★★★★★
Pop-punk legend blink-182 has released its ninth studio album ONE MORE TIME…, and according to television presenter Zane Lowe, it is “the best album [it’s] ever made.”
The album is a musical journal of self-reflection on the band’s history, drawing on its musical inspirations and traumatic past events.
In typical blink style, the first track “ANTHEM PART 3” starts with the classic fast-paced punk rock drumbeat, reminiscent of its first two albums. This song is significant since it completes a trilogy of songs titled “Anthem,” including “Anthem” off the band’s 1999 album Enema of the State and “Anthem Part Two” from its fourth album Take Off Your Pants And Jacket. The three are connected by Mark Hoppus’ arpeggiated bass solos and Tom DeLonge’s lead vocals.
“ANTHEM PART 3” lives up to the other two songs that compose the trilogy, building high expectations for the rest of the album.
The second track, “DANCE WITH ME,” is a tribute to the Ramones who were arguably the pioneers of punk rock and have greatly influenced blink-182.
The music video of “DANCE WITH ME” consists of guitarist and vocalist DeLonge, bassist Hoppus, and drummer Travis Barker cosplaying as Ramones and features a mix of reconstructions of the Ramones’ music videos for “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “She’s The One.”
“FELL IN LOVE,” the third track, also pays tribute to another one of blink-182’s influences, The Cure. The Cure’s lead singer Robert Smith is credited as co-writer of this song even though he wasn’t. This may be because “FELL IN LOVE” features an interpolation of The Cure’s song “Close To Me.” The lyrics of “FELL IN LOVE” convey mixed emotions about a past relationship with a lover, but they could reflect the feelings of regret and fondness that consumed the band’s past.
“And honestly (When I look back) / I needed you (When I look back) / You needed me, it’s crazy,” Hoppus and DeLonge sing in the pre-chorus.
In 2001 DeLonge and Barker created a side project called Box Car Racer, which caused tension between them and Hoppus.
“TERRIFIED,” the fourth track, is an unreleased song born from this project. The fact that the band decided to record it and put it on this album is a significant sign that the band members have healed those wounds and are comfortable with each other and their history.
Next is the title track and arguably most significant song of the album, “ONE MORE TIME.”
The reflective ballad directly addresses the history of the band and everything it’s been through in a way that suggests it’s at peace with it all and in a healthy place.
“I wish they told us, it shouldn’t take a sickness / Or falling out of the sky,” Hoppus sings, referring to the first time that they reunited in 2009 after Barker had been in a plane crash and after Hoppus survived stage four cancer.
These song lyrics expose the band members’ realization that they should not take what they have for granted. While the title of the album, ONE MORE TIME… refers to the band reuniting one more time, it does not signify that this will be its last time.
The accompanying music video is emotional as it shows the band standing in front of a green screen with significant scenes from its career, including big shows and clips from its music videos, playing in the back. This is also the first time that Travis sings, even though it is only one line.
Blink’s reunion single “EDGING” came out a year ago and is the first song that all three of the band members have released together since 2012. It has a swing feel to it which is new for blink-182.
“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT” is another song that directly addresses the band’s history. It was released a few days before the album and is, again, about it realizing how fortunate it is to have what it has.
“I begged for your forgiveness / I made a deal with God / I took you all for granted / You can write my epilogue,” Hoppus sings.
“HURT (INTERLUDE)” is just under a minute and a half in length but sounds very reminiscent of Angels & Airwaves’—a band formed by DeLonge the first time that blink-182 broke up—debut album from 2006.
Two days before the release of ONE MORE TIME…, blink-182 published an interview on its Youtube account with Zane Lowe that adds dimension to the album as DeLonge, Hoppus, and Barker delve into their past and the making of this album in a very real and raw way.
As Lowe said in the interview, this album encompasses “the original chemistry of blink-182 but with real life experience.” Understanding the band’s history is key to understanding this album.
It really feels as if blink-182 has come full circle, and ONE MORE TIME… ties a lot of things about the band together in a clever way, including the band members themselves. The album stands out not only because it remains authentically blink-182 in style but because it has reunited one of the best bands in pop-punk history.
