Angels And Airwaves
We Don't Need To Whisper

THE REVIEW

"Hello, Tom DeLonge here. I have a new band, it's called Angels And Airwaves. And it's the most beautiful music I've ever written".

With these words, the guitarist/vocalist of the now-defunct blink-182 broke the silence in the early summer of 2005 surrounding the inexplicable breakup of the band in February of the same year, a breakup that did not fail to break the hearts of millions of teenagers and beyond (yes, even mine).

Time passes, and the truth comes to light: first Boxcar Racer, then the divergences on the future of the band and the musical tastes of the three ensured that the decade-long friendship between Mark, Tom, and Travis went down the drain. Add to that the stress of a life spent mostly on tour for years, and you'll understand why this decision was made.
Tom's statements, released drop by drop about his new group, have contributed to raising (perhaps too much) hype about the new "supergroup". Tom had promised to revolutionize rock n' roll of the last 20 years, to change the world with the "best band in the world". Did he succeed?

The album presents itself as a concept, and transposes in an apocalyptic-sci-fi war scenario the life of Tom in recent months, the breakup of blink, the battle between the band and his life with family, and the spark that lifted him from depression to make this new record. The band's style grafts on the tried and tested Californian pop-punk the guitars of U2, the clean riffs of the Cure, and keyboards reminiscent of Coldplay, along with tons of effects and the emo voice of the late-blink Tom.
The result, it must be said, is majestic. Certainly, Tom's shrill voice is either loved or hated, the riffs are nothing complex, the instrumentalists are good but not exceptional (except for the drummer, precise and powerful, really good); all of this still hits the objective of involving and moving and why not, even lifting you from the prevailing boredom.

"Valkyrie Missile" is very reminiscent of "Where The Streets Have No Name" by U2, with its intro of keyboard-organ and the muted guitars in Edge style. The song opens with a "via-radio" dialogue between Tom and Atom Willard, almost a calling card for the band. "Anyone wants to pray and hope, anyone wants to learn to love again" spectacular.
"Distraction" talks about self-destruction compared to a bombarded city, and the comfort received from the person you love. Keyboard intro here too and big guitars for the chorus "the city is leveled, the bombs fall... I will be your distraction". "It Hurts" starts with a blink-like arpeggio, it's the song that most reminds me of blink, besides the fact that it talks precisely about a friendship gone bad "your best friend isn't your girlfriend"...

"Do It For Me Now" paves the way for "The Adventure", the first single from the album, another song that strongly recalls U2, while the energetic opening riff seems taken from a Cure song. The pounding rhythm of the song sets the stage for the protagonist's rebirth "I want to have the same dream again where I wake up and I am alive". Powerful. The solemn "The War" seems an aerial take of the Normandy landings "the beach is full of soldiers, now useless bodies" and seems to take up the internal struggle of every person.
They follow the ballad "A Little's Enough" the liberating "The Gift" which recalls in music "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" again by U2, the sunny "Good Day" introduced by a children's mini-piano that recalls in the chorus "I'm Lost Without You" by blink. The album closes with "Start The Machine" full of hopeful intentions and vaguely industrial (electronic drums, distorted bass, lots of keyboards). Phew, it's done.

What can I say? Definitely a great rock album, for Thomas Matthew Delonge certainly his masterpiece. It's not the end-of-the-world album that was expected, Tom raised the stakes considerably during the months of waiting. It's not the best band on the planet, but they know what they're doing. As a debut album, it is excellent. The mega advertising campaign organized for this album raises a few eyebrows, the fact that Tom goes from punk-rocker slacker to world-saving rockstar à-la-Bono, but remains still a great job, well produced by the same blink, and who knows, maybe a small benchmark for post-punk bands to come...

But U2 are VERY far away.