Track Listing

1. Maybe Memories
2. Taste Of Ink
3. Bulimic
4. Say Days Ago
5. Poetic Tragedy
6. Buried Myself Alive
7. Box Full Of Sharp Objects
8. Blue And Yellow
9. Greener With The Scenery
10. Noise And Kisses
11. On My Own
12. Pieces Mended

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15552 in Music
• Released on: 2002-11-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Being born and raised in the ultra conservative Mormon stronghold of Orem, Utah, obviously had a profound affect on the Used. As well as confirming them as worthy rivals to Linkin Park, Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd, their splenetic debut album vents a lifetime's worth of bottled up neuroses and unresolved anger, in fervent defiance of their hometown's quiet reserve. With singer Bert McCracken schizophrenically flicking between the passive voice of reason and distraught screamer, their manic assault certainly doesn't pull any punches as they bitterly exorcise failed relationships via the likes of "Buried Myself Alive", which careers from mild mannered hurt, to jack hammer guitars and a blood curdling banshee wail of "If you want me back you're gonna have to ask nicer than that." For sure the stop/start, quiet/loud formula is as old as the hills, but they use it better than most. When they let loose and the screaming starts, the pain and anguish is palpable. Combine that with the huge, unshakable shout-along choruses of "The Taste of Ink", "Noise and Kisses" and "A Box Full of Sharp Objects" and the net result is joyously cathartic. --Dan Gennoe

CD Description
Although much is made of this Utah foursome's rebellious background (singer Bert McCracken's former drug addiction and the band's pre-record deal pan-handling street-kid lifestyle), all that's really required to ascertain the level of the band's commitment is a close listen to their self-titled debut release. They leap into each song as though their lives depended upon it (maybe they're not so anxious to go back to spare-changing). While they are initially presented as another entrant in the aggro-rock sweepstakes, there's a bit morethan that to the Used. Sure, McCracken can let out blood-curdling screams of angst with the best of them, and there's no shortage of blazing guitars and pounding drums, but the Used seem to have spent at least as much time listening to Jane's Addiction as they have to the Deftones. The band's rangeis made most clear by the acoustic-guitar-and-strings ballad "On My Own" and the melodic piano motif at the end of the closing song "Pieces Mended".

Customer Reviews

Better than their newer release
Ok, despite knowing and being a casual fan of the Used for quite a while I only really got into them with their "In love and death" album, which is all well, but going back and buying this prooves they've started to parody themselves.

This album has much more raw aggression (Bulimic, Maybe memories, The full box of sharp objects) than their latter material, whilst somber songs like "Blue and Yellow" don't feel out of place at all.

Basically they're the best at their game, everybody knows about all this "Emo post hardcore" jibber jabber, this band just do it better than the rest.

My advice is if you've only heard more recent material this album is what it's all about. Do it!

It is worth it and we can hear you
Orem, Utah seems to be a highly unlikely place for a punk screamo band to emerge from, especially seeing as the town has a strict Mormon basis. Despite the unlikelihood of a band emerging from there it’s happened and they are in the shape of The Used, a four piece consisting of Bert McCracken, Quinn Allman, Jeph Howard and Branden Steineckert, Vocals, Guitar, Bass and Drums respectively, are a breath of fresh air to the alternative music scene, although they haven’t pioneered any new musical ideas, there is a definite sense of life, enthusiasm and pain in their songs.
This raw emotion is laid bare for all to feel and hear and feel it you do through McCracken’s soaring and varied vocals, clever lyrics and Allman’s beautifully constructed guitar pieces.

‘The Taste of Ink’ is a fantastic example of the skills that this band holds, opening with a simple guitar riff and McCracken’s declaration of ‘is it worth it can you even hear me?’ the song quickly blends to thumping drums and heart felt lyrics building into a crescendo of pure emotional outlet. The album continues to gain strength from other songs such as ‘buried myself alive’ which blends melodic verses with a chorus of ‘if you want me back you’re gonna have to ask nicer than that’. ‘Poetic tragedy’ is a raw song about loneliness and the temptation to return to drug abuse, something which plagued McCracken before the formation of The Used. Every one of the songs is set perfectly to their instruments and it is this combination that makes the Used such an exhilarating band.

Absolutely fan-bloody-tastic
I make a point of borrowing the first CD of a band i think i'll like so i'll hear their less polished, older stuff before the newer, much more stuff, but it was completely different with the Used, unlike with other bands like My Chemical Romance. At first, my friend sent me to a site with the music video of All That I've Got and i liked it, i even remembered the tune completely the next day (which never happens). I planned to buy their first album, but a friend gave me her In Love and Death CD and i instantly fell in love with it, it was exactly what i like in music! The tunes were catchy, the lyrics powerful and the overall effect was mind-blowing. With that as the second album, i was even more curious to the first album, even more so when i saw a video of Buried Myself Alive and thought how good it was for a first album song. Upon getting it, i was completely shcoked hwo good the songs were for their first album and i loved it! Taste of Ink and Blue and Yellow are my faves, but the whole CD was just so inspiring and fantastic, i haven't been able to stop listening to it for two weeks! This is a fantastically rewarding CD, particularly if you loved their second album. Just like IN Love and Death, the tunes are catchy and the lyrics are beautiful. It's well worth it!!