Yes, I guess this will probably be the most laughed at thread/band in this forum. I loved and listened to a hell lot of Blink-182 from the ages of 11 to 14 (and at later stages in my life), and their songs/melodies are forever implanted in my head. The first time I ever entered a record store was to choose my 11th birthday present - their live, limited edition album. They are currently recording a new album, so I decided to start this thread, to get to know your opinions/experiences with the band, and if I may, to recommend some stuff.
Eventhough
Enema Of The State sold many more millions of copies, the general consensus seems to be that their self-titled album (their 5th one, recorded/released in 2003) is their magnum opus. I certainly agree, although it took me 5 years to finally appreciate the album. The pop-punk dimension of the band is featured in just a few songs; instead, the guys opted to experiment with hip-hop, 80s alternative rock and electronic music. A lot of elements were added to the Blink palette, including drum loops and solos, 6-string bass, acoustic guitars, drop-D tunings, spoken word and samples, keys/synths, etc. Many guest musicians add their own colours to the album, including Robert Smith (who co-wrote and sings in a track) and Sick Jacken (a DJ who turned the end of a ballad into a hip-hop beat). Think of it as what
Revolver is to
Help!. So, if you are interested in giving the band a chance, I think this album is a great introduction.
Most of the tracks are worth noting for different reasons. Some segue into each other, or have an extended intro/outro. The finest examples would be "Easy Target/All Of This" (a 7 minute song, starting punky but turning into a mellow, Cure track) and "Stockholm Syndrome", whose intro consists of actress Joanne Whalley reciting a letter written during World War II. However, in my opinion, the track most representative of the album spirit is "I Miss You" (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1tAYmMjLdY). It was released as a single, so it's likely you have heard it on MTV or radio. It's so simple (acoustic instruments, a continuous drum-loop, some piano) yet so beautiful. Plus, both Mark and Tom sing, so you can hear both styles of the band's vocals.
The track, nonetheless, doesn't show how amazing a drummer Travis is (he's my favourite drummer), so I'd also recommend checking out "Not Now" (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvcOuExmeJg), a b-side/extra track (and later a single). This one has some really fun/creative drum parts, which Travis so wonderfull executed and added to Blink's music since he joined the band. The original drummer had a simpler, less-adventurous style, so when you listen to Travis-era songs, you hear a difference. 1999's "Adam's Song" (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MRdtXWcgIw) is another great example of this. A more recent one: "Ghost On The Dancefloor" (my favourite song by the band).
Of course, most of their music is in the vein of good old pop-punk, like "A New Hope" (a lovesong to Princess Leia) and "Man Overboard" (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u38TqU5rAyk). That was the sound/mood I fell in love with while still in elementary school - I didn't think there was anything more lovely.
Dude Ranch is my favourite album in that style - it's just perfect from beginning to end. Some parts of
The Astonishing (of course, living in a completely different universe) make me feel the same way as pop-punk; maybe that's why I like the album so much so far.
Anyway, I'd love to keep talking about solo projects and other related miscelanea, but I guess having recommended 8 songs and an album, this is a good moment to stop here for now and see what are the responses.
Topic: Blink-182 (Read 6373 times)
