Blink 182 have been away for an unreasonably long amount of time. After floundering around for years with side projects, producing gigs, and a short-lived reality tv series, the famous punk trio of Mark Hoppus, Tom Delonge and drummer Travis Barker are together, and likely here to stay for a long long time. So with all the drama surrounding the group, rumors, excitement, and delays, does their new album Neighborhoods hold to the acclaim of old Blink 182 and meet our expectations?
As long as Blink 182 has been on hiatus, is as long as Tom Delonge had with his band Angels and Airwaves. And though we thought he got it out of his system, Tom sounds as like he’s still in moody eclipsing mode, sounding less like a nasally punk rocker and more like if a spaceship could sing. This is most apparent in Ghost on the Dance Floor and Up All Night. With that said, there is a lot of synth and a little, almost progressive portions, in some of these songs, that act as a natural growth from their self-titled album in 2003 that held a lot of these attributes.
It’s not to say that Neighborhoods is particularly moody, or that it’s pretentious or even BAD. It’s just that it’s darker and, in a lot of ways, weirder. This is most apparent in Snake Charmer, where Tom’s eclectic voice and the rhythmic synths make for a fascinating piece of music.
Natives sees Tom in Dude Ranch level punk rock. This is good. Kaleidoscope has the band delivering the clunky mediocre track. This is not good.
Fortunately for Blink fans, the highlights and the great tracks far outweigh the yawn-inducing retreads. Love is Dangerous begins to sound like an introduction to an 80′s new-wave dance-romp, yet delves into a heavy ballad type that smells of classic Blink odes such as Adam’s Song or Stay Together for the Kids.
Blink 182 know how to write a pop melody. Their massive popularity and longevity after a 8 year hiatus (longer than most punk rock band’s entire career) proves this.They have successfully managed to hold their new more mature ethos into a new decade, and have sustained their collective quality song-writing for a new album that is both remarkable and transparent. Even the weaker songs here are worth listening to, for the sole fact that it’s been quite a long time since we’ve heard from Blink. Heart’s All Gone is heavy and fast. Wishing Well is one of the most fun tracks on the record and has one of the best hooks, and album opener Ghost on the Dance Floor shows Tom at his most whimsical and most endearing.
As well, Barker still shreds at the drums and offers an excellent backbone through the entire album. And Hoppus takes a backseat and sings on the notable After Midnight and Fighting the Gravity, leaving Tom to do substantially more singing on the record.
I can’t see Blink 182 staying to far away for too long. After a long stay out of the spotlight, the warm fan welcome when they announced their return and the brotherly camaraderie, is enough for Blink 182 to sustain a career- and new music- for another decade plus. And thank God.