In Love and Death

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox album In Love and Death is the second studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on September 28, 2004, and was later certified platinum in the United States, indicating over 1,000,000 copies shipped. It is their most commercially successful album to date.<ref name=meta/> The title and music reference a number of tragic events that surrounded vocalist Bert McCracken during the album's production, notably the death of his pregnant girlfriend. In Love and Death is the final studio album to feature drummer Branden Steineckert.

Background

The Used released their self-titled debut album in June 2002 through major label Reprise Records. Frequent touring across the United States helped the band build their fan base. Soon afterwards, the band appeared at Warped Tour and Ozzfest, and was included in larger-sized package tours.<ref name=AMbio>Template:Cite web</ref> In an interview with Billboard in February 2003, vocalist Bert McCracken said the group was aiming to record their second album at the end of the year. McCracken added that they planned to write it in the same manner they did for their debut: "We're going to go back to Utah and jam at [drummer] Branden [Steineckert]'s house".<ref>Hay 2003, p. 12</ref>

A DVD/CD package, Maybe Memories, followed as a stop-gap release to tide the group's fans over until their next album.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band subsequently spent a few months in Orem, Utah writing material for the next album. McCracken said the group "figured it would be best to be in an environment we were really used to".<ref name=MTVmellow/> In January 2004, MTV reported that the group would begin working on their second album within the next month.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In February, it was reported that it would be released in June or July.<ref name=MTVmellow/> A proposed UK tour with Head Automatica scheduled for February 2004 was cancelled when their frontman had a flair up of Crohn's disease.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Production

In Love and Death was recorded at Foxy Studios in Los Angeles, California with producer John Feldmann<ref name=ILADBooklet/> in mid-March.<ref name=MTVmellow>Template:Cite web</ref> Feldmann also acted as an engineer with assistance from Mark Blewett and Alan Hessler.<ref name=ILADBooklet/> Throughout most of the sessions, the band members argued about the album's direction, and had a confrontation with Feldmann on multiple occasions. Steineckert explained that there was "always some kind of butting-heads going on, whether it was big or little stuff", which "created this underlying tension throughout the record".<ref name=MTVtension/> In addition, two of McCracken's close friends died during the sessions. McCracken said "everything that went into the record — me having lost two friends, tension within the band and tension with our producer — was mostly positive because it all made the songs come together like magic".<ref name=MTVtension/>

One of McCracken's lost friends was his ex-girlfriend Kate, who was pregnant with his child. Prior to her death of a drug overdose, the pair had split up but "decided to keep the baby and try to stay friends and work it out".<ref name=CMKate/> McCracken said her death "had a huge impact on the way the record turned out".<ref name=CMKate>Template:Cite web</ref> Feldmann and McCracken wrote string arrangements for the album. Sean Ingram of Coalesce contributed additional vocals to "Sound Effects and Overdramatics". Additional programming was done by Danny Lohner, Josh Eustis and Steineckert on "Take It Away". Digital editing was done by Anthony Catalano. Feldmann mixed the recordings, which were then mastered by Joe Gastwirt at Ocean View Digital Mastering.<ref name=ILADBooklet/>

Composition and music

Loudwire stated that the album "features some of the Used’s most melodic moments."<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Prior to recording, McCracken claimed there would be "a lot more piano-based songs than guitar-riff rock songs" on the album.<ref name=MTVmellow/> He added that they "definitely want to keep it eclectic and mix it all up", incorporating each members different taste in music.<ref name=MTVmellow/> He said the album "definitely still [sounds like] the Used" and that the group "went [into] a lot of different places that I never thought we would go for sure".<ref name=Billwrestle/> He added that there was "a lot [of] brighter tones and ... dance-y rhythms".<ref name=Billwrestle/> The album's vocals have been described as "strained and tortured."<ref name=":0" /> The album's sound has been described as emo,<ref name="AMreview" /><ref name="RS40greatest">Template:Cite magazine</ref> punk rock<ref name="AMreview" /> and alternative rock.<ref name="EWreview" />

Similar to their debut, McCracken said "a lot of the songs are personal but ... written in a way that you're not gonna necessarily know what I'm talking about, but you'll definitely be able to get involved and make it your own".<ref name="MTVmellow" /> Overall, he said it was "all about loss and love and tragedy and just regular everyday things we all go through".<ref name="MTVmellow" /> "I Caught Fire" is about "looking closely at a relationship that you kind of cherish", according to McCracken.<ref name=MTVstomp>Template:Cite web</ref> McCracken said "All That I've Got" is about "moments in time. The more I've thought about living, I realize that our lives are made up of seconds and moments and memories".<ref name=MTVATIG/> McCracken wrote "Hard to Say" about his ex-girlfriend Kate two years prior. Following her death, the group "decided for sure" about its inclusion on the album.<ref name=CMKate/> McCracken added it "means a lot to me because of all the good times I shared with her".<ref name=CMKate/> "Cut Up Angels" is about "a relationship with someone you love so much that you could absolutely kill them", according to McCracken.<ref name=MTVtension>Template:Cite web</ref> Discussing "Lunacy Fringe", McCracken said the track reminded him of "[the Cure's] 'Lovecats' meets [Soft Cell's] 'Tainted Love' a little bit".<ref name=Billwrestle/>

Release and promotion

On July 9, 2004, the band's second album announced for released late August<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> under the rumoured title Light with a Sharpened Edge. The following week, it was clarified that the album would be titled In Love and Death.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Between late July and early September, the band performed on the Projekt Revolution tour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During it, the band played "Take It Away" and "Listening".<ref name=Billwrestle>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In early August, the band filmed a music video for "Take It Away" in Toronto with Motion Theory.<ref name=UG080404/> On August 5, it was announced that the album's release date was pushed back to late September.<ref name=Melodicpushed>Template:Cite web</ref> A preview clip of "Take It Away" was posted online on August 12.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "Take It Away" was released to radio on August 23,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and on the iTunes Store the following day.<ref name=UG080404>Template:Cite web</ref> On August 27, the album's track listing was revealed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 24, the band posted two songs on their PureVolume account: "Sound Effects and Overdramatics" and "I'm a Fake".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Love and Death was released on September 28<ref name=Melodicpushed/> through Reprise Records. McCracken dedicated the album to his ex-girlfriend Kate, who had died during recording.<ref name=MTVtension/>

McCracken said the album's artwork features "blood hearts, weeping trees and bony monsters", which were drawn by Alex Pardee.<ref name=MTVATIG>Template:Cite web</ref> The band were fans of his work and upon contacting him, he was enthusiastic about working with them. He visited the group, heard some of the songs and "didn't hold anything back. And that's why his artwork is so connected with these songs".<ref name=MTVATIG/> Allman said the style of it was "really noisy and really splotchy. There's a lot of character and a lot of sweetness to it, but it's also plenty dark".<ref name=MTVATIG/> To promote the album, the band appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and went on a series of in-store acoustic performances and signings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 6, the album was released in Japan with a bonus track, "The Back of Your Mouth".<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> In October and November, the band went on a headlining tour of the US with Head Automatica, Atreyu, The Bronx, and The Bled supporting on select dates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On November 16, the band filmed a music video for "All That I've Got" in Los Angeles with director Marc Webb.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In early December, the band performed at Q101 Chicago's Xmas festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "All That I've Got" was released as a single on December 7.<ref name=AusATIG>Template:Cite web</ref> The video for the track was later finished in January 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Later that month, the band went on a tour of the UK; Head Automatica was due to support but had cancelled due to illness.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the end of the tour, "Take It Away" was released as a single in the UK. Two versions with B-sides were released: one featuring live recordings of "The Taste of Ink" and Take It Away", while the other featured "All That I've Got".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On February 12, "I Caught Fire" was released as a single.<ref name=AusICF>Template:Cite web</ref> From mid-February to early April, the band headlined the Taste of Chaos tour in the US.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On April 13, a cover of Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure" as a single, in which they collaborated with My Chemical Romance. The track was recorded to benefit victims of the 2004 tsunami in Asia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album was re-released on May 10, with "Under Pressure" as a bonus track.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following this, the band performed two shows in Australia and appeared at Download Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In late June, the band filmed a music video for "I Caught Fire" with director Kevin Kerslake<ref name=Melodictours/> in Los Angeles.<ref name=MTVICF>Template:Cite web</ref> The video was subsequently released on August 15.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> McCracken said that in contrast to the fairy-tale-esque video for "All That I've Got", the video for "I Caught Fire" had "a more straightforward approach" with the group "just kind of rock[ing] it out".<ref name=MTVstomp/> MTV wrote that the video "intersperses footage of the Used performing in a 'shadowy, mysterious place' with artfully shot scenes of couples making out".<ref name=MTVICF/> In August and September, the band went on a headlining US tour with support from Thirty Seconds to Mars and Street Drum Corps. Glassjaw was also due to support but dropped off shortly before the tour began when their frontman fell ill. They were replaced by H₂O, though Glassjaw were able to appear on one of the dates later in the trek.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In October and November, the band headlined the International Taste of Chaos tour which visited Mexico, Australia, Japan, the UK and Germany.<ref name=Melodictours>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

Template:Music ratings In Love and Death sold 93,240 copies in its first week, charting at number 6 on the Billboard 200.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By February 2006, the album had sold over 642,000 copies.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> It was subsequently certified gold in Australia,<ref name=Auscert/> Canada<ref name=Cancert/> and the US,<ref name=UScert/> and certified silver in the UK.<ref name=UKcert/> The album charted at number 4 in Canada,<ref name=Canchart/> number 32 in Australia<ref name=Auschart/> and number 106 in the UK.<ref name=UKchart/> "Take It Away" charted at number 13 on the Alternative Songs chart<ref name=BillAltSongs>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and number 44 in the UK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "I Caught Fire" charted in at number 43 in Australia<ref name=AusICF/> and number 191 in the UK.<ref name=Zobbel/> "All That I've Got" charted at number 19 on the Alternative Songs chart,<ref name=BillAltSongs/> number 35 in Australia<ref name=AusATIG/> and number 105 in the UK.<ref name=Zobbel>Template:Cite web</ref> "Under Pressure" charted at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart<ref name=BillHot100>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and number 28 on the Alternative Songs chart;<ref name=BillAltSongs/> it remains the band's only song to have charted on the Hot 100.

The album has been generally well received by critics. Billboard said that it "continues to straddle the line between street credibility and mainstream success". The Guardian gave it 3 out of 5 stars, saying "Songs of self-abuse and suicide - and those are the sunnier moments - are wrapped in wailing riffs, big choruses and fiddly guitar solos."

Track listing

All songs written by the Used.<ref name=ILADBooklet/>

Additional track information

The Used recorded 15 songs during the In Love and Death recording session. The three b-sides from the session are titled "The Back of Your Mouth", "Into My Web" and "Under Pressure". "The Back of Your Mouth" was released as a bonus track in Japan only and later on Shallow Believer, "Under Pressure" was released as a digital single on iTunes in 2005 with My Chemical Romance, then added to physical CD reissues and the 2009 and 2025 reissue on vinyl and "Into My Web" was released on Shallow Believer.

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.<ref name=ILADBooklet>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 The Used

• Bert McCracken – lead vocals, keyboards, piano, string arrangement
• Quinn Allman – guitars, backing vocals, toys
• Branden Steineckert – drums, backing vocals, percussion, additional programming on "Take It Away"
• Jeph Howard – bass, backing vocals, fusion

Additional musicians

• Sean Ingram – additional vocals on "Sound Effects and Overdramatics"
• Danny Lohner – additional programming on "Take It Away"
• Josh Eustis – additional programming on "Take It Away"

Template:Col-2 Production

• John Feldmann – producer, engineer, mixing, string arrangement
• Mark Blewett – assistant engineer, bass tech, guitar tech
• Alan Hessler – assistant engineer, bass tech, guitar tech
• Anthony Catalano – digital editing
• Joe Gastwirt – mastering
• Alex Pardee – art, design
• Seth Smoot – photography
• Daniel Jensen – drum tech
• Jordan Brown – drum tech
• Brian Patchett – bass tech, guitar tech

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart performance for In Love and Death

Chart (2004–2005)	Peak position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	33
UK Albums (OCC)<ref name=UKchart>Template:Cite web</ref>	106

References

Citations Template:Reflist

Sources Template:Refbegin

• Template:Cite magazine

External links

• In Love and Death at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)