Blink 182

[Dan]

Jeff, I think you mentioned that you couldn't stand Blink 182 (or maybe it was someone else) because they were too pop. I got their newest CD last night, and they have almost totally changed their sound. THere's still a couple songs that are clearly typical Blink songs, but the majority of the CD is unlike anything they have ever done before. The liner notes mention them being influenced by a band named Failure a lot, but I haven't heard of that band. They definitely owe a lot of their new sound to The Cure, and actually Robert Smith sings on one of the songs. The only punk band I can think of to compare the sound to would be Fugazi, but this isn't really that hard. They even use acoustic guitars on a couple songs (including my favorite song on the CD, "Miss You"). Mark Hoppus's voice has always been the stronger one between him and Tom DeLonge, but it really out shines Tom's on this one. There are a few songs where DeLonge's voice works, though. Still, as I've said about every Blink album, the drummer, Travis Barker, is the best musician in this band. Whether you like this style of music or not, you have to respect the guy just for the fact that he keeps coming out with great new drum patterns when he could just do the same old thing and collect a check either way. Also, I read somewhere that he still gives drum lessons when he's not touring, which I think is really cool. Overall, this album isn't reinventing the rock album or anything (the way, say, The White Stripes' "Elephant" did j/k, Jeff!), but it's very very good and original music from a group that nobody ever expected to be this original. I'd give it 4 stars out of 5.

 

[5stringJeff]

Dan,

Very interesting. I'll have to give it a look. It's not that I hate Blink, but I'm not a huge new school punk fan. All three chords start to blend together after a while!

BTW, I think I have figured out what gets under my skin about the White Stripes: there's this aura about them that seems to say: "We're so artsy, and we don't expect 99% of you to understand our songs or our music or our obscenely long song titles. But we'll still repeat the same riff over and over to get you hooked on it, because we're artists and you should know what real artistic music should sound like."

But maybe that's just me!

And another thing. I came up with a bass riff for a song we play called "Release Me." The first four notes of the bass riff I did (in 2002) are the same first four notes in the riff of "Seven Nation Army." So now I have to change my riff because Jack Whatever came up with the same riff, and he gets more radio play than I do. AARRRGGGHHH!!!

OK, that's the end of the White Stripes rant. Sorry, Dan.

 

[Dan]

Very interesting. I'll have to give it a look. It's not that I hate Blink, but I'm not a huge new school punk fan. All three chords start to blend together after a while!

You know, now that I used the word "punk" in my review like four times, I might go out on a limb and say that I don't really consider Blink 182 punk. In my opinion, the last great, true "punk" band was the Dead Kennedys, and they haven't been popular since, what, the mid-eighties? There is a band I'm a fan of called CKY that is sort of riff-based (they'll use four or five notes in a progression, rather than three chords) punk that's really good. They're hard to describe, just download (oop... I mean buy) "96 Quite Bitter Beings" and decide for yourself.

Anyway, the stuff they call punk now (Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, etc.) ain't punk at all. Not that there's anything wrong with that (except in the case of Simple Plan, at least their singer, he should learn to sing through his mouth instead of his nose), it's just not punk, in my opinion.

BTW, I think I have figured out what gets under my skin about the White Stripes: there's this aura about them that seems to say: "We're so artsy, and we don't expect 99% of you to understand our songs or our music or our obscenely long song titles. But we'll still repeat the same riff over and over to get you hooked on it, because we're artists and you should know what real artistic music should sound like."

As much as I hate to say it, I have to agree with you there. Jack White is definitely waaaay too artsy-fartsy. Meg White may be too, but I don't think I've ever heard her say anything! That said, I do enjoy the music they make, so I can put aside their personal attitudes. Also, I don't think they make weird songs or song titles solely for the sake of being weird, or so people won't understand them, rather I honestly think they're just out there doing what appeals to them.

While we're on the topic of bands that are very artsy, what's your opinion of Radiohead? I was a huge fan of their old stuff: OK Computer is probably just behind Nirvana's "Nevermind" as the best rock album of the 90's. But, their newer stuff (Kid A, Hail to the Thief) seems to be getting to be weird just for weird's sake. Honestly, I kind of enjoyed the ideas behind Kid A (recording an entire song backwards, turning on a radio to a random AM station and sampling it and writing a song about it), but it reeks of self-righteous artsiness. What do you think?

And another thing. I came up with a bass riff for a song we play called "Release Me." The first four notes of the bass riff I did (in 2002) are the same first four notes in the riff of "Seven Nation Army." So now I have to change my riff because Jack Whatever came up with the same riff, and he gets more radio play than I do. AARRRGGGHHH!!!

Yah, that sucks, my friend wrote a song back in '95-'96 that he thought was really awesome, then a few months later, Third Eye Blind's "Semi Charmed Life" came out and sounded exactly like it. Of course, it was a basic G-D-C progression, God only knows how many songs already sounded like that, but we had just started playing guitar seriously and we were pissed.

 

[5stringJeff]

Originally posted by Dan
You know, now that I used the word "punk" in my review like four times, I might go out on a limb and say that I don't really consider Blink 182 punk. In my opinion, the last great, true "punk" band was the Dead Kennedys, and they haven't been popular since, what, the mid-eighties? There is a band I'm a fan of called CKY that is sort of riff-based (they'll use four or five notes in a progression, rather than three chords) punk that's really good. They're hard to describe, just download (oop... I mean buy) "96 Quite Bitter Beings" and decide for yourself.

I think they are a different breed of punk. The Dead Kennedys, et al, are old school punk - or what you could call First Wave Punk. Groups like Blink, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, etc., are what is now called New School punk. I agree, it's not the saem feel at all, but someone used the label, and now it's stuck.

As much as I hate to say it, I have to agree with you there. Jack White is definitely waaaay too artsy-fartsy. Meg White may be too, but I don't think I've ever heard her say anything! That said, I do enjoy the music they make, so I can put aside their personal attitudes. Also, I don't think they make weird songs or song titles solely for the sake of being weird, or so people won't understand them, rather I honestly think they're just out there doing what appeals to them.

Fair enough. It jsut doesn't quite appeal to me.

While we're on the topic of bands that are very artsy, what's your opinion of Radiohead? I was a huge fan of their old stuff: OK Computer is probably just behind Nirvana's "Nevermind" as the best rock album of the 90's. But, their newer stuff (Kid A, Hail to the Thief) seems to be getting to be weird just for weird's sake. Honestly, I kind of enjoyed the ideas behind Kid A (recording an entire song backwards, turning on a radio to a random AM station and sampling it and writing a song about it), but it reeks of self-righteous artsiness. What do you think?

I never quite got into Radiohead. I did enjoy Creep, but from what I understand, that song was a lot different than the rest of their music, and they've backed away from playing it live in a lot of their shows. I saw them on SNL a couple of years ago and they just looked... weird. I think the problem is that when people get weird like that, they tend to look down on people who don't understand how their weirdness is unique and cool and "artsy" and stuff.

Yah, that sucks, my friend wrote a song back in '95-'96 that he thought was really awesome, then a few months later, Third Eye Blind's "Semi Charmed Life" came out and sounded exactly like it. Of course, it was a basic G-D-C progression, God only knows how many songs already sounded like that, but we had just started playing guitar seriously and we were pissed.

I know how it goes. But I think I'll have an easy time coming up with a new riff. I'm starting to listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers a lot lately, and I really like Flea's style. So I'll have to get a book and learn some of his techniques, I think!

 

[Dan]

I'm starting to listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers a lot lately, and I really like Flea's style. So I'll have to get a book and learn some of his techniques, I think!

I read an article about the most musically talented people that you wouldn't expect to be that talented, and Flea was up there. Apparently he's had a lot of classical training and stuff. Also surprising was Andrew WK, who's apparently a classical piano virtuoso and yet writes songs called "Party Til You Puke". That said, I LOVE Andrew WK.

 

[5stringJeff]

Ive never listened to his music. I've heard it was pretty heavy thrash-type rock. Maybe I'll have to investigate.