Artwork (album)
Encyclopedia
Artwork is the fourth studio album
by American rock band The Used
, released through Reprise
in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.
2008 "Get a Life Tour" with Weezer
front-man Rivers Cuomo
as producer of the album. The Used expressed their interest in the raw sound found on Weezer's 1996 album Pinkerton
, and hoped to create a similar sound by working with Cuomo. The band ended up working with producer Matt Squire
(Panic! at the Disco
, Boys Like Girls
, The Receiving End of Sirens
) and did not enter the studio until the end of 2008.
The Used experienced several changes upon making Artwork. The band changed management within their label Reprise Records
. This was the first album with new drummer Dan Whitesides
; also the first studio album that was not produced by Goldfinger's
frontman John Feldmann
. Feldmann had been working with The Used since lead singer Bert McCracken
threw a demo on stage during a Goldfinger concert in 2001. Commenting on the band's state prior to these changes, guitarist Quinn Allman felt that, "we were kept in a space with our resources that was creating an essence for our band that wasn't who we truly were." These changes allowed The Used to take their music in a new direction with Artwork.
Feeling that the band's previous albums had a similar sound, The Used hoped to make a brand new genre they refer to as "gross pop" with Artwork. In Alternative Press magazine, McCracken described the new genre, "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been." The themes of the record include "coming to grips with how much you really hate yourself" and the concept of mortality. McCracken, who had previously lived a "reckless life," recently came to terms with how easy it is to accidentally die after the tragic death of actor Heath Ledger
. The song "Meant to Die" is loosely based on the death of Ledger and not being able to say "sorry," or "I never meant to die" after an accidental death.
This album features Bert McCracken's brother Joseph McCracken singing at two songs.
picture disc and digital download. The song began airing on radio stations starting July 14, 2009.
Artwork was released in a special CD/DVD version. This version contained an expanded 20-page liner note booklet and a DVD with "behind the scenes footage" of The Used.
The album actually leaked 2 months before its release.
Leading up to the album's release, The Used released guitar tabs
for one song from Artwork each week on their official website. Fans were encouraged to record themselves playing each song and post it online.
The album opened at #10 on the Billboard 200 with 35,000 copies sold. The song "Something Safe" was made available on iTunes for download on November 23, 2009.
The Used released a music video for their song, "Empty with You", on December 9 which can be viewed on TheUsed.net and YouTube.
Additional personnel
Production
Limited edition
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American rock band The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
, released through Reprise
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.
Writing and recording
The Used began writing for Artwork in early 2008, and originally hoped to enter the studio shortly after Kevin Lyman'sKevin Lyman
Kevin Lyman is creator of a touring music and extreme sports festival called the Warped Tour, the Taste of Chaos, and the Mayhem tours. He also is a partner at SideOneDummy Records. He owns 4FINI which annually produces the above-mentioned tours as well as produced past tours such as the Down From...
2008 "Get a Life Tour" with Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
front-man Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter of the alternative rock band Weezer. Raised in an Ashram in Connecticut, Cuomo moved to Los Angeles at age 19, where he participated in a number of rock bands before founding Weezer in 1992...
as producer of the album. The Used expressed their interest in the raw sound found on Weezer's 1996 album Pinkerton
Pinkerton (album)
Pinkerton is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Weezer, released on September 24, 1996. After finishing tours in promotion of their 1994 album Weezer, the band originally planned to record a space-themed rock opera entitled Songs from the Black Hole...
, and hoped to create a similar sound by working with Cuomo. The band ended up working with producer Matt Squire
Matt Squire
Matt Squire is an American multi-platinum music producer and writer. He has produced, engineered, or written tracks for One Direction, 3OH!3, Good Charlotte, New Boyz, Selena Gomez, David Archuleta, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, The Used, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Cab,...
(Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls is an American rock band from Massachusetts. Formed in 2005, the group gained mainstream recognition when it released its self-titled debut album. Boys Like Girls was the co-headliner with Good Charlotte for the Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour 2008 that toured across the United...
, The Receiving End of Sirens
The Receiving End of Sirens
The Receiving End of Sirens is a rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2003.-Overview:The band played on the 2005 Warped Tour and has toured with such acts as Gatsbys American Dream, A Wilhelm Scream, 30 Seconds to Mars, Funeral for a Friend, Saves the Day, Senses Fail, Thrice, and New...
) and did not enter the studio until the end of 2008.
The Used experienced several changes upon making Artwork. The band changed management within their label Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
. This was the first album with new drummer Dan Whitesides
Dan Whitesides
Daniel Whitesides is the drummer of American rock band The Used. He replaced former drummer and founder of the band Branden Steineckert who left the band in the summer of 2006. Whitesides had previously played with New Transit Direction for about seven years.-Early life and career:Whitesides began...
; also the first studio album that was not produced by Goldfinger's
Goldfinger (band)
Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer...
frontman John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
. Feldmann had been working with The Used since lead singer Bert McCracken
Bert McCracken
Robert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
threw a demo on stage during a Goldfinger concert in 2001. Commenting on the band's state prior to these changes, guitarist Quinn Allman felt that, "we were kept in a space with our resources that was creating an essence for our band that wasn't who we truly were." These changes allowed The Used to take their music in a new direction with Artwork.
Feeling that the band's previous albums had a similar sound, The Used hoped to make a brand new genre they refer to as "gross pop" with Artwork. In Alternative Press magazine, McCracken described the new genre, "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been." The themes of the record include "coming to grips with how much you really hate yourself" and the concept of mortality. McCracken, who had previously lived a "reckless life," recently came to terms with how easy it is to accidentally die after the tragic death of actor Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
. The song "Meant to Die" is loosely based on the death of Ledger and not being able to say "sorry," or "I never meant to die" after an accidental death.
This album features Bert McCracken's brother Joseph McCracken singing at two songs.
Release
At shows prior to the release of Artwork, The Used performed the new track "Blood on My Hands". This song was the first single from the album, and was released on June 30, 2009 as a vinylGramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
picture disc and digital download. The song began airing on radio stations starting July 14, 2009.
Artwork was released in a special CD/DVD version. This version contained an expanded 20-page liner note booklet and a DVD with "behind the scenes footage" of The Used.
The album actually leaked 2 months before its release.
Leading up to the album's release, The Used released guitar tabs
Tablature
Tablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches....
for one song from Artwork each week on their official website. Fans were encouraged to record themselves playing each song and post it online.
The album opened at #10 on the Billboard 200 with 35,000 copies sold. The song "Something Safe" was made available on iTunes for download on November 23, 2009.
The Used released a music video for their song, "Empty with You", on December 9 which can be viewed on TheUsed.net and YouTube.
Track listing
Personnel
The Used- Bert McCrackenBert McCrackenRobert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
– Lead vocals, piano, keyboards - Jeph Howard – Bass, backing vocals
- Quinn Allman – Guitar, backing vocals
- Dan WhitesidesDan WhitesidesDaniel Whitesides is the drummer of American rock band The Used. He replaced former drummer and founder of the band Branden Steineckert who left the band in the summer of 2006. Whitesides had previously played with New Transit Direction for about seven years.-Early life and career:Whitesides began...
– Drums, percussion, backing vocals
Additional personnel
- Joseph McCracken - Vocals on "Blood on My Hands" and screaming vocals on "Meant to Die"
- Jed Bleeker and "Killer" Dayton Killian - Vocals on "Blood on My Hands"
Production
- ProducedSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, engineeredAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
by Matt SquireMatt SquireMatt Squire is an American multi-platinum music producer and writer. He has produced, engineered, or written tracks for One Direction, 3OH!3, Good Charlotte, New Boyz, Selena Gomez, David Archuleta, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, The Used, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Cab,... - MixedAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
by Neal AvronNeal AvronNeal Avron is an American musician, record producer, mixer, and audio engineer. Working predominately in rock music, Avron began working on records in 1993 and achieved his production breakthrough when he co-produced Everclear's 1997 album So Much For The Afterglow... - MasteredAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
by Ted JensenTed JensenTed Jensen is an American recording engineer. Jensen is the chief mastering engineer at Sterling Sound. He started his career as a mastering engineer in 1976 and is currently the most active Mastering Engineer in the industry... - Assisted by Edward Colver & Nicolas Fournier
- Digital Editing by Bill Appleberry
- Photography by Quinn Allman & Paul Rayner-Brown
- Artwork by Paul Rayner-Brown
- Cover photo, creative director, design by Frank Maddocks
- A&R by Craig Aaronson
Chart performance
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
17 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
10 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
63 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
10 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Alternative Albums Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... |
8 |
| US Billboard Hard Rock Albums | 2 |
| US Billboard Rock Albums | 5 |
Release history
Standard edition| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | November 19, 2009 | Reprise Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
9362497658 |
| Japan | September 9, 2009 | WPCR13553 | ||
| United Kingdom | August 31, 2009 | 9362497658 | ||
| United States | 519904 | |||
| 12" Vinyl Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
519292 |
Limited edition
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | September 4, 2009 | Reprise Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... +DVD |
9362497522 |
| United Kingdom | August 31, 2009 | 9362497522 | ||
| United States | 5194912 |