Heartwork (The Used album)

In mid-2019, the Used signed to their long-time friend and producer John Feldmann's record label Big Noise.[3][4] They started recording the album in June 2019, took a break to headline the Disrupt Festival tour, and finished recording the album in November 2019.[5][6] A music video for the single "Blow Me" was released in December 2019, "Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton" in February, and "Cathedral Bell" in April.[7][8][9] This is the first album to feature Joey Bradford on guitar after Justin Shekoski left in 2018. The band recorded 27 songs during the Heartwork sessions and plan on releasing another album later in 2020 that will include the remaining songs.[10] The deluxe edition was eventually published on September 10, 2021.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
Gigwise	[12]
Kerrang!	[13]
NME	[14]
Wall of Sound	9.5/10[15]

The album appears in Alternative Press's The 50 best albums of 2020 list, with the following justification: "The Used rarely shy away from tugging at your heartstrings, and the sonically and stylistically diverse album more than does the trick in the emotion department. [...] This release is certainly their most consistent front-to-back album since 2009's Artwork".[16]

Ali Shutler of NME rated the album four out of five stars, writing that the Used returned to their heart-pounding choruses and pop sensibilities after their experimental work with The Canyon. She wrote that "Heartwork is full of dark, brooding songs" that are familiar but daring.[17]

At gigwise.com, Laviea Thomas gave it eight out of ten stars. She noted that the album started with flying riffs and swirling energy that becomes a joyous ride ending with an emotional goodbye as McCracken pleads, "I just wanna feel something, anything is better than this." Thomas also wrote that the return of Feldmann was "an undeniable part of the magic behind this album."[18]

"Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton" is one of the 68 best rock songs of 2020 according to Loudwire and it is described as follows: "A strummy start gives way to more fleshed out aggression as The Used vocalist Bert McCracken belts about the angst of not being able to cut ties while knowing a situation is still bad for you. The singer taps into the pain of knowing something but being reluctant to acknowledge it".[19]

• Bert McCracken – vocals[21]
• Jeph Howard – bass, backing vocals
• Dan Whitesides – drums, backing vocals
• Joey Bradford – guitars, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Jason Aalon Butler – on "Blow Me"[22]
• Mark Hoppus – on "The Lighthouse"
• Travis Barker – on "Obvious Blasé"
• Caleb Shomo – on "The Lottery"

Production

• John Feldmann – producer, mixing, string arrangements[21]
• Dylan McLean – engineer, additional production
• Scot Stewart – engineer, mixing, additional production
• Dave Kutch – mastering
• Michael Bono – assistant engineer
• Jacob Magness – assistant engineer
• Josh Thornberry – assistant engineer
• Cam Rackam – cover art and art direction
• Damien Lawson – additional design