blink-182 – ONE MORE TIME… (Album Review)
blink-182 – ONE MORE TIME…
Released: October 20, 2023
Lineup
Mark Hoppus // Bass & Vocals
Tom DeLonge // Guitar & Vocals
Travis Barker // Drums, Producer & Backing Vocals
Online
The iconic godfathers of pop punk are back. blink-182‘s most recognised lineup has reunited, putting past grievances behind them and promising to stay together for the kids… all the while getting back to doing what they do best – releasing new music that not only harks back to the origins of where they came from, but where they could have gone following the release of their last album, 2011’s Neighborhoods and 2012’s underrated Dogs Eating Dogs EP.
The hype surrounding Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker‘s comeback has resulted in nothing short of hysteria on a global scale, with their World Tour selling out as fans (both new and old) came out of the shadows to welcome them back into our lives. I’ve personally been a fan of blink since first discovering ‘Josie‘ in Australia way back in the late 90s and to say I’ve grown with them throughout my adolescence into adulthood would be an understatement.
But with that said, I’ve been a media/music journalist for the better part of the past 15 years and when ONE MORE TIME… landed in my inbox to review, I made the call to sit on the album for a few extra days. Spinning it at various moments throughout the day to truly get a feel for its themes, sound and overall intentions, I wanted to make sure that I honestly critiqued the record that many fans (and the band) have dubbed “the best blink record yet”.
Does it live up to those exceptionally high expectations? Let’s jump in…
Kicking off the return is the nostalgia-injected ‘ANTHEM PART 3‘ which not only hits you right in the feels as those familiar riffs and drum beats smack you in the face, but it invokes the inner punk within you to resurface with a sound that continues on from the previous two entries in this musical story arc. Tom’s vocals are youthfully crisp and punk rock AF – sounding like something from mid-era blink (think Dude Ranch to TOYPAJ era). It’s a solid opener that will no doubt grab your attention instantaneously. Travis flails about on the drums like the maniac he’s always been, resulting in drum fills that would sound out of place if it were anyone else. Mark chimes in on the chorus with his soothing vocals complimenting Tom’s as the pair belt out ‘This time I won’t be complacent / the dreams I gave up and wasted / a new high / a new ride / and I’m on fire / my old shit ends here tonight’. An anthemic and superb rock-solid start to the record.
Singles ‘DANCE WITH ME‘ and ‘FELL IN LOVE‘ follow, both of which had me erring on the side of caution upon first hearing them. ‘DANCE WITH ME‘ is your typical rock radio sound about sex (something that made the band a household name) with that questionable chorus section repeating ‘Olé Olé Olé Olé, yeah, we’re doing it all night long’. At first, it had me cringing, but as time went by, it fast became an earworm reminiscent of ‘All The Small Things‘ and blink’s nursery rhymes on meth mentality. The catchiness serves a purpose and at least the ‘na-na’s’ are kept at bay (for now). I predict the song will become a universal cult classic for football fans, potentially used on a soundtrack for something like FIFA; but for the most part, this is blink’s commercial side taking the spotlight, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
‘FELL IN LOVE‘ however, continues in a similar vein as tracks from the Skiba-era – à la 2016’s California and 2019’s NINE with the ‘na-na’s’ coming back in fine form while Tom and Mark share vocal duties, singing a love story that ventures from the first meeting to – you guessed it – falling in love (with lots of sex along the way).
‘Do you remember the time, when we first met / you were at a party with your ex / I said hello then I got drunk / do you remember the time we fell in love/ Do you remember the night when you came over / playing songs, laying on my shoulder / we made out til the sun came up / do you remember the time / remember the time we fell in love’
It has simplistic lyrics with an overall bubbly feeling throughout. Cheesy? You betcha. I hate to say it but it’s a miss for me. Never fear because we’re back to our regular scheduled punk rock vibes on ‘Terrified‘ – which superfans would know is a former demo from DeLonge’s Box Car Racer side project. Soaring guitar riffs draw us into an alluring delivery from Tom and I can’t help but hear familiar elements of the mature sound of Neighborhoods making an appearance. The songwriting on this one also ventures back to that maturity the band started dabbling in from 2003’s Untitled before opening up for the chorus that’ll no doubt have us all screaming along at the top of our lungs. There’s an uncanny song structure akin to that of ‘Tiny Voices‘ from that BCR self-titled record. While it’s familiar territory for some, it’ll be a welcomed change of pace for new fans who are yet to discover that hidden gem from Tom and Travis’ 2002 release. This is a killer example of how these musicians can bring in elements from previous projects and give them that blink-182-injected makeover.
I don’t need to elaborate much on the title track ‘ONE MORE TIME‘ because we all know how powerful this one hit upon first listen. The raw and deeply emotional lyrics touch on the band’s internal issues from the years, stemming from the infamous 2005 hiatus and public ousting of Tom back in 2015. If you didn’t shed a tear when hearing this for the first (or hundredth) time, then you certainly did when watching the nostalgic kick-to-the-dick music video that premiered alongside it. This is peak emo blink-182 and it just hits more and more with every spin of that gut-wrenching chorus. ‘Do I have to die to hear you miss me / do I have to die to hear you say goodbye’. I’ve often wondered if these lyrics were inspired by real-life conversations had between the band, especially following Mark’s cancer diagnosis and Travis’ plane crash. Either way, it’s the first time in a long time the band have lifted the curtain on their personal lives, vulnerably discussing these issues through music in a way that provides context for us all to understand the depths of their mending friendship. It’s also the first time we’ve heard Travis contributing vocals to their music, which makes it a sure-fire hit regardless of how small his inclusion was.
‘MORE THAN YOU KNOW‘ was released at the same time and has personally been my favourite single release so far. It commences with that sorrowful piano intro before shifting gear into a fast-paced punk rock jam utilising each member’s specialty with precision. Mark takes the spotlight with meaningful verses, complimented by Barker’s inch-perfect drum beats and fills. Tom takes the reigns in the chorus spitting fire in the mic with a high-intensity delivery that showcases his punk rock roots – sounding better than ever before. This is the circle-pit starter and I hope it stays in the setlist long enough for us to experience it at their upcoming Australian return. The slowdown section that kicks off the third act is reminiscent of Angels & Airwaves’ track ‘Losing My Mind‘, once again, with a blink twist to change it ever so slightly and Travis taking us to completion with some of his best work within the band to date.
Our first joke song interlude of the album ‘TURN THIS OFF!‘ increases the tempo dramatically and is designed to catch the listener off guard (hello ‘Happy Holidays, You Bastard‘). With unrelenting speed being the focus of this [nobody likes you when you’re] 23-second gem, it comes to a climax before you can even comprehend what you just heard. ‘WHEN WE WERE YOUNG‘ hones in on the band reflecting on their youth (again), only this time Mark includes a new perspective of mirroring where life is now – being older, stuck in a dead-end job and pining for the company of long lost friends. It’s a new-age/current-time pop punk jam with a mature approach to songwriting and I’m all for it. The mature themes on Neighborhoods made it such an underrated album and I feel this is a continuation of that era of blink, but with the added concept of hindsight. The down-strumming riffs hark back to the glory years, but with a 2023 setting. This is the new progressive blink-182 I’ve been craving and it’s an instant hit. ‘EDGING‘ also shows a different kind of progression, but touching on the radio rock slapstick jokes from their rebellious teenage years. It was our first taste of the trio back together again and despite being a year old, I think the novelty has worn off. Simplistic and repetitive lyrics became the catalyst for it’s downfall and in my opinion, had it been a standalone single that didn’t make the record, it would have added more value being labelled as the ‘Tom’s Back song’.
We return to emotionally-fuelled lyrics for the balladesque entry ‘YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT‘, commencing with Travis Barker‘s signature snare rim clicks, taking us up to a joint duo delivery from Mark and Tom that’ll have you swooning instantly. The back and forth between the two frontmen in the chorus is what makes blink-182 the best at what they do, and with Travis up the back smashing away on the kit (plus a few familiar synth sounds and fills) you’ve got the makings of a new-age fan favourite – especially when the Tom twang comes out. Sonically, it feels like a sibling of ‘Bored To Death‘ and ‘Up All Night‘ which will without a doubt bridge the gap for fans from the Skiba-era to this next phase.
Are you ready for a song like never before? Wait till you get your ears around ‘BLINK WAVE‘ which is exactly what you’re imagining – 80s-influenced synth-wave blink-182. Take Mark’s hand as he guides us into a world not too far removed from the aural experience of his own side-project Simple Creatures. Only this time, Tom DeLonge sings the chorus between the upbeat synth. It’s like the band were transported back to the late 80s and hit the studio alongside bands like Devo or Men Without Hats. I found myself whistling the beat in between spins and reviewing, so if that’s an indication of the catchiness of this one (and you’re a seasoned elder pop punk fan), I can guarantee you’ll be an instant fan. ‘BAD NEWS’ brings out the acoustic guitar in the intro as Mark sings ‘I’m giving you bad bad news / I think I might have fallen out of love with you / years of fighting and hiding feelings / all those nights staring at the ceiling’ before the energiser bunny in human form, Travis Barker, picks up the tempo and we’re met with yet another action-packed punk rock hit disguised as a breakup song. While completely Hoppus-centric in the vocal performance, the guitar parts produce stadium-rock energy.
‘HURT (INTERLUDE)‘ is without a doubt influenced by Tom’s songwriting from Angels & Airwaves, in particular, the 2006 We Don’t Need To Whisper atmospheric production. When it starts you’ll understand what I mean and it was really hard for me to disregard the comparison. While some will argue it sounds similar to the instrumentals used within ‘I’m Lost Without You‘ from Untitled, I can’t get past the fact it sounds like a leftover demo from a recent AvA session with no added touch-ups to give it a more blink-like feel. The more I listen to it, the more that fact solidifies and it hurts the album because of the placement. Never fear, when ‘TURPENTINE‘ steps up to the plate, we’re met with a progressive modern-age blink-182 song that showcases the incredible talent the band has within. Tom’s vocal twang invades your ears with a welcoming dose of nostalgia and the background synth is fucking mint. This could also be one of his best vocal performances in years with plenty of rock/punk/yelling parts throughout. Mark joins in on the action for the third act and his own unique elongated word delivery returns (think +44 baby) and gives this masterpiece a much-needed cherry on top contribution. This is it. This is 2023 blink perfection with all three members firing on all cylinders.
‘FUCK FACE’ expells intense punk rock vibes with jarring guitars and high-impact drums in under 30 seconds; this is without a doubt an ode to the early roots of blink-182 (I’m taking way back to 1994-1995 Budda/Cheshire Cat eras), but with Barker behind the kit. Definitely not expected but a welcomed offering for long-term fans. Soaring guitars draw us in for ‘OTHER SIDE‘ which treads on familiar waters yet again, offering guitar riffs that’ll be instantly recognised by the early 2000s followers. Mark leads the vocals with lyrics from a similar vein to his work on California and NINE, but Tom’s playing sounds like it came from the last few albums he released in the band before his departure. Blending multiple eras will once again bridge that gap for fans new and old, but for me, it feels like they’ve cut and pasted various sounds to try and make a ‘best of both worlds’ track that doesn’t quite hit the spot for me.
Closing track time. On previous outings, blink-182 have dabbled with everything from emotional send-offs such as ‘Remember To Forget Me‘, ‘I’m Lost Without You‘ and ‘California‘ (I’m not counting ‘Brohemian Rhapsody‘ because it’s a joke song), and uptempo hits like ‘Please Take Me Home‘, ‘Even If She Falls‘ and ‘Anthem‘. This time, we get ‘CHILDHOOD‘ a slow, self-reflective number that once again (as expected from the title) throws back to the early years while touching on where they are now. Sonically, it 100% gives off closing track energy with both frontmen delivering moody verses fit for a final send-off.
‘Remember when we were young / and we’d laugh at everything / got caught up in a world / that forgot how to dream / I never thought we’d end up here / we’re back in time to the last years / remember when we were young / we thought we knew everything’
That’s before Tom jumps back in, belting out the chorus, ‘Where did our childhood go / I wanna knoooowww / where did our childhood go / I want to knoooowww’.
I’m conflicted because it really is a heartfelt throwback, but the lyrics come up short of matching the energy of the instrumentals. The intentions are there, I just felt they were underdelivered and just shy of hitting the mark. The drums are stripped back and fit the vibe, but they’re also infused with electronic beats and an overbearing synth taking us to completion. Knowing what these guys have written in the past, and what they’re capable of songwriting-wise, I can’t help but think the lyrics let down the final vision.
So overall, what does ONE MORE TIME… bring to the table for blink-182‘s 31-year legacy? This new album is certainly a mixed bag of nostalgia-driven gems and back catalogue influenced entries harking back to each era they’ve been active. In short, it will without a doubt cater to a much wider audience, but I can definitely see different fans latching on to certain songs that resonate with their core memories of the band while skipping songs that just didn’t quite nail it musically.
But, that’s always been an ongoing theme of many of blink’s albums. Plenty of hits and a few filler songs in the tracklisting that serve as background noise between those memorable and long-lasting instant classics. Will ONE MORE TIME… fill the void you’ve been missing since the mid-2010s? Probably. But don’t give into the hype that this is the best work they’ve ever done.
blink-182 – ONE MORE TIME… tracklisting
1. ANTHEM PART 3
2. DANCE WITH ME
3. FELL IN LOVE
4. TERRIFIED
5. ONE MORE TIME
6. MORE THAN YOU KNOW
7. TURN THIS OFF!
8. WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
9. EDGING
10. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT
11. BLINK WAVE
12. BAD NEWS
13. HURT (INTERLUDE)
14. TURPENTINE
15. FUCK FACE
16. OTHER SIDE
17. CHILDHOOD
Rating: 6.5/10
ONE MORE TIME… is out on October 20. Get it here
Review by Paul ‘Browny’ Brown @brownypaul
