Blink 182’s California, a Pop/Punk Dichotomy
Blink 182 is back! Well kinda, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker are back. Tom Delonge has been replaced by Matt Skiba the long time singer of Alkaline Trio. Its important to mention it up front because that replacement informs the entire experience of California and how it fits into the labyrinthine story of Southern California’s favorite punk brats.
Last we heard Blink 182 was 2011’s full length Neighborhoods and its EP follow up Dogs Eating Dogs. Both of these releases saw Blink 182 straying farther away from their immature “What’s My Age Again” personas than ever before. 2003’s Self Titled album is arguably Blink at their best, as it captures the growth of the boys into men and finally proves they are more than just a loud punky 3 piece full of dick and fart jokes. The beauty of that album is in its experimentation. It follows new paths without alienating listeners and helped solidify Blink as, get this, future Hall of Famers.
As expected, the boys continued to mature and by the time they got back together and released Neighborhoods, they almost sounded like a different band. Sure, the trademark Barker drums were there and a more Angels and Airwaves spirit of artistry was apparent, but it was clear that group of dudes, Mark, Tom and Travis, had moved on from the sound and attitude of their hay-day. And you know…that’s fine. Bands grow, bands change, hearing their sound morph and become more experimental was exciting, interesting and most of all it garnered respect.
Then there’s California. For fans of the “old school” Blink, California is what you’ve been waiting for since Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. It loud, brash and drips of the sound of youth, at least, the youth of 16 years ago. Delonge’s absence and the artistic direction of the album really begin to bring more of the Blink story to light. Much like when Dave Baksh left Sum-41 and their next album all but dropped the Heavy Metal influences, California pulls the curtain back and reveals that Delonge was probably the one pushing the band’s sound forward. This was hinted at back in 2005 during Blink’s first hiatus. Delonge started the experimental Angels and Airwaves, and Hoppus and Barker formed the more straight forward and ultimately boring +44. Together they balance out the punk with the artistry, apart, they aren’t there to keep each other in check and both fall back into their assumed patterns.
Sure, all of that is speculation and maybe Hoppus and Co., just wanted to make a “throwback” album, I don’t know. California isn’t bad, and it does evoke certain turn of the century Blink feelings, but while Skiba sounds alot like Delonge, that similarity ultimately damages the experience. It causes the album to sound like an store-brand knock-off. I understand the Blink 182 brand recognition is important and they would never move as many units or sell as many tickets by creating a new band name, or even falling back to +44, but the lay-person that doesn’t know Tom Delonge is gone may hear that new album and think it sounds weird, or that Blink 182 has changed. Which is ironic, because the whole underlying message in California is “look guys were back and we’re just like you remember us!”
Honestly, in my eyes, a band that has lost a key member has an uphill battle when it comes to winning me back, and with Blink being so important to both my formative years and the genre/culture they helped establish, there’s almost no way to win. That new album is tainted and there’s no changing that. Its much too late now, but they should have Jefferson Airplaned it and went with a something like Blink-183, or Blink 364, or just simply Blink. Acknowledging the change at the band name level would do so much to ease fans into the idea of a new band member while still keeping the ever so valuable name recognition. Maybe that’s just my amateur marketing mind kicking things around, but to go on as if nothing has changed is bizarre.
But we’re really here to talk about California. There are some serious bangers on California. “Bored to Death”, “Los Angeles”, “No Future”, and “Kings of the Weekend” are sure to sound great live and fit the mold of a crowd pleasing Blink 182 song. They are undeniably good songs, that the situation has wedged into this strange grey area. I don’t want these songs, I want weird, aged, surprising, sometimes boring Blink 182. What I got was oddly familiar, polished, predictably predictable, pop/punk anthems that sound like B-sides from my favorite albums of 2001. California is the music industry’s equivalent to the uncanny valley. The pieces seem to fit, and its an experience you’ve had before but something is intangibly wrong with the final product.
Verdict: If you are able to divorce the album from the situation there’s a solid Pop/Punk gem here, if not, California will leave you uncomfortable.
