Blink-182 Get Nostalgic on ‘California’

Stephanie Hernandez

The possibilities for San Diego punk rockers Blink-182 seemed endless when the trio (made up of drummer Travis Barker, bass guitarist Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge later replaced by Matt Skiba) then  first hit the airwaves 21 years ago with their debut album, “Cheshire Cat.” The band’s following skyrocketed and their name finally reached the global stage when the tongue in cheek “Enema of the State” was released in ‘99 spawning their now classic track, “All the Small Things” and forging the path for Blink-182 to become modern day pop-punk royalty. Then in ‘11, following “Neighborhoods,” the trio found themselves battling with creative differences, mainly the departure of founding guitarist turned UFO enthusiast, DeLonge. Subsequently replaced by Alkaline Trio vocalist Skiba, “California” is the band’s first album featuring the current, less toxic lineup. This new record is about persevering past the party and surviving youthful mistakes and after more than two decades of busting out sugary erratic guitar laden anthems, it seems, at least for now, the boys have decided to grow up (just a bit).

For decades, Blink’s aesthetic has been one of juvenile joy and adolescent angst coated with a layer restless yet ferociously irreverent energy. Here we find the results are no longer as saccharine as days past, instead we find traces of party days but this time seen through the eyes of someone who’s been through it all and lived to tell the tale. Maturing in their storytelling while still being able to maintain the charm of their beloved impertinent, yet relatable lyrics, Blink-182 has managed to turn endless summers into sunsets without the air of bitterness or overwrought morality to get in the way. This stylistic change is possibly best exemplified on tracks like “Bored to Death” where the chorus sings “Save your breath I’m nearly/bored to death and fading fast/life is too short to last long,” an ode to the exhaustion of a life well lived and perspective gained. Though the group is maturing, middle age has not brought on the usual shift to politically charged tracks nor has it spurred a desire to dive into over indulgent rock theatrics, which is honestly extremely refreshing. Instead, time and the lineup change has brought on a reassessment of what it means to be an older, smarter and more wise Blink-182. Still familiar in sound, the trio does not aim to alienate fans or try and convince them they are something they are not; the subject matter, though, does become bittersweet but in usual Blink style it is taken with the grain of salt and a smirk in tow. From the darker tracks like “Cynical” and “No Future,” which harkens back to the sounds of “All the Small Things,” to the almost ballad like title track, the overall effect is pensive not brash.

Though much has changed, the roots of the band are still holding strong. The childlike joy that exudes from Hoppus’ instantly recognizable candor and Barker’s versatility and vigor on the drum kit prevent the trio from slipping into too dark a hole. Though new, Skiba’s emotionally laden vocals help to mature the group’s sound without bogging it down with too much sentimentality. Overall, there are some places Blink could have trimmed the fat; a handful of tracks become overextended, there are still remnants of immature jokes laced throughout like “There’s something about you/that I can’t quite put my finger in.” But at the same time it’s those moments of nonchalant and vulgar humor that remind you in the most comforting of ways that through the changes, this is still the Blink-182 you have come to know and love. “California” is like the 10-year high school reunion of pop punk albums. It promises the connection to times past, old friends, long lost memories, stories about regrettable decisions you’ve made and nights you will never forget. But at the end of it you return to your new life reassured with the knowledge that acquaintances have not forgotten how cool you used to be and still remain.

Blink-182’s “California” is available on Apple Music July 1.