
Many other artists have tried to pull the same emotional card, but it seems shallow when compared to the rather more detrimental and permanent loss of a loved one and child. In Love and Death is an extremely enjoyable listen for what many would call the wrong reasons, but this shouldn't hold any newcomer back from it's emotional ride. When the final exclamation of fake!!! slowly dies the world The Used crafted shatters and reality rushes in. Featuring some of the more honest and therefor relatable lyrics, “Lunacy Fringe” plays with the emotions of feeling lost, worthless, stepped on, yet slightly hopeful that love is possible again I'm so far gone now/I've been running on empty/I'm so far gone now/do you want to take me on? remains an extremely real sentiment, no matter how childish it may seem on paper, and makes the song a highlight of the album. With no screaming and not a single upper range wail to be seen the decidedly catchy swing of the track is hard to ignore.

Out of all this the simple honesty of “Lunacy Fringe” helps the track stands tall. In Love and Death does a remarkable job of maintaining an overall sound that is not too much pop, nor too much -hardcore it's just distinctly The Used. The tracks are arranged in an order that recalls the act of a harsh break up, with uplifting moments hitting right after the seemingly lowest of lows. This mix of highs and lows is seen often, as some tracks bludgeon the audience with screams (“Sound Effects and Overdramatics”), others with driving guitars (“Listening”), while still others prove that the band is far from infallible vocally (“Cut Up Angels”). When viewed in this regard the slow semi-acoustic tendencies of “All That I've Got” are similar to that of an emotional breakdown, draining the anger and letting the feeling of loss be seen. While not initially apparent on subsequent listens these could be compared to the initial emotional response of many a teenager anger. “Take It Away” “I Caught Fire” and “Let It Bleed” rarely turn down the tempo, the three combining into an interesting mix of angst, loss, death, and deranged laughing. The repeated lines take my hand/take my life/take it away might initially turn some listeners off, and if such is the case it's highly unlikely that they would have enjoyed the remainder of the album as the group holds no qualms in regards to repeated, simple lyrics. With it's tasteful use of opening samples and the foreboding click of a shotgun being pumped it serves as a high octane introduction to the rather bipolar album. Opening on a hard note, “Take It Away” instantly sets the tone of the album. Looking back it might seem like something quite juvenile, but it's hard to deny the slightly dark catchiness of such an endeavor. In Love and Death see's The Used pulling out the emotional stops, melding vocal aggression with a sense of loss to create a listening experience the band has never been able to recreate.

Sophomore releases find many band's in an interesting place, as debuts receive what must seem like a god awful amount of criticism and/or praise. I'm so far gone now I've been running on empty I'm so far gone now, do you wanna take me on? I'm so far gone, I've been running on empty I'm so far gone now, do you wanna take me on? Do you wanna take me.Review Summary: An extremely enjoyable listen for what many would call the wrong reasons. Wake up, my love Never thought you'd make me, break me Now I'm up, from below Such a brilliant star you are I think you can make me, girl Could make me and take my life I know you can break me, girl Take all of me All of me I'm so far gone now I've been running on empty I'm so far gone now, do you wanna take me on? I'm so far gone now I've been running on empty I'm so far gone now, do you wanna take me on? Do you wanna take me on? Do you know how long I've waited? To look up, from below Just to find someone like you And will your love light burn me, baby? Burn a hole right through my heart I think I might just trust you maybe But I'm not sure I'm not sure I'd wanna know I'm so far gone now I've been running on empty I'm so far gone now, do you wanna take me on? Do you wanna take me on?ĭo. Wake up, my love Never thought youd make me, break me Now I'm up, from below Such a brilliant star you areĪnd will your love keep burning baby? Burn a hole right through my eyes You saw that short times feel like no time And I thought you oughta know
