The Used have released Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton, taken from their forthcoming eighth album Heartwork.
As well as unveiling a new single, The Used have today confirmed details of their upcoming album, Heartwork.
The Utah mob's upcoming eighth LP is due out on April 24 via Big Noise/Hassle Records, with frontman Bert McCracken revealing of the release: “The new album plays on the emotions, the sincerity, and the vulnerability of the first record and In Love and Death, with a little bit of the flair from Lies for the Liars. Standing in the streaming circle pit with Kesha and Halsey, the album is just as modern sounding. John Feldmann’s production is that professional. It sounds really good! Those are two really random examples, but I think if you listen to both of those records, the songs are all over the place: dance, pop, actual punk rock riffs and drums. I think music is so all over the place right now that The Used fits in perfectly.”
"I couldn’t be more honoured or grateful to have one of my favourite bands of all time on my record label!" adds Feldy. "They are one of the most influential bands of the last 20 years and we have made a career-defining album. They are one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and Bert is quite possibly the best singer I’ve ever worked with. This has been a dream of mine since I met them in 2001."
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To coincide with the announcement Heartwork, The Used have unveiled the opening song of the record: Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton.
"I’ve always been a bit obsessed with Paradise Lost,” says Bert. “I really dug deep into the poem and its author, John Milton. As I was reading a lot of his political essays, I realized that a lot of what 'Satan’ says in Paradise Lost are quotes directly from John Milton’s own mouth. A lot of people thought he was the devil back then. He had a huge problem with the show of opulence from the Church. He thought it was disgusting. His poem is about the failed revolution against the Church of England, which is Satan’s failed revolution on earth. And what’s more incredible or exciting than a failed revolution?”
Check it out below:
Take a scan of that star-studded Heartwork tracklist below, too (big fan of the title Wow, I Hate This Song):
1. Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton
2. Blow Me (feat. Jason Aalon Butler)
3. BIG, WANNA BE
4. Bloody Nose
5. Wow, I Hate This Song
6. My Cocoon
7. Cathedral Bell
8. 1984 (Infinite Jest)
9. Gravity's Rainbow
10. Clean Cut Heals
11. Heartwork
12. The Lighthouse (feat. Mark Hoppus)
13. Obvious Blasé (feat. Travis Barker)
14. The Lottery (feat. Caleb Shomo)
15. Darkness Bleeds, FOTF
16. To Feel Something
The Used are currently on an intimate U.S. tour – catch them at the following:
February
7 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
9 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
11 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
12 Philadelphia, PA – Theater of Living Arts
14 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
15 Orlando, FL – The Beacham
18 Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey
19 Austin, TX – Mohawk
21 Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
22 Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
And see the band in the UK and Europe in the summer:
May
23 Leeds, UK, Slam Dunk Festival
24 Hatfield, UK, Slam Dunk Festival
26 London, UK, Lafayette
27 Brighton, UK, Concorde 2
30 Paris, France, Slam Dunk Festival
31 Antwerp, Belgium, Zappa
June
2 Milan, Italy, Circolo Magnolia
3 Zurich, Switzerland, Dynamo
9 St Petersburg, Russia, Zal
10 Moscow, Russia, Arbat Hall
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