BLINK-182 "ONE MORE TIME..." ALBUM REVIEW: TURN THIS OFF!

WHERE TO BEGIN... AFTER A LONG 7 YEAR HIATUS FROM TOM DELONGE (VOCALS/GUITAR), BLINK-182, ARGUABLE THE WORLD'S BIGGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL POP PUNK BAND OF ALL TIME, STRUGGLED FINDING THEIR PLACE. WITH THE HELP OF ALKALINE TRIO'S MATT SKIBA, THE BAND MANAGED TO SURVIVE WITH LITTLE TO NO HOPE OF A RETURN FROM DELONGE. IN 2017, BLINK-182 RE-EMERGED WITH "CALIFORNIA", A THROWBACK TO WHAT THE BAND WAS KNOWN FOR, WITH A MIX OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM "NEIGHBORHOODS" (SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM). IN 2019 CAME "NINE" BLINK'S NINTH.... EIGHTH STUDIO ALBUM.(?) YES THE TITLE IS DUMB. I REMEMBER WHEN "BLAME IT ON MY YOUTH" DROPPED, I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO HOPE. THE ALBUM WOULD BE GARBAGE. THIS IS COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO GREW UP ENJOYING JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING BY BLINK-182. AS EXPECTED, THE ALBUM WASN'T GOOD. THE BAND TRIED SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHICH IS RESPECTABLE, BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PULL IT OFF. 

FINALLY, TOM DELONGE RETURNED TO THE BAND IN 2022. (BYE MATT). TODAY, THEIR NEW ALBUM "ONE MORE TIME..." DROPPED WHICH CENTERS AROUND FRIENDSHIP, REGRET, AND WHAT BLINK-182 MEANS TO THE TRIO. THE IDEA WAS WELL RECEIVED.  IT'S NICE TO HEAR SOME LIGHT OF WHAT CAME FROM DARK SITUATIONS THE BAND WENT THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY, AND TOGETHER. IT'S SAFE TO SAY, THE BAND'S BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

THAT SAID... "ONE MORE TIME..." IS NOTHING SHY OF A FORGETTABLE MESS THAT TRAVIS BARKER NEVER SHOULD HAVE PUT HIS HANDS ON (IN THE PRODUCTION SIDE THAT IS). I COMPLAINED ABOUT "NINE" BEING DIFFERENT, UNRECOGNIZABLE, AND FORGETTABLE, BUT THE BAND ALWAYS HAD A WAY OF SHOWING SOME FORM OF PROGRESSION THROUGH EACH ENTRY IN THE FORM OF DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM WHAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN'T COMPETE WITH, WHILE ALSO MAINTANING NOSTALGIA. TO TRY TO TOP "ENEMA OF THE STATE", "TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS AND JACKET", OR "BLINK-182" WOULD BE FOOLISH. THE BAND KNEW THIS. WHEN THEY FIRST REFORMED AND RELEASED "NEIGHBORHOODS" IN 2011, IT GOT MIXED FEEDBACK. SOME LOVED IT, SOME HATED IT. TOM BROUGHT TO THE TABLE SOUNDS THAT HE'D DISCOVER FROM HIS OTHER BAND "ANGELS AND AIRWAVES". MARK AND TRAVIS WOULD BRING WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS BROUGHT TO MAKE THE BAND BLINK-182. IT WAS A REFRESHING ALBUM THAT SHOWED MATURITY, EXPERIMENTING,  AND REFINDING THEMSELVES. "NINE" ATTEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR BUT FELL SHORT. NOW, "ONE MORE TIME..." TRIES TO DO THE OPPOSITE...

"ONE MORE TIME..." IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF BLINK-182 TRYING TO PLEASE AN AUDIENCE THAT IS FAMILIAR TO STAY RELEVANT WITH A MARKETING STRATEGY CALLED "TOM IS BACK AND WE'RE FRIENDS AGAIN... FOR GOOD THIS TIME". ON PAPER IT SOUNDS NICE, BUT THE EXECUTION IS FALSE. SOMETHING ABOUT 50 YEAR OLD MEN PURPOSEFULLY ACTING ADOLESCENT AND BEING "TRY HARDS" TO COMPETE WITH MODERN POP-PUNK RUBS ME VERY WRONG.

THE ALBUM IS FULL OF IMMATURE (YES, EVEN FOR BLINK) LYRICS, FORGETTABLE MELODIES, AND ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE PRODUCTION WORK BY THE BAND'S DRUMMER, TRAVIS BARKER. DID HE LEARN FROM JOHN FELDMANN? (WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED). LET'S TAKE THIS THING TRACK-BY-TRACK.

1. ANTHEM PART 3 - I APPRECIATE THE IDEA. THE BEGINNING SOUNDS LIKE ANTHEM PART 2. THIS HAS A LOT OF ENERGY AND TRUELY SHOWS SOME REAL TALENT. MARK ACTUALLY SINGS IN AN "ANTHEM" FOR ONCE. 3/5

​2. DANCE WITH ME - LET'S TALK ABOUT MASTURBATION RIGHT AWAY. THAT NEVER GETS OLD RIGHT? OLD SKATE PUNK VIBES  AND A MUSIC VIDEO THAT NODS BACK AT THE RAMONES. VERY UPBEAT. NOTHING SPECIAL THOUGH. 2.5/5

​3. FELL IN LOVE - WHY DOES THE INTRO SOUND LIKE AD MUSIC? TALK ABOUT ADOLESCENT LYRICS HERE AND OVER USED. HARD PASS. 1/5

4. TERRIFIED - SNAKE CHARMER VIBES? FINALLY, SOME VARIETY ON THE ALBUM. AAAAAAAAND HERE COMES THE HORRID CHORUS AND PRODUCTION WORK. 1.5/5

5. ONE MORE TIME - HONEST AND PRETTY BUT IT'S NO "I MISS YOU".  SUBJECT MATTER DEFINES THE ALBUM'S TONE BUT THE EXECUTION JUST ISN'T THERE. 2.5/5

6. MORE THAN YOU KNOW - SOMEWHAT ENJOYABLE UNTIL TOM COMES IN. 2/5

7. - TURN THIS OFF! - OKAY. 2.5/5

8 - WHEN I WAS YOUNG... I MEAN... WHEN WE WERE YOUNG - I LIKE THE PACE. EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST FORGETTABLE THOUGH. NOTHING REALLY STANDS OUT. 2/5

9 - EDGING - AHH, FIRST SINGLE. DESERVABLE  TOO. CATCHY BUT EXTREMELY IMMATURE TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S GETTING OLD. 3/5

10. - YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT - +44 VIBES? IT'S ACTUALLY DECENT. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE TRY HARDS. 3.5/5

11. - BLINK WAVE - REALLY? NICE TITLE... "NINE" VIBES. "ALWAYS" VIBES? GOOD UNTIL THE CHORUS. 2.5/5

12. - BAD NEWS - FAST, A LOT OF MODERN POP PUNK INFLUENTIAL. IT'S NOT BAD. NEW FOUND GLORY VIBES? 3/5

13. - HURT (INTERLUDE) - OMG! TRAVIS STICK TO THE DRUMS! YOU'RE FIRED FROM PRODUCTION WORK! THIS SONG IS A WASTE ON THE ALBUM! WHAT'S THE POINT OF IT!? 0/5

14. - TURPENTINE - DIFFERENT, SOME MODERN HARDCORE PUNK VIBES. FORGETTABLE THOUGH... 1.5/5

15. - FUCK FACE - OKAY BOX CAR RACER. 0/5

16. - NOT "DARKSIDE" BUT... "OTHER SIDE" - I'M SHOCKED... WE'VE FINALLY REACHED A GOOD SONG! WOW, IT ONLY TOOK 16 SONGS... IT'S CATCHY, NOT COMPLETELY IMMATURE, AND SOME TALENT SHINES THROUGH! 4/5

17. - CHILDHOOD - WHAT'S UP WITH THE REGGAE? LOL. IT'S NOT TERRIBLE. BUT KIND OF BORING. 2.5/5

FINAL VERDICT: 
"ONE MORE TIME..." IS FORGETTABLE AND SOUNDS LIKE THE BAND IS TRYING TO HARD TO PLEASE A TARGET AUDIENCE THAT CAN'T GROW UP. WHERE "NINE" FAILS, "ONE MORE TIME..." RUNS THE OTHER WAY AND FALLS EVEN HARDER. THIS IS NOT A BLINK-182 THAT WILL LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION. IT WILL NOT GO DOWN IN HISTORY LIKE "ENEMA OF THE STATE" OR "BLINK-182". TOM'S RETURN IS WELCOME, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE HE'S BEING HIMSELF. TRAVIS KILLS THE DRUMS BUT DETROYED THE PRODUCTION WHICH IS CRITICAL. MARK IS PROBABLY THE ALBUM'S ONLY SAVING GRACE. THE STAPLE OF REUNION, APOLOGY, AND NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES ISN'T ENOUGH TO SAVE THIS ALBUM. 
OVERALL RATING: 3/10

FAVORITE TRACKS: OTHER SIDE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT
SKIP IT: THE REST OF THE ALBUM...