An extremely strong start to a decades-long reign, The Used’s debut self-titled album has provided many songs and sounds essential to the alternative scene of the early 2000s. Although very nearly twenty-one years old (with its birthday coming up in late June), it feels timeless in a way. 

Many tracks, like “A Box of Sharp Objects,” feature lead vocalist Bert McCracken’s shrill screams, and contrast while simultaneously complementing softer tracks, like “On my Own.” These differences throughout the album allow McCracken to show off his vocal talent in a way that adds to the quality of the project, and flows well as it’s listened through.

The content captures the feelings of a booming subculture of angst and bitterness, with a then-twenty-year-old McCracken outlining his experiences with heartbreak, substance abuse, self-harm, and other general feelings of estrangement. The raw lyrics are shouted and sung over music that doesn’t fall within any exact subgenre, sort of toeing the line between emo and nu metal. The ambiguity of the album and its refusal to fall under any particular label is a part of its charm.

This album definitely has bite, even with its small features of pop elements. While it certainly feels a little juvenile in style, it also aids similar projects in defining a new era of youth in a way, detailing struggles with very “adult” conflicts with which it feels previous generations hadn’t battled so broadly before.

This album is undoubtedly a classic, and although The Used haven’t been consistently sweeping headlines through their time together, they certainly have had their moments, and hopefully will again with their upcoming May release, “Toxic Positivity.”