The Used, ‘I Come Alive’ – Song Review

The Used are set to release their fifth full-length album, 'Vulnerable,' on March 27, and the disc features the brand-new first single 'I Come Alive.'

The Used have always understood their sound. From their 2002 self-titled album to their latest single, the band has mixed post-hardcore and 'Nightmare Before Christmas' creepiness with a pop sensibility. The music of the Used also revolves around the voice of Bert McCracken, who has held back on the screaming in 'I Come Alive,' rather focusing on his large vocal range.

McCracken's voice has always been one of the strongest parts of the Used, as he delivers his lyrics with powerful emotional charge. In 'I Come Alive,' his voice is run through a variety of different filters, but one has to wonder if the talented singer truly needed all the studio magic.

Instrumentally, the tune's standout parts belong to the xylophone and the dubstep-influenced electronic mashup in the second verse -- leaving the three other Used members almost exclusively as a rhythm section.

The subject of the song is an interesting one, with the lyrics depicting the act of falling as the essence of feeling alive. The lyrics revolve around the line 'I come alive when I'm falling down,' with a detailed visual picture being painted by McCracken.

Overall, 'I Come Alive' may not possess the power of some of the band's early tunes, but fans of the Used will surely appreciate the feel and atmosphere of the song, as well as McCracken's prowess behind a microphone.

Listen to The Used, 'I Come Alive'