Album Review: blink-182-Neighborhoods

Blink-182's reunion was one of the biggest pieces of news in music in the past few years. The anticipation for them to release new music once they reformed was incredibly high. Personally, I was a bit wary to see what it would it sound like. Almost three years after they reunited, their new record, Neighborhoods, has finally been released.Neighborhoods is a decent, but uneven record that is only somewhat worth the eight-year wait.

On the positive side, Neighborhoods is a big improvement over their last album. When this album is good, it's the best stuff Blink has made since Enema Of The State. The Bad Religion/NOFX-inspired "Heart's All Gone" is one of the best Blink songs ever. It's a genuine punk track that reminded me of Blink's older material with a bit more of an old-school punk edge. "Ghost On The Dance Floor" and "Wishing Well" have more of an alternative/indie feel to them. These tracks take Blink's sound in yet another different direction, but they work quite well. They are filled with genuine emotion, yet maintain a really catchy vibe. This is easily the most experimental album Blink-182 has ever made and this formula makes for an interesting listen... at least at times.

The major downside to Neighborhoods is the severe lack of consistency. About 1/3 of this album is good, 1/3 of this album is ok, and 1/3 of this album is complete and total shit. When this album is bad, it's really, really bad. I would go as far to say that the bad songs on this record are the worst things they have ever done. The absolute lowlight, "Love Is Dangerous", is vomit-inducing. It's even more emo than most of the stuff on their last record, which is saying something. The lame synth-line and cheesy lyrics are completely pathetic. Another problem is the lack of cohesion on this album. The listening experience gets kind of annoying since they can't really build up any momentum from song to song due to the scattered quality of the album. They can't decide on what they want this album to be. At times it's insanely and annoyingly emo, and at others, it's pretty emotional and powerful. I understand this album is supposed to be dark, but sometimes it crosses over from dark to just plain emo whining.  I also still can't get over how boring Travis Barker's drumming is with Blink-182. I thought with the new sound Blink is going for, it would give him an opportunity to utilize more complex drumming. He is such an amazing drummer, but his work with Blink is completely underwhelming.  The next album needs more interesting drumming, it's a crime wasting Barker's immense talent.

Despite being heavily flawed, Neighborhoods is a decent enough record. It takes Blink-182's sound in a different direction, which turns out to be both a good and bad thing. When it's good, it's the best stuff Blink has made in years. When it's bad, it's the worst material of their career. Neighborhoods could have been a lot better, but it also could have been far worse. Hopefully Blink can find a more clear vision and drop the emo sections completely for their next record. I am really eager to see where the band goes from here.

3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Heart's All Gone
2.Ghost On The Dancefloor
3.Wishing Well