blink-182 - blink-182 (2003)
This is where blink-182 changed completely. Completely gone away with the humor of previous albums, this album is dark and hit me like a pillowcase full of bricks when I was younger and going through a rough spot in my life, and along with "Open Your Eyes" by Goldfinger, almost put me six feet under. This album will pull out all of your insecurities and put them out on display in a way that only blink-182 can, and lemme tell ya somethin': It ain't fun, but it's fuckin' great.
Starting out with the song "Feeling This", which I can only describe as the ultimate summer song, it's a really feel-good, almost lovey-dovey song that despite some of the sad nature of some of the lyrics, are delivered in a loving and happy way that never fails to make me smile even to this day, with its chorus of "Fate fell short this time, your smile fades in the summer. Place your hand in mine, I'll leave when I wanna." and the music video was pretty ridiculous with young people LOSING THEIR SHIT because of their hormones going crazy and attempting to make love through bulletproof glass (no, really, watch it!), it's just perfect. It's honestly just perfect. However, any good vibes the song might've given you are quickly lost by the time the next song kicks in, because if you're anything like I was when I first heard this album when I was 16, you're in for a fucking roller coaster of emotions.
Each member of the band had children before the release of this album, and I guess that really made them mature fast, because as I said earlier in this review, any humorous side to them is completely lost, and replaced by often heartbreaking tales of lost love, abuse, and the confusion/anger that comes with both. With that in mind, the music is also darker this time around, possibly inspired by the success of "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket"'s hit single "Stay Together for the Kids" and guitarist/co-vocalist Tom DeLonge's side project with drummer Travis Barker, Box Car Racer. Hell, there's one song on here, "Obvious", that sounds like it was ripped straight out of that album, and holy SHIT does it hurt lyrically! Of course, that just leads as the perfect intro to this album's smash hit somber single "I Miss You", which guitarist/co-vocalist Tom DeLonge stated was made after being inspired by Matt Skiba's (guitarist/co-vocalist of Alkaline Trio) work. Some odd foreshadowing there, but some of the lyrics, such as the entirety of the opening verse delivered by bassist/co-vocalist Mark Hoppus are amazing.
The album never really lets up with trying to make a new name for blink-182, such as in the post-hardcore influenced "Stockholm Syndrome" about feeling trapped in an abusive relationship, the thrashing but dark "Go" about bassist/co-vocalist Mark Hoppus watching his mother get beaten by his father and being unable to help her escape the marriage, with his pleading and descriptions of the story sounding genuine, as if he's close to tears, and then eventually the pretty new-wave influenced love song "Always" kicks in and gets across the feeling of a dying relationship despite the love for one another in it, and possibly the biggest departure of all of them, "All of This", a calm but depressing song featuring none other than Robert Smith (guitarist/vocalist of The Cure) on guest vocals! I'm sure that felt fucking amazing for the band to have gotten, given what huge fans of The Cure they are.
From the opening, cheerful song "Feeling This" to the (unless you have the fantastic bonus track "Not Now") epic and beautiful final track "I'm Lost Without You", blink-182 successfully and completely reinvented themselves while maintaining the same level of quality that they had become previously known for. This is the album where people could stop saying "ugh, pop-punk" and begin to respect them as genuinely talented musicians at songwriting and crafting atmospheres... And then tensions in the band caused them to announce their hiatus in 2005 that they came out of in 2009, but that's another story for another day. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be crying to this album, because I'm feeling this.
9/10
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