Music Review: Blink-182 - Neighborhoods (Deluxe Edition)

Pop-punk trio return all grown up.

Neighborhoods is Blink-182's sixth studio album (not including demo albums like Buddha) after a long 8 years, and even though they're famed for 'poop-gags' and songs about, erm, being 'intimate' with dogs, this album takes it's lead from their self titled effort all the way back from 2003; they've gone serious.

Shaking off the child like pranks, and somewhat unprofessional past is no easy task, but Neighborhoods manages to succeed in bringing proof that Tom DeLonge (vocals/guitar), Mark Hoppus (vocals/bass) and Travis Barker (drums) are serious musicians.

Opener 'Ghost On The Dancefloor' and lead single 'Up All Night' bring the power chords of DeLonge's side project Angeles and Airwaves to Blinks new sound, whilst the beefy and energetic follow-up single 'Hearts All Gone' returns to the Blink era we all knew before.

The presence of Delong's Angeles and Airwaves that lingers throughout the record though, is sometimes a little too overbearing, especially on “Love is Dangerous” that whilst it showcases some brilliant bass lines and harmonized vocals, doesn't shake the feeling that Delong is still preaching from a higher order.

Musically, however, this is Blink-182 at there finest. For the first time, Delong and Hoppus' guitar and bass playing are equally as impressive as Barkers magnificent drumming, specifically in tracks 'Kaleidoscope' and 'Natives', where they really show their growth as musicians.

Neighborhoods does offer cheerier tracks, such as 'This Is Home' and the glistening shimmer of guitars of 'Wishing Well,' with the latter that invites you to not sing along with "But every time I start to panic/
I'm a little bit shy/A bit strange and a little bit manic/La da da da, da da da da/La da da da, da da da da da"

Overall, Neighborhoods is an offering that you welcome, even if you didn't like Delongs Angles and Airwaves or Hoppus and Barkers +44 post Blink side projects, and hell, even if you didn't like Blink 182 before -- there's a very good chance you'll enjoy and appreciate this return for what it is; a great album.