The title of this NYC band's sophomore effort refers to being taken advantage of (as detailed in the track "Use Me,") not to the dreaded discard bin for unwanted CDs. A more expansive sound this time around should break the band out of the claustrophobic clubland gigs and poise them on the brink of arena superstardom. Nicking a page from The Cure's "Why Can't I Be You," the opener "Wanna Be Like You" retains the same energized Cheap Trick riffs and power pop excitement from their self-titled debut (one of last year's Top 5 albums of the year), while "Salvation" (a track that leader Ben Phillips performed live on my No Soap, Radio show just last night!) benefits from a more completely realized arrangement and full-band treatment. (An acoustic demo version is also included, so listeners can A/B the track's growth over a year from thought to expression.)
"Without You" is an unabashed, hard-drivin', kickass rocker, while drummer Tommy Vinton wails like a man possessed with the spirit of Keith Moon-on-amphetamines (what a concept!) on "Everyone Smokes In Hell." A live version of "Live Forever," one of the best tracks on their debut is included and demonstrates two things: 1) the band are even more of a rocknroll juggernaut in front of an audience than they are in a recording studio, and 2) that while the catchier, hookier tracks from the debut don't pop up with as much frequency on Used, Phillips has expanded his songwriting abilities to include more varied styles on tracks that rely more on the arrangements than on a memorable hook or chorus. That's not to imply that Used is less accessible, but that the songs are more mature; that is, they develop slower and the arrangements are more complex—their success doesn't hinge on ear-catching melodies.
The tender ballad "You Don't See Me" also shows Phillips to be adept at stepping back and taking a few deep breaths and relaxing rather than constantly hitting the listener over the head with bombast. Finally, "Runaway," a remake of a track from Phillips' solo project (Ben Phillips Band's Freak Like Me, which also included bassist Mark Damon), is all dressed up with a killer live sound that features some blistering guitar histrionics (also from Phillips).
So, no sophomore jinx at work here, just a solid collection of rockers with a few tender moments tossed in for balance. The only disappointment once again is the album's brevity (at half an hour, it easily could have been combined with the equally short 8-song debut onto a single disk), but that's more the price of doing business in this cutthroat industry, where releasing music on an indie label can be a bankbook-busting proposition. But as any girl will tell you, it's not the size that counts, but what you do with it, and Famous have proven once again they are one of the best new bands in the business.
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