Blink-182 [ARCHIVED] Band • Page 709

I hope the new Sum 41 album doesn't suck.

 

Is the stream on the 29th or July 6 lol shit is confusing

 

That's a band that, on paper, I should love, but could just never get into. Except for like 2 months in the summer of '01 when I (and everyone else) loved "Fat Lip".

 

Hangs Ups is a great record. Strangest Dave Jerden mix we'll ever hear, but the songs kill. "20 Cent Goodbye"? Flashes of Squeeze.

 

I can definitely agree with what you are saying - thank you for that. I respect the fact that you took the time to explain your side and I think you hit the nail on the head with my flawed reasoning when you mentioned the "execution" of the songs rather than the meaning of the songs themselves. It's fair to say they probably went into each song with the intention to write something meaningful. But with lyrics like "life is too short to last long", the majority of She's Out Of Her Mind, or "It's Friday night let's lose our minds in a downward spiral - here we go because we got no control" or "Dear head, shut up, I can't listen no more", etc, etc. all just come across as cheesy. Granted, a whole lot of their past material has some cheesy lines also but I guess maybe I just expected more this time around? My gripe is that I feel like if they spent more time on these songs and the lyrics and had the opportunity to change some of these lines to something else, the songs would have came out even better. I envision them writing these lyrics in the studio and on the same day saying "sounds good, let's record them!" whereas I would have liked to have them sit on those lyrics for a few days, return to them and re-write some of the lines that weren't so good. But then again, I feel guilty in saying that because what if they really think the lines that I think are poorly written are genuinely great? Am I being too critical? Too judemental? It's hard critiquing somebody else's art because you are not in their headspace and I don't want to be too harsh on something that a band that I love loves just because my opinion differs from theirs. That just seems rude. So maybe that's what I've been trying to say - I think there are aspects of some of these songs were simply executed poorly only because I've seen some of the the great writing that they have all done in the past and I know what they are capable of and that's what leaves me slightly disappointed from a lyrical standpoint.

Also the joke songs are completely unnecessary and ruin the flow of the album. I think we can all agree on that. They have no business on this record and I don't know why they thought that was a good idea other than as a kind of "return to form" of what they did on TOYPAJ. They'd be fun little bonus tracks but that's it.

 

Me too, Deryck self-produced again so I am keeping expectations low. I feel they would really benefit from having a producer again. Surprised they didn't drop a new single before warped.

 

That's what I was just thinking. I actually liked the last one (some real out of place songs on there though) but that'd be great if blink, GC and Sum 41 all came through. I'll probably check out GC if you think it's worth checking out.

 

This is going to get things thrown at me, but I actually really like Underclass Hero. I have a feeling that this one is going to be another dark album. My fear is that they did that best with Chuck and can't match it again. SBM was fine but I don't really want a sequel to it. Hoping for a big surprise!

 

Pop punk gold!
"I think you're hot but I love you not"
KOP FOREVER

 

Listened to this last night and unfortunately didn't really like it all. Nothing against the band in the slightest, they've been a bit of a cornerstone to my personal growth as a music fan, but it just didn't resonate with me the way their sound used to.

 

Yeah the no-producer thing worries me a bit. Sound-wise I think he does a fine job but I know the two songs they went out of the way to add at the end totally didn't fit on that album.

 

I'm one of the few that stands behind Screaming Bloody Murder. It's no Chuck, but I thought it was way better than Underclass. Either way, I hope this one pulls through

 

Home Grown was the next band I discovered after Blink. I probably know every word to every song on Act Your Age still. I guess you're right about She's Anti though, heh..

 

The joke is that he's HARD

 

No, the joke is Tom. He's the joke.

 

This girl I dated in High School got me a Blink 182 shirt for Christmas because she knew they were my favorite band. It was a slim fit design from Hot Topic and I outgrew that fucker in like a month (damn broad shoulders)

Kinda bummed because it was a cool design and I"ll never be able to find it.

I've owned...4 blink shirts? The first was a bootleg shirt from Ebay that was the smiley logo on a red shirt. I wore it when I saw them in 09. Then I got the 09 tour shirt (STILL FITS) that had all the dates on the back. Then the shirt she gave me which is gone forever, and now the white album shirt with the preorder.

 

spot on.

 

We got two for the price of one on that one.

 

Last two Sum 41 albums were actually my favorite. Underclass Hero is a pale imitation of Green Day but I enjoy it just for that, and I thought SBM did Chuck better with some poppier songs added in. Haven't listened to either in a very long time though. Not a big fan of the band.

 

I haven't listened to the album at all today, after listening to non-stop all weekend. Here's my brief track-by-track review:

1. Cynical - I'm glad that the "What's the point of saying sorry now?" song made it onto the album! I was worried that it might have been the ones that were cut, or was the international bonus track, "Hey I'm Sorry." I love Mark's vocal harmonies he's doing underneath Matt's vocals on those last few lines of the song. This song is classic skate punk stuff like NOFX, No Use For A Name, bands that would be on the early Tony Hawk games. Great opener, but I wish it had another verse in it.

2. Bored To Death - I have been listening to this song every chance I get since it was released a couple months ago. It still hasn't gotten old for me. It's a pretty unique song to this album too, I feel like. There isn't really another one like this.

3. She's Out Of Her Mind - As soon as that pre-chorus starts, I can't help but grin ear to ear. This is what I've wanted from Blink since Untitled. This song is perfect classic Blink! Probably my favorite one on the album right now. I can't stop singing "She's a-a-a-anti social!" and it's starting to drive my girlfriend crazy, I think.

4. Los Angeles - When my brother and i drove up a mountain and looked over the city while we listened to this record for the first time, we were both still gushing over the previous song, and so when "Los Angeles" started, it caught us off guard and immediately brought us back down from that high. My brother said it best: "It's like Linkin Park with Travis Barker." At that moment, I couldn't agree more, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it! The choruses are very Matt Skiba/Alkaline Trio-ish, musically, and I can totally get behind that. The verses are kind of odd for Blink, and this is definitely their heaviest track, but it gets cooler the more I listen to it. Mark's bridge seems kind of out of place though compared to the rest of the song, although it's a cool little bridge. Also, I hope they play this one live. I can picture the entire crowd jumping up and down to the beat of the choruses.

5. Sober - This song sounds like a total country pop radio song to me, but with distorted guitars. I think it's the vocal melodies that make me feel that way. I love the song though! The choruses are huge. I wish it didn't have the phony hand clap sound though in the pre-choruses.

6. Built This Pool - This vocal melody gets stuck in my head way too often. I mostly notice myself humming it at work or in public areas that make me think to myself, "i'm humming a song about naked dudes right now... If only people knew..." Haha. It's a dumb song, but it's whatever. I don't skip it.

7. No Future - I love the kind of "Anthem Pt 2" throwback intro. It took me a little while to like the choruses to this song. When Matt comes in with his verse, and the shakiness in his voice... Oh, and the squeaking in his voice on a couple words he sings in the bridge! Gah! Could this dude be ANY cooler?! His voice has so many different sounds/personalities. All the vocal harmonies going on in the song sound great. I wish the "na na na" part didn't repeat as many times as it does. I think the last run of it at the end of the song is what makes me think, "ok ok, we get it. you should have ended the song a few seconds ago..."

8. Home Is Such A Lonely Place - This is definitely a different sound for blink-182. It's a beautiful song though. I love the twinkly bells in the choruses, the piano, and the strings a lot too. Matt's vocals sound fantastic in this. When they come in at the start of the chorus, it gives me the chills. The big drum build up at the end is great too. I wish there was a some distorted guitar chords being held out when the drums come in though. I think it would have made that part sound even bigger than it already does.

9. Kings Of The Weekend - This is another one that sounds like classic Blink. Untitled era ish. Especially with that big Tom-like guitar riff that hits you in the face. The choruses are probably my least favorite part of the song, other than the catchy hook. This is the part of the album where this and the next couple tracks kind of blend together for me...

10. Teenage Satellites - I love the choruses on this one, even though the lyrics are pretty dorky. Teenage satellites? Heh... The verses are pretty forgettable to me. I really like the bridge on this song though!

11. Left Alone - This is song is pretty cool. I'm not in love with it. It's got a real catchy chorus, but I don't really like the verses.

12. Rabbit Hole - This song breaks the streak of songs that run together for me. I love the energy and hooks in this song. Everyone on Reddit shit all over this song when it was released, and it confused the hell out of me because I loved it right off the bat. Sounds like old TOYPAJ Blink! I couldn't believe anyone thought differently, haha. This song is awesome.

13. San Diego - Another one of my favorite songs from the album! Top 3, for sure. The choruses are so fun to sing along to and feel like classic Blink to me.

14. The Only Thing That Matters - If someone told me this was an Enema of the State b-side, I'd absolutely believe it. This is straight out of 1999-2001 era Blink. Awesome song! One of my favorites on the album.

15. California - Probably my least favorite one on the album, to be honest. To me, it sounds like just about every other song called "California" that's been released throughout the years, ha. It doesn't sound very genuine to me. But maybe that's just because I'm not from there. Maybe it's different for actual Californians. Either way, I just don't feel any relation to this song. It's just there. But it's a good closer song.

16. Brohemian Rhapsody - They should have just left this one off. Or at least made it a full (and non-joke) song, like others have echoed. It's a strange way to actually close the album though. And like I said about "Built This Pool", it's short enough, I don't feel the need to skip it or anything. It's whatever.

OVERALL: This album is gonna have to keep growing on me. The more I listen to it though, the more I enjoy it for what it is. It's just a catchy, fun, pop punk album for the summer time. And I love that they accomplished that, if that was their goal. I think one thing that makes this album feel kind of strange to me is just how many fucking vocal harmonies there are throughout each song. Vocal harmonies never really let up. Is there any moment where it's just one voice singing? On choruses and sprinkled thoughtfully through verses is one thing, but it's like the harmonies are never ending. The harmonies sound great! but it just feels like there's too much. It'll be cool to hear these songs live though where they're stripped from the all the excessive vocal production and stuff, assuming they won't be using a ton of backing tracks.

All in all though, at this point, I'd give this album an 7.5/10 (and for what it's worth) I'd give Neighborhoods a 4/10. This is the album I wish Blink would have made in 2009 when they got back together and had Tom.

 

Yeah, I just read the lyrics too, that's hard to swallow. Though I think I'd be uncomfortable reading/hearing that even if mass shootings were much less common.

 

So my question is, come July 1st could I get up at 5am Central and get the digital version of this album on Amazon, or would it be later in the day? Lol

 

This album gets better with every listen. I can get behind just about every song, really. Very pleased with it especially having come in with no expectations.

 

I know i already said this in the first listen thread, but i really enjoyed your take on the album (as if i wasn't excited enough already). Yes, good charlotte is still my favorite band. Has been since 7th grade.

 

Man I fucking loved Home Grown. KOP was such a classic. I actually bought it on vinyl last year on record store day for $12 haha. I'll Never Fall In Love was the jam!