Blink 182
Blink 182

Before the actual review, I need to make some preambles that I consider indispensable on this site, especially for the comments you'll make:

1) yes, it’s the third review, but personally I don’t see a problem with multiple reviews of the same album if every time something different is written;

2) I have never declared and will never declare that blink are punk, but pop rock.

Let's get to the album: after a break of about 3 years, blink deliver this work: like many people who follow this band (but also not!), I was expecting the sounds of “Enema of the State” or “Take off Your Pants and Jacket,” which is to say a very pleasant commercial pop rock due to its energy, speed, and catchiness of the songs.

Needless to say, I was wrong: during those three years of break the Blink did not mess around but had the courage to question themselves once again in the global music scene. No more running around naked in the streets of S. Diego, enough with that pop rock that would add nothing to their discography: they told their record company to go to hell, which wanted the usual mix from them to cash in the much-loved money, and they produced an album as they liked it, with the music they felt like making. Blink consider it their first album because they have never been so free to unleash their creativity; so don't talk about this record as a commercial album made to make money or other nonsense, otherwise you risk making a fool of yourself.

I’ll talk right away about two songs that stand out because they are wonderful: “I Miss You” is simply fantastic, with Mark on the double bass, Travis with his rhythm that accompanies the song, and Tom with his guitar and his splendid voice in the chorus and the second stanza; let's say it is the symbol of the Blink's change. The second song is “All of This” also due to the presence of a certain Robert Smith on vocals: a slow song that really surprised me at first listen for the atmosphere it manages to create around you. Then, of course, there are other songs that I really like: from “Feeling This” where the lyrics and Travis dominate and “Stockholm Syndrome,” a very energetic song characterized by the alternating voices of Tom first then Mark. Of course, there are also songs that remind us of the old blink: “Go” and “Easy Target” are the example: fast, energetic that capture you from start to finish.

The lowest point if I may is “Violence,” a track that just doesn’t grab me, especially because of that sound that acts as a background to the verses. The CD closes with a very romantic “I’m Lost Without You” which has a treat at the end of the sometimes hard to endure 6 minutes with a phenomenal drum solo by Travis; as if to say: if you hold on through the whole song, you’ll get a reward. Negative note: in Italy, they released a live track as a bonus, unjustly in my opinion because the British got “Not Now,” a song that saying it’s wonderful would truly be an understatement, one of Blink’s most beautiful.

An album to listen to, perhaps to change a bit the hate you harbor for this band, which, in my opinion, if they hadn’t given up, could have provided much if they kept the same mentality used for this CD.

P.S. I have nothing against the songs not described, I just picked those that best represented the album. Bye!