It’s been almost 20 years since Blink-182 released, debatably, their most popular single, “All the Small Things.” After they went on hiatus in 2005, many thought that was the end of the great pop-punk band.
However, the trio got back together and released the “Neighborhoods” album in late 2011. Unlike previous albums that featured many lighthearted songs, “Neighborhoods” presented more serious tracks. The album was viewed as a disappointment to many because it was so different than previous albums.
Five years after “Neighborhoods,” Blink-182 released their seventh album, titled “California.” It features several songs that have a very similar sound to Blink-182’s earlier music.
“California” is the first album to introduce Blink-182’s newest member, Matt Skiba, who sings and plays guitar, replacing Tom DeLonge, who departed from the band.
The album takes Blink-182 lovers back to the days of “Enema of the State” and “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.” “California” features some of the best songs since “What’s My Age Again” and “All the Small Things.”
The album’s first song is “Cynical,” which opens with an amazing drum fill by Travis Barker. Right away listeners notice that Skiba’s unique voice goes along very well with Mark Hoppus’ vocals.
Another song, “She’s Out of Her Mind,” may remind Blink-182 fans of “What’s My Age Again.” Hoppus sings both songs, Travis Barker plays a similar beat for both songs and the guitar riffs also sound very similar.
The drumming in “No Future” is very comparable to the Blink-182 classic, “Adam’s Song.” Throughout the verses, both songs feature that classic Travis Barker creative beat.
The album also features several lighthearted songs like original Blink-182, including two joke songs: “Built This Pool” and “Brohemian Rhapsody,” that bring Blink-182 fans back to the days of “Family Reunion” and “Happy Holidays You Bastards.”
Additionally, “California” features a few serious songs like the acoustic “Home Is Such A Lonely Place” and “Left Alone.” These songs have a similar tone to some songs on the Blink-182 self-titled album.
The album also features some new sounds in “Los Angeles.” It sounds like nothing Blink-182 has done before; they strayed away from their classic pop-punk sound with this song.
The music on “California” sounds as if the band mashed up all of their previous albums. For Blink-182 fans, “California” is a must have album. In the future, it is very possible “California” will be viewed as a classic Blink-182 album.