Review: The Used – Vulnerable

Drew Beringer Mar 30, 2012

Despite playing a genre of music that seemingly died out years ago (as evidence of many of their peers from the early 2000’s emo-pop boom having gone the way of the dodo bird), The Used have found a way to remain relevant within the scene, as they possess some of the most die-hard fans I’ve ever encountered. It probably helps that their first two albums are revered by fans and non-fans, and, despite releasing a pair of duds since then, The Used are still able to stir up a lot of anticipation and debate whenever they’re about to release a new album.

But after releasing the poor Artwork in 2009, the band parted ways with Warner Bros. Vocalist Bert McCracken has gone on to say that Artwork is his least favorite album and directed some of the blame towards the band’s former label for meddling with it. Now three years since, their fifth studio album, Vulnerable, is the result of the band having 100% creative control for the first time in a long time, releasing the album collaboratively between their own label, Anger Music Group, and indie power Hopeless Records. McCracken stated that Vulnerable is a direct response to everything surrounding the band’s last release and is his favorite Used record ever. Those are pretty bold words and while I don’t agree with them (I’ll rep the self-titled release till I die), Vulnerable is definitely the band’s best and most versatile release since 2004’s In Love and Death.

Blake Solomon Mar 26, 2012

Joyce Manor are a very interesting band. That may seem like lazy reviewing, and it probably is, but after putting to e-paper my thoughts over 350 times (sad and lonely brag), saying something like, “Band X actually do something creative and memorable,” starts to take on quite a bit of weight. And that’s what I can’t help but think when singer Barry Johnson cuts through with his somehow apathetic yet forceful voice. It’s also what I think when an early 2000s-ish punk influenced pop-punk band records a searing and catchy cover of “Video Killed The Radio Star.” Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired is just completely enthralling.

Drew Beringer Mar 15, 2012

You can always go back home, but nothing is exactly the same. Say Anything’s sixth studio album Anarchy, My Dear is the band’s first release on an indie since leader Max Bemis released the scene classic …Is A Real Boy in 2004. After achieving mild success with the two albums in between on RCA/Sony, Bemis and company find themselves back in the familiar company of a major indie label, this time being Equal Vision. They also enlisted the production services of Tim O’Heir, whom oversaw the IARB sessions, thus including a comfort level that may not have been present during 2009 self-titled release.

But just like when you return home after all those years at college, things are different. People change, environments shift, and you grow and mature as a person. This can be directly applied to Bemis, whom, since Is A Real Boy, has matured not only as a songwriter but as a person. He’s happily married to Sherri DuPree, drugs are out of his system, and his outlook on life has changed. Basically, everything doesn’t suck as much as it did when he was writing that life-changing album. After a while all the self-loathing can be quite the drag, and Bemis is more aware of this than ever.

Drew Beringer Mar 6, 2012

This is not the year of the party crasher.

If you were expecting Every Time I Die to supply you with this year’s latest batch of party jams, think again. Sure, Every Time I Die has never been one to write a bunch of “happy” songs, but don’t expect the likes of “We’rewolf” or “The New Black” to appear on their sixth studio album Ex Lives. Front man Keith Buckley was out of his comfort zone while penning the lyrics to Ex Lives. Stuck overseas touring with his side project The Damned Things, Buckley, disappointed and angry, wrote from the perspective of past lives (thus the inspiration behind the album’s title), wondering if he was an awful human being in a past life and it was karma that was kicking him in the ass.

Review: The Used – Vulnerable

Review: Joyce Manor – Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired

Review: Say Anything – Anarchy, My Dear

Review: Every Time I Die – Ex Lives