This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply. Blink-182 sat down with Billboard to talk about their Grammy nomination and the upcoming deluxe edition of California: It’s almost, it’s more than a whole other record, it’s a double album at this point and it’s more of an extension of what we did in the studio earlier. Some of the songs were songs that we did not put on the first album, but are great songs. And some are brand new that we just wrote last week, a lot of high-energy songs, punk rock, some more ballad-y songs, a little more electronic experimentation, it’s a good mix. It’s not a collection of throwaway songs, it’s like a whole other album. And: Yeah, there are like four songs that didn’t make the album that we’re putting on there. But then there are brand-new songs like “Wildfire” and “Parking Lot” and “Misery” that are all so f—ing strong, man. It’s amazing. We started writing maybe a week and a half ago and I think we have 14 songs. It’s a good problem to have. I’m really excited about this deluxe edition. It’s gonna be incredible. Ok, I’m sold. Expand - View Original
California just wasm't very good... Doubt this will be either. 14 songs in 2 weeks? Doubt the quality is there. Hope I'm proven wrong.
California was such a moment for me this summer. Not sure these songs will have the same impact, but damn if I didn't absolutely adore that record for a month or 2.
Blah, one of my least favorite releases of the year. I'm happy for them still having success but the whole thing seems like 100% pandering to people who miss "OMG the funny and craaaazzzy Bink 182". There's something superbly awkward about a record full of co-writes trying to re-capture the magic of 15 years ago. It's catchy and enjoyable for sure but doesn't seem the least bit sincere. 100% product. Not trying to discourage anyone from enjoying it. If that's your thing, cool, I just don't buy it anymore. Say what you will about Tom Delonge's misguided ambitions but I still think he was pushing the band forward.
Gearing up for that summer festival circuit. Makes sense to keep promoting the same album that people are familiar with rather than trying to introduce a whole new album right now. Very excited for this, interested to hear the new songs especially.
A whole record basically? Count me in. California was such a summer jam for me, listened to it the other day and it still rules
I liked this album a good amount when it came out but I don't find myself going back to it too much. I am looking forward to hearing the bonus stuff however.
Probably just business reasons, there's still money left in California. This read has me considerably more excited for the deluxe edition.
"San Diego" is honestly great. I dig "Cynical" and "Left Alone" as well. There's a handful of songs that I liked upon first listen when I ignored the juvenile lyrics such as "Kings of the Weekend" and "Rabbit Hole" also. Like you said, pretty forgettable. I'd rather have another Neighborhoods than this. That record, while a little scatter brained due to Tom recording separately, was far more interesting to me than California.
They don't want to bury the money still left in California. Ditto. Although I can't blame them for being smart on the business side, it's just frustrating to hear as a fan.
I am curious as to why this is so "frustrating" for fans. We get 14 new tracks on an album titled California Deluxe, where is the frustrating part?
Some days I'll love this album, some days I forget it exists, but new music is always good. They've had such a huge year, glad they're going to give it one last push.
I had pretty low expectations for California and must say I was very pleasantly surprised with the album, and I'm one who prefers more darker, serious (self-titled) Blink to their more teeny pop kind of music. I listened to this album a lot over the summer. Don't go back to it as much, but the times it does come on, it still holds up pretty well.
I'm happy to see Blink continue their success, and they were great when I saw them in August. California was fun and catchy, but it just didn't feel like a sincerely crafted album in my opinion. I didn't find myself coming back to it once summer ended. Matt was pretty much the best possible replacement but I miss Tom's presence ahaha. I'll check these songs out for sure, but if it sounds like an extension of California then I don't know how much I'll listen to them in the winter. Totally summertime music.
I come back to California from time to time. There were some solid tracks on the album ("Cynical," "Home is Such a Lonely Place," "The Only Thing That Matters"). Overall, the album was a good summer album - not perfect by any means, but still something that managed to capture that nostalgic and fun blink feeling while helping to usher in a new direction for the band ("Los Angeles"). For me, there were several tracks that threw off the flow of the album or just didn't fit. "Sober" and "San Diego" didn't cut it, and "Brohemian Rhapsody," while fun, should have been a hidden track ("California," as cheesy as it is, felt like a good album closer). All that being said, I'm excited to hear more from blink and will be picking up the deluxe edition. As others have said, I hope that Matt will have a greater presence on these new tracks and help push the boundaries of their music, which it sounds like may be the case from this article.
Thanks for catching this. This is something I've struggled to articulate, and this captures it perfectly. It's a good, fun album, but it just doesn't feel like the other albums - everything seems geared to be a pop radio hit (the "whoas" - thanks, Feldmann). It lacks sincerity at times. I haven't had a chance to see them live with Matt, and from what I've watched on Youtube, their shows look fun, but it seems more like a business arrangement on stage - keeping the songs going. The intimacy seems to be lacking. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't know.