Blink-182
Neighborhoods (Deluxe Edition)
DGC Records, Interscope Records (2011)
Sounds Like: An older, more mature Blink 182 still chugging along
Score: 8/10
Usually, guys like me tend to stay close to the ground and avoid sudden movements, but I leapt off my couch like a Bengal when I found out Blink-182 was getting back together and putting out a new album. We’re talking about a band that I’ve loved since I realized punk rock music existed. I had no idea what to expect from Neighborhoods since their last album of new material came out in 2003, and I wondered whether or not their side projects (Tom’s Angels & Airwaves and Mark’s +44) would affect their sound. I also had to remind myself that it wasn’t going to sound like Dude Ranch or Enema of the State. A lot of time has passed since those first records came out, and Tom, Mark, and Travis have grown well into their thirties, started their own families and consequently ceased writing songs about jacking off and shitting their pants. Happens, I guess.
Although I had prepared myself for this record to sound different from the Blink I love, my first introduction to Neighborhoods certainly could have been better. While the first single, “Up All Night” is a decent song in its own right, it sounds far too much like Angels & Airwaves to not scare some listeners off. Of course, as with “Up All Night,” there are songs that sound like they would be more at home on Angels & Airwaves or +44 records. There are also songs like “Fighting the Gravity” that sound like the guys were trying to do something out of their reach, incorporating too much artificial sound, and not enough rock ‘n’ roll. But where this album is at its best is in songs that sound like vintage, awesome Blink-182. “Heart’s All Gone,” a rare Mark-led song, is a real breath of fresh air in that it actually sounds like Blink-182 is playing it. It’s fast, straight-forward, and it even seems like they dug up some chords from the Dude Ranch days. “Natives,” the second track on Neighborhoods is fast-paced and lyrically poignant and the low key “Kaleidoscope” is the jam! “MH 4.18.2010” and Deluxe Edition exclusive “Even If She Falls” are other impressive standouts.
Tom on the guitar and Mark on the bass show decent musicianship as always, but it’s Travis behind the kit that will catch most of your attention. The guy has ten arms, I swear, and “Wishing Well” showcases his ability to really dance around the drum set. That song also features what is probably the catchiest chorus on the record. Vocally, Mark sounds as great and natural as he did in the early Blink days, while Tom seems to deepen and contort his voice throughout some of the songs. In “Snake Charmer” he sounds forced and a bit out of place, and on “Love is Dangerous” the whine of his voice threatens to derail what is otherwise a pretty okay song.
Ultimately though, Neighborhoods is an enjoyable album from what I still consider to be one of the coolest bands ever. It doesn’t sound like the Blink-182 that most kids fell in love with, but it’s still them, and I appreciate that they’re trying to grow as musicians, while still making a good pop-punk album that fans of all ages should be able to get into.
-Felipe Garcia
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