I can’t imagine anyone putting Neighborhoods, DED, California, or Nine above this album. And I love Nine.
@Jason Tate I can't imagine how tough it was to bite your lip on this for however long you had it. Haha. Thank you for building a platform that has given me a Blink community for more than 20 years. Never thought I'd see his day when we were arguing +44 vs AVA in 06. Cheers!
Can’t wait to do a full discography run and be rushed to the emergency room when I go from Quarantine to Anthem Part 3.
So i don’t know how to keep it short on the first reaction but HOLY SHIT. Musically, sonically, lyrically (that reserves judgement with time), was the best blink album first listen of my life… their lives… our lives… holy fuck… fuck the Beatles - blink-182
After a first listen, I am BEYOND satisfied. Travis produced the ever-living shit out of this album and pushed them to do so many new things sonically. And it just works. Many early reactions said “X sounds like X era of Blink” but really I hear a ton of progression on this album, which is more than any of us could have asked for in 2023. They didn’t rehash shit when any other band of their caliber getting together after more than a decade apart would easily do. Laurels and all that. They wanted to make a statement and I think they succeeded. The non-singles that hit me the the hardest were When We Were Young and Turpentine. They’re firing on all cylinders on those tracks.
General thoughts: -This feels like a love letter to everything that has made Blink great. -Other Side and Bad News are Mark at the top of his game. -I could probably do without the joke tracks. -Wouldn't it have been WILD hearing this if only Edging was released ahead of time? What a weird choice for a single.
@Jason Tate curious to know before reading your review, how did you experience the first listen of this? Just at home on the couch with headphones? Out for a walk? I'm sure you'll probably touch on this in the review anyway.
My wife came in the room when I was crouched over rocking back and forth whilst “vibing” as the kids say and was very concerned if I was OK
1. Anthem Part 3 2. Terrified 3. Dance with Me 4. When We Were Young 5. Bad News 6. You Don't Know What You've Got 7. More Than You Know 8. Blink Wave 9. One More Time 10. Other Side 11. Fell in Love 12. Childhood 13. Edging 14. Turpentine 15. Turn This Off! 16. Hurt (Interlude) 17. Fuck Face This definitely tracks for the most part for me. Edging just sounds…different mixed within the album. Idk. It’d be higher slightly if it weren’t for that.
My girlfriend posted a video to her snap story of me smiling like an idiot while bopping to Blink Wave the first play through. Didn’t realize she was recording but it was great to see my genuine joy that first time through.
For my first listen, I sat on the floor with my headphones on while my wife went to sleep. Can’t wait for her to listen tomorrow.
i edited my scrobbles on lfm of all the released singles to the new album and i have over 100 plays already
There’s so many “blink” moments on this. But I was surprised at how much sounded like “new pop punk”. And that’s not a diss. It was interesting. Now, time to check out the new Knuckle Puck album!
Having read so many thoughts on this before listening, I avoided watching the songs change as I listened so I wouldn’t have any expectations. But man, the second Bad News started I knew it was the NFG one. That is absolutely the song Chad Gilbert thinks he’s got in the can whenever he tries to say their new material sounds like Sticks & Stones