. The only plus on the whole album is, believe it or not, some of McCracken's vocals. Although he has a tendency to overdo it (like every song is performed in the rain at the funeral of a beautiful woman), he has more vocal talent than the usual players in the genre. But the music? It's a sad attempt at incorporating mechanical and industrial elements into a punk melody that has little substance to begin with. On several tracks, the production plays with computerized noise, soundtrack-like editing techniques, and other quirks. But the result is as weak as a WWF entrance anthem. There isn't much worth talking about here because it's more of the same. Imagine the 3-4 worst tracks off the worst AFI, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, and other comparable bands' albums. Add them all together, and what do you get? Lies For the Liars!

When the time comes for another album, what won't The Used try next? Panic! has license on the orchestral arrangements. My Chemical Romance has the fashion ("They stole from Green Day." "No, Green Day stole from us!"). The Used need to find their own trademark even this late in the game. Fortunately, their loyal fanbase keeps giving them second chances (for some reason). Fortunately there is enough organization in the genre that no one really needs to be original either.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.