BLINK 182
Blink 182 (Geffen)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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It's interesting that Blink 182 waited until this, their seventh album, to go the self-titled route. They've been doing the same gig for a decade, for the most part, and now they've suddenly decided they've got other ideas and, by God, they're going to explore them. Why not name the album Blink 182? It's about re-birth, in many ways. Long-time fans may hate what they're doing here, because with only a few exceptions this is a far cry from pop-punk, but there's a good chance the band will find an older audience and keep some of their original audience who might have been just about ready to outgrow them. Their new music is more introspective, somewhat more downtempo (though sometimes it only seems that way until you start counting the beats and realize it's still moving along at a fair clip, only in a more ornate and surreal fashion) and definitely more creative. Less snickery, too. The question will be whether or not there will be enough of an audience to sustain the band in this new place. It's possible they won't lose much of their fan base, but let's face it, to hardcore fans of any band, the biggest sin that band can commit is to change. How frustrating that must be.

© 2004 - DJ Johnson