This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply. My thanks to Blink-182 for sponsoring Chorus this week. They released their new album, California, yesterday and I’ve gotta say: I’m impressed. I’ve been toying around with a write-up about the album that I may post in the foreseeable future, but the fact is that I think this is the best Blink’s sounded in years. Great, fun, summer pop-punk music. You can find the album now on all streaming platforms, iTunes, and in stores. The album is making a run for the #1 spot next week so if you’re into it — definitely give it a spin (or ten). Thanks again to Blink for sponsoring the website this week. Hilarious to think that I once built a Blink-182 fan-page, and here we are, 20-something years later, and they’re sponsoring the site. It’s awesome. Expand - View Original
Such a phenomenal album. Happy to have blink back and sounding better than ever. California exceeded all expectations for me. Hope they get that number 1 spot!
Fantastic record. Catchy as fuck fun Summer pop punk. You can't not listen to this with the windows down and loud and sing every word.
Definitely like it a ton, much more than Neighborhoods. I like how Matt sounds like Matt and not trying to sound like Tom, it works
Congrats @Jason Tate! I've followed the site since the blink fan page. You deserve it dude! Your site has introduced me to some of my favorite bands. Thanks for what you do.
The album is really good. I didn't love it at first but I've listened to it now over 10 times and its getting better each time. Nice work!
Didn't read that whole spin review, but he's right when he says the album is missing Tom's riffs. They didn't really push themselves with the guitar work on this one. I feel like they recycled the Adam's song riff multiple times on this album too.
Perhaps. I myself haven't listened, but there is the Tom quality (regardless of the mild annoyance it produces occasionally) that is missed by me.
If you don't think the new Blink album is some dam catchy pop punk then I don't know what's what. I love the new album. Hope San Diego makes it to be a single or at least that they play it live this tour.
I agree that I wish there was more of a distinction between Mark and Skiba's voices. I'd give the record a C+ overall. Catchy dumb summer music, but lacking a certain spark.
Record is B- for me. I love "Cynical", "Kings of the Weekend", and "Left Alone" the most but the record is overall lacking in the lyrical department for me. I love Skiba in general (grew up listening to Alkaline) and he's good here but there is definitely a part of me that misses Tom here. I feel so goddamn mixed on this!
This album has been kind of disappointing for me. There's about 4 or 5 tracks I really enjoy, but the rest I can easily skip over. Los Angeles is nearly unlistenable for me. Ugh. And the other two California songs don't do anything for me either. Maybe I have to be a Californian to have a connection with them or something. I don't know. Teenage Satellites, Sober, and The Only Thing That Matters are total misses as well. Just not a good album overall. With that said, Left Alone is absolutely awesome. Love that chorus and the way Matt sounds. And I wish Cynical was a longer track.
This is really cool!! Congrats, Jason! Can't stop spinning this album. So much fun and so catchy. In regards to the above comments, I do wish there was a little more creativity in regards to the guitar work on the album, but anyone that thinks Tom would have made this album better is just as delusional as he is.
How in the world could someone have trouble distinguishing their voices? They may have a similar range but they definitely sound different. There are definitely two unique voices.
The riffs in those three songs are pretty similar to each other but none of them really sound like Adam's Song at all to me, they have the same rhythm but quite different melodic contours