Blink 182 – Neighborhoods

- by Thomas

Eight years after Blink went on an indefinite hiatus, the boys are back and out to prove they have become men in the meantime. On “Neighborhoods” there are no more poop jokes like on “Dude Ranch”. And while there’s certainly something to be said for more mature lyrics, it’s weird coming from Blink 182. It’s like watching the cast from American Pie reunite only to then have them play in a new adaptation of “Sense And Sensibility”.

All would be well though if they hadn’t touched the music. Unfortunately they have. And so the majority of the songs on here do not sound like they could’ve come off of “Dude Ranch” but more like a continuation of Angels & Airwaves or of Blink’s way too serious self-titled album. It’s a shame because what Blink did best was writing unpretentious and fast pop-punk songs. “Heart’s All Gone” is one of those songs that takes me back to 1997. But even there they felt the need to add a completely unnecessary interlude. Maybe it’s some burning desire to prove that they are ‘serious musicians’? I don’t know but it simply doesn’t work.

Maybe I’m old enough to be a nostalgic, but I would’ve preferred to hear another album full of short blasts about being dumped or taking a dump instead of this. Not a complete clunker like other reunion albums but no instant classic either.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
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