Blink-182 Drop TOPAJ Merch

I really wish they would rerelease the album with all the bonus tracks. Or at least put them on Spotify.

 

Although Enema was huge in my life as a "90s kid", this was the album cycle I was fully aware of with singles and everything being 10 at the album's release - I feel like there was even a GMA or some morning show spot on MTV for "Rock Show" that I was up for during the start of summer vacation. It's pretty much a direct sequel to Enema - but what a great fucking album.

 

I can't believe this came out the year I graduated high-school.

 

One of my favorite and most influential albums of all time. If time could stop going so fast that would be great.

 

One of the best sounding drum albums. This had a huge influence drumming influence on me when it came out. Still fun to play along to

 

When you Fucked Grandpa is just so heartfelt and deep.

 

It definitely felt deep at the time, I'll miss those greasy fingers!

 

Easily my favorite blink-182 record. Every song is perfect. Every song sounds perfect. The art. Everything is what I remember blink-182 as. I know everyone loves Enema, or Untitled, but this one is it for me.

 

I'd have to give this the edge over untitled for me too, as much as I have extra grown to appreciate that album as I've grown older. TOYPAJ is peak blink in their prime and it's the first thing I think of when I hear the band's name.

I remember the pure excitement I had each time they released a new music video. It felt like they could do no wrong at the time.

 

Even when it came out, as a kid I remember liking it but feeling like it was a retread/bit of a lesser version of Enema.

It's the only album pre-2008 where they didn't really improve on the album before it in some way. They learned how to write a great song on Dude Ranch in "Dammit", they applied that to an entire album and wrote even better songs all over Enema (Plus Jerry Finn made them sound huge on record for the first time), they kind of carbon copied Enema and just did it again for TOYPAJI, and then obviously they evolved their sound and found an excellent heavier and darker pop punk sweet spot and made their best album IMO in Self Titled.

I suppose I shouldn't fault it too much when it's not like (at the time) Blink were just putting out the same record over and over. TOYPAJI just sort of felt like the record they thought everyone wanted them to make.

There's something to be said for that, though, considering I think their manager told them they weren't hearing any singles when they turned it in, so Mark and Tom went home and overnight wrote the most intentionally throwaway songs they could think of (Rock Show and First Date, respectively). The fact that they turned out to both be huge is kind of funny with that in mind.

Half of it's killer, though, with the three singles + Anthem, Story of a Lonely Guy, and Every Time I Look For You.

 

It really is. The older I have gotten I've appreciated the production and the mix of this record as their best sounding record.