Blink-182 [ARCHIVED] Band • Page 240

I don't hate the song, but the production kills it.

 

I don't know how to do the quote thing that @Jason Tate did, but here is my email:

Hey Michael,

We wanted to clear up some confusion regarding your order. Currently, if you check your order status on our website, you will not see your signed drumhead. Don't fret, you are still receiving your drumhead. The drumheads were a limited option, and you were one of the lucky customers who snagged one. Congrats! So while you won't see your drumhead on your order status page, consider this email your confirmation that you will receive a signed drumhead.

We apologize for the confusion.

Cheers,
Kings Road Merch
[email protected]

 

Unpopular opinion : overload and voyager off AVA EP chasing shadows are both better than bored to death. And I dig bored to death a lot.

 

I think I've got a few thoughts on this: for one, I think that most artists when they create a song do it with some kind of purpose in mind. That there is intentionality behind what they do. However, I don't think this means that this song was purposefully supposed to sound "like their old stuff." For one, I don't think it really sounds that much like their "old stuff." Sure, there are some traces of that in there, but that's because Mark and Travis have very distinct styles. Them just making music together will always carry some of that on their sleeve. We also know that they didn't pick what song to release first, the label did, but let's say they did want to release this song first — isn't that smart? Shouldn't the first song out be one that reminds people why they loved Blink to begin with? They're making a pretty big change in the band, and to release something to let people know "Oh hey, remember these guys? We're still here and still good at what we do!" — that seems like a smart move on everyone's part if it was exactly what they did.

This is where I think we're gonna be arguing semantics a little bit, because I sometimes think the word "progression" is used in place of "different." I think that a good portion of Untitled isn't really that much different from where they were on previous albums from a songwriting perspective, but that they were able to use a lot of different instruments (and recording and studio techniques) to make things sound different. Looking at song structure, even melodies, I think the basic elements of Blink-182 are very well shown in that album. And, secondarily, I think seeing Tom write the same album roughly 6 times in a row lends some argument to my belief that Tom thinks progression or mature songwriting is basically Space U2. And hey, U2 and Brian Eno are fucking geniuses, but I don't think that's the only way to progress as a songwriter. I also take umbrage with the idea that writing catchy power pop songs is really a digression at all — pop music and the way it's structured, put together, and how to make it effective melodically and all the other parts of writing a song like that ... gets a bad rap for just how damn hard it is. That vocal pattern in the pre-chorus of "Bored to Death" into the chorus itself, the bridge, those to me are examples of songwriting progression in Blink-182 songs.

I think that looking at what the band's said about the new songs (see the RS piece today), that they're not holding back at all - they're moving forward in the direction they want to go in. That direction may be different than Tom, but I don't think that because it's a specific direction that means they're holding back or have regressed. I would argue the opposite.

I've never understood the "artistic integrity" argument. Just because he doesn't want to write a pop song that's artistic integrity compared to someone that does? I disagree that means anything in terms of passion or integrity. I'd argue Mark and Travis wanting to write a certain type of music showcases no less integrity than Tom simply because of what kind of music is created.

I don't think that meshes up with what happened. He did join the biggest band and collect a fuck ton of money on tours and merch and music. He had no problem doing that. But, he also wanted, what I read as, outsized control over the musical direction of the band. And I think it hurt them musically. I also don't really consider his artistic choices all that "risky" — we have a large body of work to look at now and I wouldn't consider any of it very risky.

Potential really seems like a weird, undefinable, term in this circumstance. Basically it reads to me that you want them to sound a certain way, and if they do, then that's their potential being fulfilled. I would argue that's not fulfilment of potential. I think if they make the best album they can make, they're happy with it, and it happens to not be an album full of atmospheric sounds and drop-d tuning, but instead feels more upbeat and maybe even ... dare we say ... dancey ... that can also be a fulfilment of potential. I think Mark's one of the most talented writers of harmony and melody around — his choruses blow me away with how good he is at it — so, I think writing a catchy as balls song is a fulfilment of potential even if it's not in a weird time signature and using instruments usually only found in the back of an orchestra. That's never been what I've looked for in Blink-182, and, I don't think it's where the talents of all three (and the current three) really lie.

 

I see it a lot around here, but I don't dislike the Neighborhoods or DED production at all

 

Have you ever noticed the changes in tones and volume and just overall quality between the songs on Neighborhoods?

 

Changes, yes, but listening to the album or EP on their own doesn't make me think about it in a bad way

 

That's... baffling to me. How can you possibly to a song like Hearts All Gone and think, from a production standpoint, that it sounds good? It's atrocious, man.

 

OK, yes that one is totally muddy and grimey. Not my favorite on the album at all, but I also feel it stands alone like that, and I get the feeling Mark wanted it that way

 

Kinda upset with how messed up this merch preorder is. I just want them to show all the items so I can order the crap I want.

 

Neighborhood's production is so hit or miss. They only remixed Heart's All Gone because of how much everyone complained it sounded like a demo.

 

Just re-listened to these both and I completely disagree. I think they're entirely two different kinds of songs though, so comparing them is not really fair. But what Tom set out to do is done way better by other musicians and better vocalists, he stretches for something he can't hit there. The chorus to "Voyager" is just another variation of the same vocal melody we've heard him barely shift for like 15 years now. A stronger vocalist could probably make the song better

Whereas "Bored to Death" is just about as well as you can put a song set out to be that kind of song together. I'd tweak a few things (like the number of syllables needed to get out of the chorus), but for a power-pop song it succeeds in spades at its intent and goal. I think it'd work cut own to an acoustic version, or even sped up live to be even faster. And, I think Mark and Matt both sing in a way that enhances the song itself, instead of detracting from it, and as I've mentioned before - Mark's vocal pattern in the pre-chorus and bridge are really clever.

 

What don't they show? Seems pretty much like every pre-order I've seen ...

 

So I bought the purple vinyl bundle, and they didn't have the black vinyl until late yesterday and now they've added the white vinyl today. They took the black 180g down and now only have the white on its own. I wish I could have bought the purple bundle and the black and white vinyl all at once. Seems impossible since they keep taking them down and putting up a new variant.

Black is still available on the UK store, but the amount of separate orders someone has to make is a little inconvenient.

 

Hearts All Gone is my favorite song from Neighborhoods haha

 

Are you listening on laptop speakers or something? Cause it's really, really noticeable. The drums are muddy and sometimes sound like Travis is hitting pillows, the levels are all over the place, and I don't even know what they did on the high end to get it so damn tinny but if you don't EQ it yourself I'm almost positive every dog in four blocks gets an immediate heart-attack when you hit play.

 

Limited pressings man. Welcome to collecting vinyl.

 

Neighborhood's production is so hit or miss. They only remixed Heart's All Gone because of how much everyone complained it sounded like a demo.

 

Find it very hard to believe they sold out of the black, especially with it being up on the UK site.

Also annoying that SRC has their preorder up with no info, as well as Amazon.

 

Might be alone in this, but I liked the raw feel of the "demo" one. Fit well with the fast style.

 

If you're into variant collecting, you're gonna face a lot of this. A lot of places don't even know what they're getting until they actually get them. And the UK black may be different than the US black and come from a different source.

 

Fair enough. Never had to deal with something like that beforehand. Went ahead and placed 3 orders. I reached out to them on the possibility of them combining orders. Hopefully that can happen once this hype settles down. We still have about 2 months left.

 

If I could get on Cher's level for a moment and turn back time, the DED EP would not exist and Neighborhoods would be properly produced and trimmed down to something called a b-sides album/ep. I feel bad saying that knowing there are legit Blink fans that are into those records, so my my sentiments are kind of a slap in the face. However, the last two Blink releases did nothing in the grand scheme of things to advance their discography. At best, and quite generously, they plateaued. For me, that's not good enough when you are coming off a record like Untitled.

 

as much as neighborhoods pales in comparison to the four lps before it, I still like it a lot and look back on it's release day fondly.