 | Tracklist:
1.Feeling This
2.Obvious
3.I Miss You
4.Violence
5.Stockholm Syndrome
6.Down
7.The Fallen Interlude
8.Go
9.Asthenia
10.Always
11.Easy Target
12.All Of This
13.Heres Your Letter
14.Im Lost Without You
Release Date: 2003 | |
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On 55 Lists
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Blink 182's self titled album was met with strange comments. From the way that the album was described on it's release, people would have thought that Blink 182 had changed their style so much that the band's sound would be indistinguishable from earlier releases. The music press' comments were full of talk about how much the band had matured and changed their sound. While Blink 182 hadn't really changed their sound very much at all, there was definitely something different about this album. Their sound is different, but don't expect to hear some stramge avant-garde synthesiser music. This is the same 3 chord stuff, with added sounds. The band's lyrics are more mature as hinted in earlier songs such as "Adam's Song" and "Stay Together For The Kids". Blink 182's serious side has so often been overlooked in favour of their lyrics, full of fart jokes and songs about girls. No chance of that happening this time around.
The Band
Mark Hoppus - Bass and Vocals
Tom Delonge - Guitar and Vocals
Travis Barker - Drums
The added sounds is one of the best things about the album. In the album's booklet, the group reveal many of their influences, ranging from The Cure to Frank Sinatra to Slayer to Failure to Run DMC to Pink Floyd. The influences of these artists are all on the album, though some are more prominent than others. Throughout the album booklet, there is information about each song, most of them written by two of the three band members. It is interesting to hear about all of the different gear they used on the album to create different sounds. Bassist Mark Hoppus used a Fender VI (a six string bass tuned the same as a guitar an octaver lower) on many of the tracks. Guitarist Tom Delonge uses his new signature Gibson hollowbody on the album. Drummer Travis Barker has lots of different percussion instruments throughout the album and used and old 1950s microphone to record the drums for the start of the song "Down". The best new addition, however are the many different keyboard sounds.
The band's newfound maturity has been somewhat exaggerated by the music press, yet theres no denying that Blink 182 have grown up. Gone are the fart jokes. Gone are the snotty and dirty lyrics. The album's lyrics are of a much higher standard than the earlier releases. At the end of the song "Violence" (track 4), the listener hears the introduction for the next track, "Stockholm Syndrome". This introdution is the reading of a letter Mark's grandfather wrote to his grandmother during World War 2. It has a simple piano melody behind it. This is where the listener will start to realise the Blink have grown up. After the song "Down" (track 6), there is a track called "The Fallen Interlude" (track 7). This is a track with a trip-hop feel, based around a keyboard sample with drums, bass and guitar leads playing around it. This song sounds like bands such as Massive Attack and it's sound was described by one guitar magazine as being "similar to Thom Yorke's winter barbecue". Then "All of This" (track 12) comes. This song has a guest apperance, Robert Smith from The Cure. The album's first track, "Feeling This" serves as a link between the old Blink 182 and the new Blink 182. This is not the same Blink 182.
Ok, so Blink 182 have changed their sound to include more adventurous sounds and new lyrics. But are the songs any good? Certainly. This is one of the most consistent Blink 182 albums yet, there is really only one or two songs that aren't very good and even those are worth listening to. While some fans of the old sound will not like this new direction, many fans will and this album is sure to add more new fans to Blink 182's fanbase. The band's songwriting has massively improved, being able to write the same 3 chord songs (many of the album's songs have exactly the same chord progression, in the same key), while making them all different songs. There is really nothing on this album that sounds the same as another song and there are no songs that aren't worth hearing.
Blink 182 aren't the type of band that release classic albums that get perfect scores and get bowed down to by music critics. For everyone who loves Blink 182, there is another person who hates them. While many people may think they have made up their mind against Blink 182, this album contains some new thing that will change people's minds about Blink 182. After hearing this album, many listeners will decide that there is much more to Blink 182 than they originally thought. Whatever you think you know about Blink 182, throw it away until you have heard this album.
Pros
- Interesting sounds
- Well written lyrics
- The same 3 chord songs made fresh
- Great guest appearance from Robert Smith
Cons
- Some hardcore fans of "the old stuff" will be unimpressed
- Will they be able to sound this good live?
Reccomended Tracks
I Miss You
Violence
Asthenia
Always
All of This
FINAL RATING: 4.5/5
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Man this review has already been done. Anyway, well written. I liked it better than the other one.
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I haven't heard all of their stuff yet, but I'm one of those who prefer their new sound more than their old. It kinda surpasses even most pop-punk bands nowadays who play the same stuff over and over again. Very good review br3ad. :thumb:
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Great review as usual, br3adman. I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would, though I agree that the press greatly exaggerated their claims that this was an extremely different album. You can still tell that it is the same band, but there is no doubt that they have been progressing as writers. I'd give this a 4/5, but other than that I agree with your review.
Digging: Taylor Swift - Fearless | | |
This album is a sort of quiet genius, in my opinion. It flows very well, and the general sound is quite smooth. They have a way of creating a "wall of sound" with the guitar part, which sounds really good (Down.) Travis is stellar as always. 4.5/5
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
yeah I agree
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I love how one of the people who voted against my review can't even type properly and obviously didn't read it.
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I love how one of the people who voted against my review can't even type properly and obviously didn't read it.
I find it hilarious how it's detractors are mindless spamming dumbfuc ks.
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hey my ghoti eats phish and others - suck my balls
why the hell would you want to see the review if you hate the band anyway you dumbass
people like you who like to go in forums and pay out bands you don't like must have no life at all
go do something worthwhile with yourself like lying on a highway.
by the way good review
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I like this album, possibly better than there older music i especially like go because it's harder and fast pased. And with this album they took what people thought what blink 182 was and destroyed that, then made all these songs fresh, not pre thought up then recorded, they had a studio in some ones house or somethin and when they thought of somethin they made it.
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this is an awesome album but its lame that they broke up oh well
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travis is a freak drummer 
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they didnt break up there taking a break for a year then will tour agein. they all have families and have been on tour for years. Travis said in an interview they will tour agein.
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who would just stop with the job they have
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i didnt rele like it but the songs that were good were rele good
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cool album but i wish they had stayed like cheshire cat or dude ranch
| | | Album Rating: 3
Interesting, they've matured.
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To my surprise, this is actually a pretty good album. I wonder what they will do next.
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Awesome Review man I didn't even know some of the stuff that you were saying like the fact that Travis used a 50s mic to record the drums in down. thats awesome. or the 6 string bass thing. Ok So... Nice Job.
Good luck
-Alex-
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
hehe, do you own the album? All the information is in the booklet
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Great review. Loved reading it almost as much as I enjoyed listening to the album! *Thumbs Up*
I enjoyed this Blink-182 album but to be honest I prefer the older Blink, for example; 'Dude Ranch'. I still love this album though. The drumming from Travis is fuckin' amazing! He influenced me to become a drummer. But anyways, great album, great review. Oh, one last thing, did Blink match it up live? I'm not sure on that one. Of what i've heard of them playing the new album live, it sounds shite compared to what the album versions sound like. Ahwell, it's still good.
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