Review
Blink-182 members play different tunes
November 30, 2006
It’s been approximately three and half years since the humor-filled SoCal punk band has dropped new material ... as Blink-182, that is.
In early 2006, Blink guitarist Tom DeLonge ventured into new territory by forming the band Angels and Airwaves. His new project took off without warning and in the summer of 2006, the debut album, We Don’t Need to Whisper, crashed onto store shelves everywhere.
Don’t get too excited if you haven’t heard it yet.
The album is nothing that you may expect, especially with track titles like, “Valkarie Missle” and “It Hurts.”
The average track time on the album is about four minutes and 30 seconds. In fact there isn’t a song under four minutes.
There is nothing wrong with longer songs, but when there isn’t an interlude or something to delay the next droning five minutes, it’s difficult to enjoy an eternity of similar-sounding songs.
Not only does this album drone on, the lyrics revolve around past broken relationships and teenage romance.
The verdict on a Blink member’s first solo project -- sub-par to mediocre.
As of Nov. 14, the other half of Blink-182 decided to drop an album. This half, known as +44 seemed to fare a bit better.
The group’s debut album, When Your Heart Stops Beating, has encompassed a more serious side of Blink-182: borderline depressed, though the artists seem to cover up their downer lyrics with upbeat rhythms and melodies.
It’s not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, to have the feeling low-style, but it’s just different from the old Blink sound.
I personally enjoyed Blink-182’s catchy and humorous lyrics, especially the crazy antics like playing naked in a music video.
It’s a bit difficult to adjust to this new sound brought about by Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, but in the end it is rather obvious which band is doing things right.
After listening to the two new bands, I honestly think Blink-182 should never have gone on hiatus.
But maybe it was necessary for the former Blink members.
These three guys -- Tom Delonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker -- have gone from your typical pop-punk band to enter a new era in music.
Who knows, the punky SoCal band may eventually rejoin and drop another phenomenal album just like they used to do.
For now, Angels and Airwaves and +44 will have to do.
From a musician’s standpoint, it may bring more creativity and diversity in the new Blink-182. I guess we’ll see.
Erik Wood is a student at UW-River Falls.