This review was submitted by James Murphy, who is the drummer of Leicester band The Chasers (so he should know what he’s on about!)
With the deadline for the new album to be handed to the record company swiftly approaching, Blink 182 self leak their new track “Up All Night” to get the hype machine rolling for the release of the new album.
Blink have been away from the music scene for over eight years after an indefinite hiatus was called in 2003 which was revoked in 2009 for a comeback tour and view to a new album. During this hiatus each member of Blink pursued music careers separately with guitarist Tom Delonge forming the moody rock super group Angels & Airwaves and Bassist Mark Hoppus forming the lighter pop rock group Plus 44 with drummer Travis Barker, with the latter band garnering more critical praise than the former.
As an avid fan of Blink 182 in my teenage years I still hold a candle for their music and held out much hope for the new album. This new single however smacks too much of Delonge’s Angels & Airwaves than I would like and feel deflated as the new album looms.
The song itself, which appears to have been originally penned in 2002, is indicative of the route Delonge has taken musically, essentially forgetting the original band sound and dominating the guitar and vocals with more effects than one can possibly stand.
The one small saving grace this new song has is the more melodic vocals of Hoppus and infectious hybrid drumming of Barker, however these elements are so low in the mix that it cannot save the song enough for me to like it.
Comments on the Youtube video are divided on the song, with the main argument emanating from “they said this is going to be a more grown up sound” however this is no excuse for sounding like Delonge’s Angels, as the previous “untitled” album was more grown up but a lot better than this.
Fingers crossed that the album is better….a lot better than this effort.
What do you think of the new Blink 182 song? Excited or underwhelmed? Let us know in the comments…
