BLINK 182 – NINE Album Review
By Andrew Mackenzie
Blink-182 is an American rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Since 2015, the line-up of the band has consisted of bass guitarist and vocalist Mark Hoppus, drummer Travis Barker, and guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba.
I know I’m late with this one, but I wanted to try and get what has happened from listening to this album on to here. You can describe this album in lots of random words, but I see it as a great piece of work. This is now the band’s second album with Matt Skiba as the newest member and is an old school fan, I think sometimes change is a good thing, “Heck I thought the world would fall apart when the band went on hiatus!”
So back to this album well I was hooked from the first song; “First Time” this song starts of how I want personally the band to sound the upbeat punk rock tempo with the kick-ass Travis Barker drums tying it all together. Mark Hoppus has taken over as lead vocalist since Matt Skiba joined and I like this too. The record although it sounds nice and upbeat with the sounds lyrically has a darker side to it as it speaks about loneliness and depression and Mark’s struggle he had before writing this record, “Happy days” is about searching for those good days whilst struggling with depression. The production on this album is great and they did apparently have an album but scrapped it as it didn’t sound like them. “Heaven” well this is a track which although dark, is to do with the victims of the mass shooting in California in 2018 in the lyrics it says “Heaven doesn’t want me now” talking about how this shouldn’t have happened. I’m not sure if the next track had an auto-tune or not but it has an interesting sound vocally. I don’t know what is it about this track but I love it and think that bits could have been changed I can’t put my finger on the changeable bits but I love the mainly Travis’ drumming and how when I listen to the drums I think how much of an insane drummer he is. The track is a good track, the video for this didn’t make much sense to me but I’m sure there are lots of videos they make that don’t make sense to me.
I think the most intense track on the album is “generational divide” even though being 49 seconds long I love this that they do these weird crazy pieces and put them on the album, it’s like an interlude to break up the album.
“Black Rain” is quite different for the band using electronic sounds in the piece, this song sounds like a story of loss and sadness through the lyrics and with how it’s put together makes it dark. “I really Wish I Hated You” the sound of the track is brilliant which I love and it’s probably my favorite on the album it has a great mix of everything with a couple of softer parts using acoustic guitar in it and I feel its about a break-up and the aftermath of this and how people cope and feeling that comes with it.
I would break up all the tracks on the album and pick out parts of the songs but I can honestly say I personally love this album it has everything that Blink182 should be and I feel proud to be a Blink 182 fan this album is full-on with dark subjects, but the album has the great punk pop-rock sound that Blink are known for. The album artwork is sick, and this also took a good time for the band to decide on.
This album is a must-have in your collection whether that’s digitally or physically. If you don’t believe me stick your headphones on and take a listen.
The band plans to cross the pond to tour Europe in 2020 So keep your eyes out for those dates.
