blink-182 - Neighborhoods

The wait is finally over! After a long 7 year hiatus, blink-182 is finally back with their brand new studio album Neighborhoods. The follow up to their 2003 self titled release finds the Poway, California natives returning to their distinct, classic pop-punk sound that has inspired a legion of fans and countless pop-punk bands currently making it big nowadays.

The album starts off with a blast on "Ghost on the Dance Floor" an intense, melodic pop-punk blast that will definitely bring you back with Tom DeLonge's familiar vocal refrain adding a bit of a nostalgic flavor to the song that will definitely excite seasoned blink-182 fans and will create some new fans in the process as well. This track segues right into the next track "Natives", another solid track that builds upon the energy that was found on the prior track and looks to build upon that kinetic energy exponentially and allowing it to get bigger and bigger as the album rolls along. The album's first single "Up all Night" is an intense, hard edged blast that allows Tom and Mark Hoppus to trade off vocal chops to create an intricate and expansive track that is one of their most cohesive yet. "Heart's All Gone" is a fast paced juggernaut that is very reminiscent of their earlier material from the Dude Ranch era and gives early era Blink fans something to look back fondly on as they listen to this album proudly on their iPods.

The disc's second half kicks off with my favorite tune off the disc, "Kaleidoscope" a downtempo, melodic opus that features Mark and Tom's vocal abilities weaving in and out of the toned down guitar riffs and drummer Travis Barker's fantastic drum abilities that never go unnoticed in any Blink song. "This Is Home" is another nostalgic track that brings it all home with melodic guitar riffs bringing in that familiar Blink sound that send shivers down listeners' spines and will have you singing along all the way through. We get ready to shut it all down with "MH 4.18.2011", a melodic, high energy tune that will definitely have you grooving along right until the very end with its pure melodic undertones hitting at you instantly and leaving you feel refreshed. The disc's finale, "Love is Dangerous" does an excellent job of wrapping everything up with Tom's vocals adding a distinct aura and strikes a certain nerve that no other band can do with his vocal power setting off a chain reaction domino effect of sorts with all the instrumentation creating a strong emotional response that has been blink-182's hallmark and has made them the kings of the pop-punk mountain. If you were to have a flow chart with all the pop-punk bands that have sprouted up in the last 10 years, the one band that has constantly been traced back as an immense influence is blink-182. If you look back at some of the legendary pop-punk bands that have been formed in the last decade up until now including Green Day, New Found Glory, and All Time Low, none of those bands would have ever existed if it weren't for the sheer influence of blink-182 to mentor and guide them musically to where they are right now.

All in all, a terrific and welcome return for blink-182, who have made their promise to their fans and don't disappoint with a consistent and terrific effort that shows everyone that they're back and here to stay for good this time!

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Ghost On The Dance Floor
2. Natives
3. Up all Night
4. After Midnight
5. Heart's All Gone
6. Wishing Well
7. Kaleidoscope
8. This Is Home
9. MH 4.18.2011
10. Love Is Dangerous