Light With A Sharpened Edge

outKast, Smashing Pumpkins didn't "turn into" Zwan because Billy Corgan was in both bands. That is like saying, Coalesce turned into The Get Up Kids, and then into Reggie and the Full Effect because they all have a common member.

Just because you list one band who "went soft" and sucked, Staind, doesn't prove all bands will if they do. Staind's newest CD sucked because they tried to copy the success they had from "Outside" and "It's Been A While"- even further proving my point that change in sounds is necessary for growth in a band.

I agree the first The Used CD is very original, but the new stuff is far from the bands you listed. The new CD spans influences- I've even heard "Lunacy Fringe" compared to Guster (by multiple fans of Guster). Your comparison to The Starting Line is out of nowhere, and I really don't know where you hear them sounding remotely like Finch. Sure Bert and Nate both scream, but many bands do, and their screaming and singing voice's sounds are very different.

You seem to be looking at the lyrics too literally (referring to the comments about "I'm a Fake" and "Light With A Sharpened Edge"). You say that this song is all about religion or spirituality because of the verse containing "voices sing praises and hymns." Lyrics are open to interpretation and you should try to think of all the possible meanings of words to find a common thread rather than just the obvious surface meaning. This song could be many things, even possibly but not limited to, Bert finding religion like you claim. I interpreted it as an awakening he went through (realizing how much he enjoys his new life) after giving up meth. When he says, "I'm a fake" that doesn't mean he is flat out saying that his music is fake, and copied. Once again, Bert is using a metaphor because that is what talented songwriters do. A band you mention does this very well actually, Atreyu's lyrics are full of well-done metaphors. An obvious example is their song "The Crimson." They aren't really vampires even though the song literally says he is.

About Atreyu's transition being "real growth"- that is bullshit. Not to knock Atreyu's "The Curse," I do personally enjoy it, but I realize that overall it is a decent CD at best with "Right Side of The Bed" being the only great song.

If you want a good example of a band that has grown between all their albums- look at Incubus. Starting out as a Funk band ("Fungus Amongus"), then into Nu-Metal ("S.C.I.E.N.C.E."), then Alternative Rock ("Make Yourself"), Melodic Rock ("Morning View"), and now Modern Rock ("A Crow Left Of The Murder").

I hope that the next The Used album will be another change, because that is what is exciting about music- hearing what is created- not copying previous successes.