The Used – Berth (CD/DVD)

Imagine for a second you’re walking through a CD store. You see The Used and think to yourself “hey, look at that, they have two CDs out. There’s no way they could have two DVDs either right?” But you keep looking through the racks and lo and behold you come across two DVDs from the Utah emo/screamo outfit. The first is Maybe Memories, a CD/DVD combo that came after their self-titled album and their sophomore release, In Love & Death. The second CD/DVD combo is Berth, a release to hold their fans over as they wait for their third full length album. Most people will say that the ratio of CDs to DVDs is a little high and will probably question the need for another DVD release so soon but hardcore Used fans will enjoy – unfortunately it’s only the hardcore Used fans who will.

You see, Berth is far from being a must-see DVD. While mildly entertaining, there’s no new information in the release. There’s no real inside or in-depth look into the band, and no real exploration into The Used. There fails to be a single moment on the DVD which stands out or makes you want to re-play it, even a few years after seeing Maybe Memories I still remember some of the clips from that DVD. Berth,however, features nothing that memorable. Instead you get the standard interview clips of all the band talking about the other band members, some backstage foolery and follow them through their promotional duties in Japan. One of the most interesting sections would have been a look at them recording their upcoming album, but that just gets skimmed over in a few minutes. Oddly enough, the most entertaining portion of the DVD comes in the junk section where Jeph and Quinn just goof around as they answer questions from fans. While the viewer learns very little new information in that part, it is funny to watch and does shine a glimmer of hope of an otherwise forgettable DVD. Because overall, the mini-documentary on Berth is far from impressive – it’s mildly entertaining and good enough to kill some time. But multiple views? Unlikely.

The CD half of the combo is a nine track live performance from their Vancouver show on September 25th, 2005 (which was also filmed and can be viewed completely on the DVD) and while it is just a generic live CD without any real innovative takes, it does help Berth stand up a little better. The sound is great as you hear the little changes that The Used do live compared to the studio – like the insertion of Refused‘sNew Noise in the middle of Maybe Memories and the occasional crowd participation moments. Bert’s vocals are a harsher and different than on the recording, but they are more intense, energetic and just sound better. The sound quality is excellent and the CD is a worthy addition to the package, essentially making Berth a worthwhile purchase of Used fans.

Berth is not a spectacular release, it offers no incentive for a casual fan as the DVD fails to be memorable and the live release doesn’t deliver anything new. Used fanatics however will like it a bit. The CD is worth multiple listens, the DVD however is probably good for only one viewing. It just proves that releasing one DVD for every CD you release is just not a good idea.