Heartwork
Studio album by
The Used
ReleasedApril 24, 2020 (2020-04-24)
Recorded2019
StudioFoxy Studios, Los Angeles
Genre
Length46:18
LabelBig Noise, Hassle
ProducerJohn Feldmann
The Used chronology
The Canyon
(2017)		 Heartwork
(2020)		 Toxic Positivity
(2023)
Singles from Heartwork
  1. "Blow Me"
    Released: December 6, 2019
  2. "Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton"
    Released: February 7, 2020
  3. "Cathedral Bell"
    Released: April 17, 2020
  4. "The Lighthouse"
    Released: May 18, 2020[1]

Heartwork is the eighth studio album by American rock band The Used. It was released on April 24, 2020 on Big Noise.[2]

Background

In mid-2019, the Used signed to their long-time friend and producer John Feldmann's record label Big Noise.[3][4] They started recording the album in June 2019, took a break to headline the Disrupt Festival tour, and finished recording the album in November 2019.[5][6] A music video for the single "Blow Me" was released in December 2019, "Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton" in February, and "Cathedral Bell" in April.[7][8][9] This is the first album to feature Joey Bradford on guitar after Justin Shekoski left in 2018. The band recorded 27 songs during the Heartwork sessions and plan on releasing another album later in 2020 that will include the remaining songs.[10] The deluxe edition was eventually published on September 10, 2021.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Gigwise[12]
Kerrang![13]
NME[14]
Wall of Sound9.5/10[15]

The album appears in Alternative Press's The 50 best albums of 2020 list, with the following justification: "The Used rarely shy away from tugging at your heartstrings, and the sonically and stylistically diverse album more than does the trick in the emotion department. [...] This release is certainly their most consistent front-to-back album since 2009's Artwork".[16]

Ali Shutler of NME rated the album four out of five stars, writing that the Used returned to their heart-pounding choruses and pop sensibilities after their experimental work with The Canyon. She wrote that "Heartwork is full of dark, brooding songs" that are familiar but daring.[17]

At gigwise.com, Laviea Thomas gave it eight out of ten stars. She noted that the album started with flying riffs and swirling energy that becomes a joyous ride ending with an emotional goodbye as McCracken pleads, "I just wanna feel something, anything is better than this." Thomas also wrote that the return of Feldmann was "an undeniable part of the magic behind this album."[18]

"Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton" is one of the 68 best rock songs of 2020 according to Loudwire and it is described as follows: "A strummy start gives way to more fleshed out aggression as The Used vocalist Bert McCracken belts about the angst of not being able to cut ties while knowing a situation is still bad for you. The singer taps into the pain of knowing something but being reluctant to acknowledge it".[19]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton"2:47
2."Blow Me"3:20
3."Big, Wanna Be"3:30
4."Bloody Nose"3:04
5."Wow, I Hate This Song"2:56
6."My Cocoon"1:00
7."Cathedral Bell"3:04
8."1984 (Infinite Jest)"2:44
9."Gravity's Rainbow"4:14
10."Clean Cut Heals"2:51
11."Heartwork"1:22
12."The Lighthouse"2:51
13."Obvious Blasé"2:52
14."The Lottery"2:44
15."Darkness Bleeds, FOTF"4:01
16."To Feel Something"2:56
Total length:46:18[11]
Deluxe edition bonus tracks[20]
No.TitleLength
1."Night-Sea Journey"4:29
2."The Brothers Karamazov"3:24
3."River Stay"3:05
4."Mi Medicina, Mi Heroína"3:27
5."Blood Meridian"2:46
6."Brain Unguent"1:28
7."Playing the Victim"2:23
8."Operation Me"3:01
9."Love Heart"3:45
10."Sing Out of Tune"3:12
11."See You in Hell"3:15
Total length:33:34[11]

Personnel

  • Bert McCracken – vocals[21]
  • Jeph Howard – bass, backing vocals
  • Dan Whitesides – drums, backing vocals
  • Joey Bradford – guitars, backing vocals

Additional musicians

Production

  • John Feldmann – producer, mixing, string arrangements[21]
  • Dylan McLean – engineer, additional production
  • Scot Stewart – engineer, mixing, additional production
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Michael Bono – assistant engineer
  • Jacob Magness – assistant engineer
  • Josh Thornberry – assistant engineer
  • Cam Rackam – cover art and art direction
  • Damien Lawson – additional design

Charts

Chart (2020) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[23] 87
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[24] 4
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[25] 4
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[26] 11

References

  1. ↑ "The Used Release New Heart Warming Video For New Single Lighthouse". Original Rock. May 19, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Heartwork CD". The Used Shop.
  3. ↑ "The Used". Big Noise.
  4. ↑ "Big Noise welcomes @WeAreTheUsed | We're excited to bring @JohnFeldy on board to produce the upcoming album! #bignoise #theusedpic.twitter.com/Dduu8NFTEV". June 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ Callwood, Brett (April 25, 2019). "The Used Are Coming Back for the Beach". LA Weekly. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  6. ↑ Childers, Chad (July 25, 2019). "The Used May Release New Songs After Disrupt Tour". Loudwire.com. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ "The Used - Blow Me [Official Music Video". December 5, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020 – via YouTube.
  8. ↑ "The Used - Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton [Official Music Video". February 6, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "The Used - Cathedral Bell [Official Music Video". April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "The Future Of The Used: "We Recorded 26 Or 27 Songs That We Love"". Kerrang!. December 11, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 "Heartwork - The Used | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  12. ↑ "Album Review: The Used — Heartwork". Gigwise. April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Album Review: The Used – Heartwork". Kerrang!. April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  14. ↑ "The Used – 'Heartwork' review: a dynamic and surprising adventure, and proof of their enduring legacy". NME. April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Used – Heartwork (Album Review)". Wall of Sound. April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  16. ↑ Magazine, Alternative Press (December 7, 2020). "The 50 best albums of 2020 in alternative, pop punk, metal and beyond". Alternative Press. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Used – 'Heartwork' review". NME. April 24, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Album Review: The Used — Heartwork | Gigwise". www.gigwise.com. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  19. ↑ Childers, Chad; Schaffner, Lauryn; Al-Sharif, Rabab; Richardson, Jake (December 11, 2020). "68 Best Rock Songs of 2020". Loudwire. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  20. ↑ "The Used on Instagram: 'We're excited to announce Heartwork (Deluxe) which features 11 new songs all written during the original Heartwork sessions.'". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  21. 1 2 Heartwork (Liner notes). Big Noise Music Group, Hassle Records. 2020.
  22. ↑ "The Used reveal collab-packed 'Heartwork' album details". Alternative Press. February 6, 2020.
  23. ↑ "The Used Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  24. ↑ "The Used Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  25. ↑ "The Used Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  26. ↑ "The Used Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
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