Baring their souls and hearts, Utah band The Used came to prominence with their debut record in 2002. It was an album driven with sharp melodies and raw vocals by lead singer Bert McCracken, and it was a record that helped gain the emo genre the exposure it deserved. Before the impact of My Chemical Romance, The Used were the poster boys for the genre, a band which solidified their place at a time where other bands with similar sounds were emerging.

The Used were an act equipped to stand against the storm, an outfit that wrote about the danger days, the hardships, and the mundanity of suburbia. They came from a place where music may have been an afterthought, a subject many people didn’t confide in. But, this band wanted to escape the humdrum existence, and draw from their emotions, and create a special first album, and they rightfully did.

The Used as a debut is complete. It sparks truth; it engages with its subject matter, its clarity. McCracken sounds angry, fuelled by teenage angst, breaking the barriers of sound, and searching for wisdom while doing so. The record is a raw affair, with screams and bellows, melodic instances, and even a mixture of tones. The Taste Of Ink is its main track, and a song that made The Used a breakthrough gem. Such a fast but sombre song, it paved way for the rest of the album to shine. McCracken sounded so enraged.

Poetic Tragedy was also a standout. A song of broken hope and dispirit. Ambitions were running dry. The chorus was infectious and the song-writing stellar, placing the band into the limelight. McCracken let his vocal chords do the work, and the melodies were on point. It’s a sad song, a track conveying hard times.

The Used broke through with their debut. An album full of heart and surprises, a record which aided emo to the summit of its exposure.

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