The Used - Heartwork (April 24, 2020) Album • Page 11

been going through an album runthrough recently and Imaginary Enemy really does suck. I think it's somehow aged worse over time.

 

I agree! I really liked Imaginary Enemy when it first came out. And it has some great songs. I think "Imaginary Enemy" and "A Song to Stifle Imperial Progression" are great songs. But wow the album as a whole has not aged well for me either. Aside from "Imaginary Enemy" the last six songs off the album are kind of a slog. I'll listen to the album if it's on, especially cause my partner loves it, but I'm never going to choose to put it on.

 

It's between Imaginary Enemy and The Canyon as their worst album.

On one hand, Imaginary Enemy is mostly forgettable, but it's harmless.
The Canyon DOES have some pretty cool shit going on throughout the album, but it's SO long and the production is trash. A few songs on The Canyon are better than anything on Imaginary Enemy though, so do the positives outweigh the negatives? Maybe...

 

Cry is the only song on IE id ever listen to again and the best part of that is a self titled callback.

 

Although I like pretty much everything the band has done, I think that Imaginary Enemy is their worst. It is harmless, but it's also just so boring, aside from a few songs. I hated The Canyon when it first came out. Finally, a few months ago, I decided to give The Canyon another try, and I came around to it. Especially the first half of the album is solid. But it is so long, so I get it! I would rather see The Used try something new like The Canyon than come out with another forgettable album.

I am really glad the band came back to form with Heartwork, though!

 

I wish the band took like, the 10 best songs off The Canyon and had someone else, Feldman honestly, remaster and remix them... there's something great that could be pulled from there

 

I actually really like the production on The Canyon. I think mainly because it's so refreshing? It's nice to hear Bert not sound incredibly polished. I love Heartwork, but there are times that Bert just sounds weird to me, like there was too much touch up on his vocals. If they could find a middle ground between The Canyon and Heartwork, that would be really great I think. Maybe similar to the production of Artwork, I think that hit a really great sweet spot.

 

The Canyon sounds perfect the way it is. I'm okay with them never going that route again, but I also agree that I'd like to see them find some middle ground between 'so raw it alienates most of their fanbase' and 'Feldmann pop perfection.'

 

Pretty much

 

Agreed. It's just so hard to listen to as is

 

I agree with the great songs on IE, but I feel I still like this album...enough. I don't own it though, so haven't heard it as much.

 

Cry, A Song To Stifle Imperial Progression, Make Believe, Evolution, Imaginary Enemy, Force Without Violence are all jams imo.

 

Just got my hands on this record...oddly enough, "Wow, I hate this song," is a stand out for me.

 

I love that one, the screams in the chorus are so sweetly placed, the production just sounds great all around. And every part is so catchy, it’s really amazing. I don’t get the hate for the lyrics, it doesn’t read as holier than thou to me it’s just a bit of fun musing about songs that are annoying

 

Still digging this new album quite a bit.

 

I actually love Wow I Hate This Song, that post-chorus (the "la la la make it stop" part) is sooo fucking catchy and gets stuck in my head constantly

 

HOLY FUCK
I DONT WANNA SING ALOOOONG

 

I had this thought since the first time I heard “Big, Wanna Be” - I find it weird that a band that’s been around as long as The Used have to make such a song. To me the lyrics speak to like a new, young band that has ambitions to be huge. The Used... have been (are?) huge. I mean, I get it and it’s not a nitpick or an issue but I just find it interesting.

 

Bert has said it's more of a tongue-in cheek criticism of social media influencers and ALSO about his sincere desire to get bigger by lifting weights haha.

 

Oh that’s interesting! I never thought of it in literal terms haha that’s funny. I can agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly being built like Gumby myself.

 

It's interesting you say "have to make such a song" like it was forced. I am sure they WANTED to make it. Nothing wrong with an older band singing about a younger version of themselves or even writing about a point of view that isn't theirs

 

that is a weird phrasing I used. Rereading my post it doesn’t make sense but I don’t know what I was trying to write in place of that. Definitely didn’t mean to make it seem like they had to but that’s definitely how it reads whoops

 

also an additional song with Hoppus

 

Be honest inlayjay, how many times have you masturbated to this album?

 

Really glad that this album is getting some praise in different places. I agree with everything that was written by Alternative Press. It's definitely my album of the year, and a major step up for the band!