The Used "Toxic Positivity" Review
Toxic Positivity provides human connection in its most raw form in each and every piece it’s comprised of. Kicking off the album, “Worst I’ve Ever Been” pairs the band’s older sound with newer elements of electronics. The track doesn’t miss a beat with clean punches in the instrumentals and lyrics that paint the visuals of how it feels to be at your absolute lowest.
This leads us into “Numb”, which describes almost the opposite of feelings due to the same struggle, emphasizing that emotion of feeling too much or not enough. The second verse offers a very fresh melodic cadence that pulls from modern-day genres and trickles into added female vocals and a breakdown towards the end. These seemingly small components add layers upon layers to the single, making it especially enjoyable in its dynamic.
“I Hate Everybody” sits a little differently for elder fans of the group. It doesn’t possess enough of the original sound, causing it to lack excitement for those that have waited for this release. However, it’s definitely a good song, subjectively. “Pinky Swear” follows, lending a lighter, sweeter sound that represents a cry for salvation. “Headspace” is very thrashy mixed with slowed, softer pieces. The melody is a bit scrambled, but seems purposeful and, paired with its words, speaks to the fight to find the space inside your own mind where you’re able to be at peace.
Succeeding is “Cherry”, an anthem on self-sabotage in moments of despair, simply because you don’t feel you deserve what you have in front of you. And then there’s “Dopamine”, which gives us the opposing story of a quick fix that you won’t quit because it’s keeping you above water. “Dancing With A Brick Wall” leans into a more contemporary version of the emo genre, and shows further vocal intricacies than any other track on the record. “Top Of The World” meets us with a combination of the different bits of narratives found in the album as a whole.
“House of Sand'' might be in line for my favorite track, sharing downhearted sentiment paired with gentle, vivid imagery in the mind's eye, building complexity in a simple way. Wrapping everything up, “Giving Up” shows us hope. It provides a high-spirited sound matched with uplifting lyrics that genuinely feel like they’re actively pulling you out of the dark. Arguably the best phrase in the album’s entirety comes from this song – “Even fallen angels get to find their peace.”
Overall, the album is incredibly consistent in story and sound, creating a place where all of your grief can be safely processed alongside the band. The words share a vulnerability that McCracken states are his most sincere yet. It was important to McCracken to relate to and evoke emotion in fans, creating a space for humans to share the darkness we sit in at times. Toxic Positivity did just that.
8.5/10
