Blink-182 [ARCHIVED] Band • Page 682

I just absolutely hate the production on this. The auto tune on the vocals is a huge turn off. Los Angeles and San Diego were great songs though.

 

ah man. bummed to see it leaked. I've been so busy I completely didn't notice. oh well, placed a pre-order to cover my guilt and about to head out on a nice long drive! so stoked right now.

 

Why bother. This thread is full of illogical nonsense.

 

I will resist getting the leak. Must stay strong.

 

Barring any Tom talk or what that all holds, if Skiba sticks around for another cycle id love to see them in the studio with Butch Walker. What if he could for them what he did for Fallout Boy?

I feel like if they play their cards right, this cycle could be dipping their toes in the water and next cycle could really lead to some big things for them.

 

It's interesting, I do a podcast called Big Snackers and yesterday this leaked as we were recording. When we went in I had just listened to No Future and I really disliked it. I liked Bored to Death a good amount, and thought Rabbit hole was solid. No future as a stand alone song sounded like simple Plan or something to me with really weak lyrics. Bear with me I'm getting somewhere here! Full disclosure also, when it comes to blink I LOVE Dude Ranch and EOTS. I like TOYPAJ, I don't really like Untitled, I love three songs on Cheshire Cat and I don't count Neighborhood or DED as existing in my world. The amount that I love Dude Ranch-TOYPAJ though really influenced me and they were albums I spun for years, Dude Ranch, Life In General and sumo surprise by Ghoti Hook changed the way I looked at music at a time. (@Jason Tate did you ever love the ghoti hook?)

ALSO BEFORE I FORGET, I understand this isn't a groundbreaking riff but it's funny because Brohemian is actually literally the exact beginning of a random Mixtapes song from our first album, seriously listen to this, it's funny.

As for ALK3 I was never really a fan, also never a hater, and love Jaked on Green Beers. After listening to this album a few times through and currently listening I honestly like it quite a bit more than I thought I would. I will say from what Jason said, nostalgia is a key component for things like this, because as much as Dude Ranch is one of my favorite albums ever, and at a time I related to the lyrics, it's not like I can say now they are great lyrics. They are great lyrics at a 19 year old Ryan that totally got it at the time. I bring that up because when it comes to blink, I don't think any of these songs have amazing lyrics and that's fine, there are just a few that the lyrics are noticeably a step below and it hurt the songs for me (No future is my best example of this). The joke songs are kind of weird and just seemed to try too hard at something they didn't need to try at all. That being said if I was ranking the album I would go (I wrote all of this because i like reading all of your guys opinions so i figured maybe you would enjoy mine!)

1. Cynical (still sounds like goldfinger, so much, also I love it. And it specifically sounds like a mix between Goldfinger S/T and Stomping Ground. It's cachy, punchy, it's somewhat meaningful for Mark at this point, and the fats doesn't seem forced, it really carries the song) 9/10

2. Bored to Death (Nitpicky but I wish that little lofi drum intro wasn't there, it's a really strong song. The verse lyrics made me cringe but i look past them now. I think this was the best choice for a first single, it makes sense and while it's not the best song on the record, I'm not sure there is a better song that sums up this record as a whole. Pre chorus and bridge are my favorite parts. It's still weird to me how many people said they couldn't tell the difference between Mark and Matt, while it's not the contrast of Tom and Mark, I still think it's pretty obvious.) 6/10

3. She's out of Her Mind (The music intro of this could straight up be on EOTS. The lyrics are a little cringey, but musically and the melodies are pretty rad. It's very straight forward, i hate the Bauhaus and black shirt/black skirt part but I think i like the song more every time i listen to it. I hate being so generic with words but this is one of those just simple fun, and like people have said on here, summertime windows down songs) 7/10

4. Los Angeles (I get why people like this song, I think it will split people up. I hate it, I think it sounds like The Bloodhound gang meets Weird Al doing Linkin Park, and how forced is that Mulholland Drive line? I'm not gonna say what songs shouldn't or should be on another bands record, that's theirs, but no thanks to this song ever) 2/10

5. Sober (The beginning with the "we will rock you" beat and just vocals is very new FOB and that would normally annoy me but I think it really works here. I agree this song could easily be a single. Matt's vocals really shine for me on this song, i like that Mark even gets a little grit on a few vocal lines, I wish he did that more! I think what was smart was taking a more modern sounding production and structure, but still keeping it under 3 minutes, many bands forget things like that and it makes this song work for me. I really like it) 7/10

6. Built This Pool (nope.)

7. No Future (I will say in the context of the record this song makes more sense to me, but I still don't really like it. I feel like this could have been left off or that one of those other original demos could have turned into something much cooler, but what do I know? Lyrically I just don't find much here, and I still think it sounds like Simple Plan) 4/10

8. Home is Such A Lonely Place (From Mark's original description this isn't what I was expecting at all, but it's for sure more interesting than I expected. I like the tones and sounds, again some of the lyrics just seem written down on the spot. I feel like i'm torn because I really do like the song but the lyrics really bother me. When I was younger Blink lyrics never bothered me ever, but "the moon is floating off without you"..... what? I honestly believe that Tom truly at the time wanted a girl that he could train more than mark believes in any of the lyrics in this song, maybe that's the difference? Which could be a whole different discussion. I do like the song though) 6/10

9. Kings of the Weekend (I get a TOYPAJ vibe here, it's catchy and fun. Even these lyrics work for me I think just because they are simple but they are about something and I can relate to it enough. Matt sounds great here, I like the scream, and this is a good song for my ears) 7/10

10. Teenage Satellites (I like this song, I feel like this song after Kings of the Weekend could have benefited from Matt starting out vocally and handling the song, I think that could have taken it to a whole new level. Also yeah burning through the night and all that, I dunno, lyrically... yeah) 5/10

11. Left Alone (This song is cool, the electronics are subtle but do make a difference. I really like the chorus, and the back and forths. I wish the bridge was a little more thought out, but i like the harmony and I'm a 90's kid so Whoa's and NaNa's are always fine by me haha) 7/10

12. Rabbit Hole (I think I actually like this song more in the context of the album. The Beginning bass reminds me of a very simplified Descendents, it's catchy and fast. The thrown in "fucking" seems weirdly out of place, but I think the song is great, I would like to hear it live) 7/10

13. San Diego (Wow I really didn't like this song off of the bat. When Matt comes in after about 30 seconds with the hook i liked the way it picked up. If this makes sense I am noticing on dude Ranch and enema they used mostly chords stuff that was alot of C,G,A,F primarily, which always works and is really poppy and catchy. On this record they use much more of like A,C,F,G which is also simple and always works, but it just gives it a different vibe. I think it all just clicked with me. The lyrics to most of these songs feel to me like they should be over the sunnier progressions. It's not that the songwriting or songs are way different for blink,. it's just that to me would probably make me like certain things more, yeah?!) 5/10

14. The Only Thing that Matters (Welp speak of the devil, here is a chord progression that I like and is poppy haha. I really like this. The SOMEDAYYY does have to be a reel big fish nod right? Or the weirdest coincidence ever, I'm sure they thought it was funny, and it works!) 7/10

15. California (Good closer, it's well paced, it still almost has that Simple Plan playing on the rainy roof vibe, but i like it. Mark and Matt sound great together, I like how sparse much of the music is on this as well. Good way to end the record) 7/10

16. Brohemian rhapsody (nope.)

 

This might be the best record they've ever done. Can't stop listening to it.

Still want an EP of fast songs. Too much potential between Mark, Matt, and Travis to not do one.

 

Yeah, I get that, just seems weird to have that much of a difference.

 

I find it hilarious that ppl say it's auto tune when they have no idea what they actually did to the vox. "I can hear the auto tune maaaaan." Yeah sure buddy

Also, if you like Neighborhoods better than this then I don't want to live on this planet anymore! The band doesn't even like Neighborhoods.

This record legit makes me want to move to California. Such a kickass summer album.

 

Here, auto tune is a layman's term for vocals processed within an inch of their humanity. That said, you can clearly hear the glissando of the auto tune working in "Cynical" even if you don't engineer vocals for a living.

 

So glad you posted this!! I literally just listened to it for the first time and thought my phone had jumped back to shuffle. I was waiting for the "Wait! I'm catching up..." and then got really confused.

 

Okay, this is not easy.
I like the album, it's a very decent pop punk album and by far one of the best we will hear in the genre this year. It is far more poppy than I expected, maybe a little bit too much. Songs like Los Angeles and Sober feel a bit forced and could have been written by any popular pop punk band today. I like the second half of the album far more than the first too, feels more natural and not forced at all. I just think that the potential to write a classic pop punk album again is still here, but there are too many average songs in my opinion in this one. It's like they tried too hard, like they thought too hard about the variation, I don't know.
Don't get it that people think this is an "evolution" in their sound. I think it's pretty clear they want to go back to the old days with this album? But now I sound a bit too negative while I certainly love this album a fair amount!
So glad they're happy and write music again!

 

Not gonna lie, I enjoyed neighborhoods at the time of its release more then I'm enjoying this right now. This SOUNDS better, but neighborhoods songs (most of them anyway) are better.

 

Don't think LA and Sober could have been written by any pop punk band, you're underestimating how hard it is to write hooks like that. If it were easy, modern pop punk bands would actually be writing catchy songs.

 

I don't know why I hate this album. Call me a hater, but these guys cannot make solid music when they're separated or when they're without a producer.

I can appreciate the album because it's new blink and I'll take what I can get, but hopefully in 5 years Tom can get his shit together, go into the studio instead of piecing stuff over the internet, and agree to use a producer. Mark and Travis are pumped about blink so it seems like Tom's the only one who needs to agree to stuff.

I'll enjoy the hell out of the concert because it'll be nostalgic and I'll enjoy seeing them live, I also think Matt is very talented...but when it comes to blink 182 as a band, this album blows.

 

I hate to admit this, but after listening to the new album on repeat and then going back and listening to some of the older catalog, I miss Tom's guitar parts. Despite the simplicity of his riffs, they have a huge impact on the tone of the songs, and those are missing on California.

 

That's what I don't understand when people say that any pop punk band could've written these songs. If that's true, then where are they? They don't exist from other pop punk bands cause it's harder to write these songs than it seems.

 

I like this version of blink the best - catchy hook lightweight lyrics and just a good time - they were insufferable when they were trying to be uber serious - this is a really enjoyable pop punk album (that could be have trimmed four songs off of it)

I've listened to it ten times this weekend - I dig it

But I've never been a big blink fan in the first place

 

Agree with 100% of this

 

Is the "what's the point in saying sorry now?" line a meta jab at Tom's "I'M SO SOREYYYYY" delivery from "I Miss You"?

 

Glad to see most people aren't saying they love this just for the sake of Skiba being in the band or finally having new blink music.

 

This just doesn't make any sense.

 

Is everyone forgetting that outside of ATL and 5SOS modern pop punk bands can't write hooks to save their lives?

 

Yeah from what I hear from modern pop-punk bands, the majority can't write a memorable chorus to save their lives