On July 9th, The Used unexpectedly released their new EP, The Ocean of the Sky, on iTunes. It puts a whole new twist on the music that fans are used to.
The Used has been famous to the Alternative Rock scene since 2001. The band is known for its unique singing and screaming by front man, Bert McCracken, and for their poetic, yet edgy, music that always served as a safe haven for people when they face challenges in life.
The band has also rose to fame as its sound has evolved, from the poetic influence in their fourth studio album Artwork, to their experiment with a more modern hip-hop feel on their latest album Vulnerable.
The Ocean of the Sky includes five tracks with a raw punk sound and blunt political innuendo.
The first single on the EP is “Iddy Biddy” which the album begins with. The song blares with a loud bass drum and raw guitar rifts, as McCracken’s raspy singing conducts everything. It sounds like a new potential punk anthem.
The booming sounds from the single continue into “Quitoxica” but this song echoes the Used sound that fans are familiar with. Bert still sings the classic twisted, potent lyrics that he always has, but this time, it’s mixed with the symphony of various instruments and noises. The line “Home is where the heart lies” ends every chorus as the pace of the drums increase. While the song has a fast beat, it’s catchy enough to keep your head bobbing throughout the entire song.
“Quitoxica” transcends into “Thought Criminal,” the ballad on the EP. McCracken’s soothing singing and powerful, emotional lyrics are thoroughly displayed on this track.
The next song on the list is named after the EP’s title, “The Ocean of the Sky.” The soft drums and prominent muffled bass line on this track make it a more calming rock song. It even has a psychedelic beach-y feel that matches the title perfectly.
“Tethys” is the last track on the EP, and it is also the more obscure. The 20-minute instrumental song chimes in with various odd noises.
McCracken shared in a recent Hurley video, “Our kind of goal in making these EP down here and producing it ourselves was to just make something that flows from us naturally, capture the real sounds and true integrity of the music.”
The Ocean of the Sky is also streaming on Spotify. Check it out!
Photo Credit: The Used's Facebook page