After months of built-up excitement, rock icons The Used have released their eighth studio album ‘Heartwork’ today. Available to purchase and stream via Big Noise, this album arrives with the unbound spirit of the pair of platinum albums that first introduced The Used to the world, mixed with the dramatic air of their gold-certified third. The emotion, sincerity, and vulnerability found on ‘The Used’ (2002) and In ‘Love and Death’ (2004) is more urgent and insistent than ever on ‘Heartwork’, a diverse 16-song offering filled with self-examination, hyper-literate exploration, political pyromania, and keenly self-aware yet unrestrained whimsy.
As a special thanks to essential workers on the pandemic frontlines, the Used are inviting fans to be a part of their forthcoming music video for “The Lighthouse”. They can submit videos of nurses, doctors, grocery store clerks, etc., now through April 28 here: bit.ly/2VSvvz4
Songs like recent singles “Blow Me”, “Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton” and “Cathedral Bell” take their place alongside some of the best-known jams to emerge from the frenetic “screamo” world, anthems that conquered hearts and minds and Active Rock. “The Bird and the Worm,” “The Taste of Ink,” “All That I’ve Got,” “I Caught Fire,” and “Blood On My Hands” are beloved for their raw emotion, authentic defiance, and inviting empathy, all of which etched them into the spiritual DNA of a legion of likeminded listeners across the globe.
‘Heartwork’ marks the return of John Feldmann to The Used family as he produced the album and also is the head of A&R at Big Noise. “I couldn’t be more honored or grateful to have one of my favorite bands of all time at my record label! They are one of the most influential bands of the last 20 years and we are making a career-defining album at the minute,” shares Feldmann. “They are one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and Bert is quite possibly the best singer I’ve ever worked with. This has been a dream of mine since I met them in 2001.”
Feldmann signed The Used to Reprise Records in January 2002, one short year after the band formed in Orem, Utah. He also produced some of the band’s most monumental albums including their self-titled debut, ‘Maybe Memories’, ‘In Love and Death’, ‘Lies for the Liars’, ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘Imaginary Enemy’.
In addition to the literary figures woven throughout the record, the album features a number of formidable flesh-and-blood musical guests. These are folks who’ve appeared alongside The Used on festival and touring bills and who share the band’s affinity for working with John Feldmann — Jason Aalon Butler (Fever 333) on “Blow Me”; Mark Hoppus (blink-182) on “The Lighthouse”; Travis Barker (blink-182) on “Obvious Blasé”; and Caleb Shomo (Beartooth) on “The Lottery.”
Twenty years ago, The Used was brought to life and have since released a collection of albums that shaped the space of the alternative rock scene. High energy live shows, gut wrenching relatable lyrics, and melodies that blended pop sensibility and hard rock was the perfect combination to make an everlasting impression on fans globally. ‘Heartwork’ is exactly the album Used fans need right now.
The Used is Bert McCracken (Vocals), Jepha (Bass), Dan Whitesides (Drums) and Joey Bradford (Guitar).
Stream/download ‘Heartwork’ and purchase exclusive merch bundles today here: theused.ffm.to/heartwork.
‘Heartwork’ Track Listing:
1. Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton
2. Blow Me (feat. Jason Aalon Butler)
3. BIG, WANNA BE
4. Bloody Nose
5. Wow, I Hate This Song
6. My Cocoon
7. Cathedral Bell
8. 1984 (infinite jest)
9. Gravity’s Rainbow
10. Clean Cut Heals
11. Heartwork
12. The Lighthouse (feat. Mark Hoppus)
13. Obvious Blasé (feat. Travis Barker)
14. The Lottery (feat. Caleb Shomo)
15. Darkness Bleeds, FOTF
16. To Feel Something
advt.
