Blink 182 have always been pop/punk at their roots. But here they return from a two year break, sad and angry. In this new one all the songs revolve around sadness, anger, and hate. There isn't one immature moment oon this album. I plan on reviewing all of the albums with no weird order. This just happens to be the one slipped out of that hat tonight. Anyway, this album is great for something new from what used to be Blink 182. I guees if you've been in the closet for a year then you wouldn't know that they broke up. Not because they got pissed off at each other, but because they have families now.
Wives and kids at home are hard to take care of while your on the road. They say that they're getting back together sometime in the next year or two. But I highly doubt that, due to Travis' television hopes. Oh and by the way, Mark and Travis are already talking about starting a new band called Plus44. So this leaves no hopes for the band I grew up with. The band that taught me about angst and saddness. My parents talk about sex with me??? Hell no, I heard it all from these guys. The point is, no longer will the band laugh at things like "beef stroginoff". They are now, in all seriousness, a meaningful band.
Blink 182 - blink182
Mark Hoppus - Bass, Vocals
Tom Delonge - Guitar, Vocals
Travis Barker - Drums
The first song on the album is one of the best on the album
Feeling This. I guess you can't really say that this song isn't dirty. It's about sex, but it's still better than fart jokes. Anyway, the verses are beautifal Blink at their finest. With the faint guitar behind Tom and his anthem style lyrics. This song always makes me sad because it reminds me of Summer 03. The song has a wicked 'a capella' bridge too. It also ends with a bang and straight into our next song.
Obvious is a good example of the saddness. This song has tons of feeling and a cool and chorus all in an echo. The distorted guitar also adds a lot to this song. The song is all about betrayal and cheating. But then you think the song is over and you hear a chopper in the distance. Then Blink comes in one more time for a repetitave bridge and one final chorus.
I Miss You was another single, as was Feeling This. This song is really meaningful and sounds upsetting with Mark's monotone singing. I always get really sad when I hear this because I have a few people that I really miss in my personal life. Girlfriends, Uncles, Cousins. Anyway, this is a great song and a definite highlght of the album. This is one of those songs that was a total fluke for a band like Blink too. It's was completley unexpected. But there is a ton more to be left in this album, somethings you couldn't have dreamed of...
Violence is one of those songs that grabs you by the heart and gives you everything it has. The verses are in 'a capella' with a light tapping in the backround. The lyrics are about suicide and what happens in the process. I love the chorus though. It rips the song a new one. It's heavy and full of emotion. The bridge also adds a whole lot too. It's Tom mumbling a few of the songs lyrics in repetition. "Violence, you kill me. Forever and after"...
Stockholm Syndrome is the song with most emotion in the album. It's the heaviest and the saddest one here. It's about all the war stuff revolved around the 'Sickness'. The lyrics are brilliant as the guitar stick to a steady pace as Mark dishes them out. "I'm so lost, I'm barely here. I wish I could explain myself, the words escape me". The song then ends in Toms distorted voice shouting out pure energy, followed by one more chorus.
Down was also another one of the singles. This song sounds very sad and once again depresses me, as it was the bands last single. The lyrics are also amazing. The song really describes the ways and things that happen when you are down. The song has these cool electronic sounds in the verses which I never heard before with Blink. I love every bit of this song and I will till' I die.
The Fallen Interlude doesn't really qualify as a song but it rocks. It has faint guitar and no lyrics. Travis' drumming is the best on the album. He has this insane solo portion. It's sick what he can do on a set. Some of the coolest sounding stuff ever. This song ties into the :60 second
Go. This is a song that brings the old Blink back onto shore. This is their onld sound with better lyrics and subject matter. There isn't much to say, other then that I love the (once again) 'a cappela' bridge with Mark saying, "I don't wanna know!" over and over. Then the song ends with a screech and we go into our next song. Is that an hospital I hear?...
Asthenia has a really long intro. It sounds like someone is on the verge of death. Then it rips away and goes into a steady beat. A slow but simple melody is al that's needed here. "This place is portable passion, if you can imagine. It's easy if you try". Great lyrics occupy this great song. This is a definite highlight of the album. "My head is made up of memories, most of them useless. Dillusions." The song ends with the final chorus still ringing in your head. Then fades into nothing.
Always is the next song and was (another) single. This is one of the only true ballads that the band has ever written. It's about how you'll always care for someone, no matter what they think of you. The guitar and bass is all generic. Frankly, this isn't that good of a song. It's too within the bands genre. The music video is cool but gets old fast. The lyrics are pretty corny too. Well, don't be sad because one of the best is up next.
Easy Target begins with a crazy drum roll. Tom recites the lyrics as Mark screams "THATS WHAT SHE WANTED". Then the song keeps tempo through out and has a great adrenaline rush feel to it. It's amazing energy from the band. Then the song perfectly ties into the next track with a suprise guest.
All Of This*GASPS* that's right. They guy from "The Cure". This song is really slow and Robert Smith does most of the vocals on this track. Tom gets some time but it's just not as epic as Rob. It's a great song and one of the standout tracks on the album. It's really long and gives us enough saddness to weave into our next song...
Here's Your Letter starts off with a bang and goes back to the bands original style minus the fart jokes. Mark does all of the vocals here. This is a great track and it is one of my favorites. I can listen to it restlessly. The bridge makes this song though. It is extremely catchy. But this is where I get sad again when I remember this as being one of the last punk influenced songs that the band has ever written and I doze off into the six minute ballad to close the album for good...
I'm Lost Without You has a piano intro and goes into slowness with Tom singing in the backround. The vocals are suprisingly good even though Tom isn't that good of a singer. "Are you afraid of being alone 'cause I am, I'm lost without you!" Okay, the song goes on in the same course for a while and is the big intro to a huge build up, provided my Travis. He ends the song as it should and goes crazy on his drumset with the front bass paper saying Blink 182 for one last time...
In Conclusion
Well, what can I say. I'm depressed now. I love this band and I feel that the work they did on this album was amazing. The way they can go in and out of genre amazes me. Anyway, this was self-titled, and it was great.
Pros
+ Great Songs
+ More meaningful than 'Fart Jokes'
+ Improved Lyrics
+ Great Drumming
Cons
- The bands final album...
Recommended Tracks | AKA: The Fantastic Four
Seriously, all of them are worth a listen.
