It’s been a long year since the reunion of blink-182 last year. It’s felt like a lifetime waiting for new music from Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus, and Travis Barker, but with an influx of new singles and songs, blink-182 set the stage for their latest studio album, ONE MORE TIME…
An album that answers the question: who is blink-182? From the album’s lead single, “Edging,” to the emotional ballad “One More Time,” these singles, before the album’s release, set the tone of what long-time fans could expect from the 17-track release.
But, just how good is blink-182’s new album, ONE MORE TIME…? Let’s find out.
blink-182 wastes zero time throwing fans into the fire with “Anthem Part 3,” the final piece of the long-awaited “Anthem” trilogy. Like an injection of raw energy, “Anthem Part 3” sent me on a roller coaster ride of emotion, back to being 15 years old and not understanding the world, feeling lost and misunderstood, back to 30, where these feelings still stick around like a lousy birthmark.
During my first listen of “Anthem Part 3,” I’ll admit to having a few tears and the biggest smile glued across my face. No doubt this track will follow in the footsteps of its brothers and become an instant classic. It’s fast, raw, unapologetic and features one of the best chorus/outro combos featured in a blink-182 song.
“No one gave a fuck that you died,” the raw emotion displayed during Mark Hoppus’ vocal delivery into Tom DeLonge’s yell-filled outro is everything I’ve wanted from a modern blink-182. “Anthem Part 3” should easily find itself a home in my top songs from ONE MORE TIME… quite easily, and I’m sure the same will be said for others.
“Dance With Me” continues to be one of the best singles from this album cycle. Its infectious chorus is enough to get the most closed-lip music enjoyer to sing at the top of their lungs. I know I’ve randomly found myself shouting, “olé, olé, olé olé/yeah, we’re doing it all night long” around the house without the song itself playing. It’s just pure fun and chaos.
The old-school punk flair thrown on top of the track is the cherry and vibrance that blink-182 brings to the pop-punk genre in a way only they can bring pure bliss as I suspect in an entire album play through, listeners will still have this one playing on a constant loop through the album’s 45-minute runtime.
“Dance With Me” is Tom, Mark, and Travis just vibing and having the time of their lives, creating music they and we can lose ourselves in and dance the night away. I’m very excited to hear this one in a live setting next year, alongside hopefully a good chunk of this album.
When “Fell In Love” was released, it split the band’s online fanbase a small amount, some loving the song’s playfulness and others calling it the worst thing blink-182 had released. Luckily, I fell on the side that enjoyed the simple melodies and instrumentals of “Fell In Love,” especially bookended by “Dance With Me” and “Terrified.”
When it came to my more casual friends and family I shared the song with, they also seemed to be on team “love,” making it a tremendous radio-friendly addition to ONE MORE TIME… as not every song from the band has to break ground, and it’s usually the free spirit themes and simplified love stories that have casual listeners gravitate to blink-182’s brand of pop.
Instrumentally, “Fell In Love” is fun to dance to, just like “Dance With Me,” I found myself letting go of my worries and letting the wave of sweet Cure-infused bass lines and clapping take me on an adventure where anything is possible. However, I found the band’s use of a YouTube-style tutorial jingle at the start of the track funny.
Box Car Racer. That’s pretty much all you need to know. Following the behind-the-scenes chatter of ONE MORE TIME… for over a year, it became known that blink-182 was reworking an unreleased Box Car Racer song for their new album, and it quickly became a song many couldn’t help but be excited to hear. I included as Box Car Racer’s only studio album is in my personal top 5 albums list.
“Terrified” is everything that made Box Car Racer work; it’s raw, broken, and just the best form of chaos—my favorite song from the album. The production side of things nailed the vibe check and sound style of 2002 in sweet perfection. Everything from Tom DeLonge’s vocal effects to the unfiltered passion is Box Car Racer to a T.
If you told me we would have a reworked Box Car Racer song that sounds like a Box Car Racer song on what can only be described as blink-182’s best album in 2023, I would have probably laughed you out the door. But here we are.
Each time I play this song, I find myself wiping away tears. The band’s impact on my life kept me going when I felt like I had no reason to be around, and “One More Time” continues to be an emotional gut punch. The fact that Tom, Mark, and Travis could air their grievances in one of their most beautiful songs is true friendship.
“One More Time” is blink-182 unfiltered regarding their inner dynamics and the tragedies that came along the way. From Travis Barker’s plane crash to Mark Hoppus’ cancer diagnosis, this song has it all. A love letter to the fans while also being as open as possible with each other.
“One More Time” could be considered one of blink-182’s best songs they’ve ever released. The second “and I know that next time/ain’t always going to happen” is sung, I let my emotions run wild. This song has become a therapy session for me regarding reconnecting with lost friends and family to just living life the best way possible. “One More Time” in the most simplified description is beautiful.
Released initially as a companion piece to “One More Time,” “More Than You Know” is filled with fire and our running theme of chaos. “I don’t feel pain/but I feel more than you’d ever know,” something about this lyric string from the track’s chorus stuck with me during the song’s initial release.
“More Than You Know” continues blink-182’s fast-paced energy and raw approach to this batch of songs that listeners will continue to be in for a treat with each repeat listen. “More Than You Know” is classic blink-182 in comparing the track to those found on the band’s Untitled album.
Yet another song I can’t wait to hear live; this is one I’ll probably always have on over and over again when it comes to my monthly predicted full album play-throughs. Like “Dance With Me,” the track’s unfiltered angst keeps me returning for more.
The first of two short songs on the album, “Turn This Off,” is once again pure blink-182 doing what they do best. Offending people in the best way possible: a catchy song less than 30 seconds long. There’s not much I can say about “Turn This Off” other than it’s fun, fast, and will probably be stuck in your head after a few listens.
The unofficial anthem for Live Nation’s When We Were Young Festival doubles as one of the catchiest songs on the album. A song about being free, young, stupid, and creating the best memories with your friends and how that transitions from youth to adulthood. For whatever reason, I had “now I’m stuck at work/like a typical jerk” in my head for a few hours.
The playful nature of “When We Were Young” kept my smile from “Anthem Part 3” shining as bright as the north star. I bounced off the walls, sang loud, and danced up a storm with the least impressive dance moves.
Like “Fell In Love,” “When We Were Young” has the most radio-friendly appeal, and that excites me when it comes to blink-182 reminding the world just who they were and who they have become through the years. It’s unbiased youth for adults who refused to grow up completely.
The chorus, verses, and fast-paced instrumentals are enough to keep long-time fans happy for years as I once again hope this track finds its way into blink-182’s future setlist. This is a notion I’m hoping for when it comes to most of this album.
Jumping straight into “Edging” from “When We Were Young” is perfection; there is no time to waste resting when listeners can spend the next few minutes continuing to groove, sing, and drown out the world for a few extra sweet core memories.
The lead single of ONE MORE TIME… is also, funnily enough, not on my top 5 list for the album. But “Edging” still proves to be a fun time, and don’t get me started on the band’s infectious live energy when it’s performed.
The best way I can compare a song like “Edging” is this album’s version of “All The Small Things,” a crazy catchy, fun song that isn’t quite the best on its featured album. However, the 200+ times I’ve streamed the song would probably have other things to say.
A song that only the dark mind of Mark Hoppus and co could bring to life. “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got” takes the challenges the blink-182 bassist faced recently with his battle with cancer and transforms them into a dark masterpiece centered by the incredible drumming of Travis Barker that reigns in the darkness and makes it his plaything.
Lyrically, “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got” is home to some of my favorite lines, including “no new light under the moon/stuck in life’s waiting room” and “there’s nothing left you could say/it wouldn’t help anyway.”
When blink-182 embraces the darkness of life’s tricks, the band truly shines the brightest. Life isn’t always sweet lullabies and dick jokes, and while all those things are fun, the challenging themes featured here have made blink-182 a main staying attraction for so many years. Connecting with listeners for decades, paving the way through life’s miseries.
“Blink Wave” is different, unique, and fun to dance with. The experimentation on ONE MORE TIME… is some of the most refreshing I’ve experienced from this band, and somehow, each song continues to push the envelope of what fans have come to think when it comes to the usual “blink-182 sound.”
“Blink Wave” is a complete dance bop, and I suspect a massive assortment of remixes will find their way onto YouTube, Soundcloud, and the like in the next few months. It’s a song made for the nightclub scene that sometimes gives off Angels & Airwaves vibes in the best of ways.
Like a few of the other songs featured on this album, “Blink Wave” is another that had me smiling for its duration. Lyrically, it’s whimsical, easy-going, typical, and just the best mess around. It’s part of my top 5 songs of ONE MORE TIME… “Blink Wave” is one I’ll have constantly repeat in my stable of main blink-182 songs.
If you want to challenge what you think blink-182 is and only have time to listen to one track off this shining album, make it this one.
The second half of ONE MORE TIME… has become its own beast, filled with memorable jams and sing-along-worthy anthems. Seriously, “Bad News” is the best song that centers around bad times and leaving toxicity behind, even if that toxicity is a loved one.
“Bad News” is incredibly catchy, filled with fast guitars, the best drum beats for air drumming, and the best melodies to infect your auditory cortex for hours. After just one listen, listeners should expect, “I’m giving you bad news/I think I might have fallen out of love with you,” replaying on a constant loop whether you want it to or not.
Yet another track I hope finds its way on a future setlist as the high energy present is built for the live scene, and I would love to hear an arena full of fans singing along to the song’s infectious chorus.
While “Blink Wave” displays some elements from Tom DeLonge’s side band Angels & Airwaves, it’s “Hurt (Interlude)” that puts that side of the blink-182 vocalist front and center with his usual oh-wows on full display.
It’s a beautiful and sensational minute-long love affair that fits perfectly between “Bad News” and “Turpentine.” It’s just a tiny intermission of pure blissful instrumentals that sound amazing while drifting off with your favorite headphones on. There is nothing to this one; it’s a beautiful display of art coming together, further showcasing Tom DeLonge bringing in his space-age adventures towards his first love.
Finishing up the last song to be a part of my top 5 from ONE MORE TIME… “Turpentine” is filled with angst, randomness, and some of the best harmonies featured on the album. The continued uniqueness of songs like “Turpentine” paints this new era of blink-182 as one that sees the band finally fulfilling the shoes we fans always knew they could fill.
“What if I’m not like the others,” Tom DeLonge sings with fierce intent, “what if my heart won’t recover,” follows in a barrage of excellent lyrical strings that had me fall head over heels quicker than Tom DeLonge realizing he’s been singing turpentine wrong the entire track.
Quickly wrapping up the second half of ONE MORE TIME… with songs like “Turpentine,” “Bad News,” and “Blink Wave” paints a fast picture that the songs picked out for singles aren’t always the gems of a release.
As I’ve found with every album released by blink-182, the band’s hidden gems keep their dedicated fan base hooked and swooning, and “Turpentine” is gearing up to be a lasting replay.
Joining “Turn This Off” on the remarkable revival of short-form punk songs, “Fuck Face” features drummer Travis Barker joining on vocals with Tom DeLonge in a blaring wall of chaotic sound that should fuel the best of gym workouts as a quick way to get the heart going.
Writing a short punk song with the likes of Tim Armstrong can only be magic, and now I require a full-blown Tim Armstrong-assisted blink-182 short songs EP. As mentioned with “Turn This Off,” there’s not much to say about “Fuck Face” aside from the fact it’s a fantastic short punk-infused jam that’s quick in execution but doesn’t skimp on the band’s fun.
blink-182, showing some love for the sound space explored throughout California, “Other Side” takes what the band played around with while John Feldmann was in the production chair and fleshed out those rough edges, creating a polished pop sound that keeps the band’s charm.
“Other Side” is on the poppier side of the album but continues to feature deep themes of growing up and exploring one’s ups and downs perfectly, not once missing a beat. “Other Side” might not be a top song for me, but I can easily see it being at the top of many different tier lists in the coming months.
It’s fun, fast, and will get listeners singing at the top of their lungs once more. “Other Side” feels like it will find its footing during late-evening drives with friends, department store mosh pits, and personal concerts during bath time.
I found myself going into the final track of ONE MORE TIME… with an even bigger smile than the one I sported throughout “Anthem Part 3.” blink-182 had a lot to prove with this go around. Still, everything from their world tour to this album’s release was perfect, creating the best version of blink-182 ever to exist.
“Childhood” is such a hazy dream that it perfectly bookends blink-182’s latest studio album. Ending on a few highs while life will still throw lows, it’s okay to grow up, but don’t forget how to have fun. ONE MORE TIME… is the feeling of aging but not losing yourself along the way, and “Childhood” puts those feelings perfectly into song.
“2023/who the fuck are we?” Tom DeLonge questions throughout the song’s question-riddled chorus as listeners are lifted through their memories. It is a beautifully simplistic ending to one of the best albums I’ve come to hear from these three talented men.
Tom DeLonge is famous for comparing any of blink-182’s upcoming works as some of the best stuff he has ever created, constantly making comparisons to the band’s masterful Untitled album. This time, however, Tom DeLonge has lived up to his promise.
blink-182’s latest studio album, ONE MORE TIME… is quite frankly the band’s best album since their 2003 masterpiece. Combining elements from their entire catalog to pull aspects from their various side projects to complete a full picture of who blink-182 in 2023 is as a band. Not once did I stop smiling throughout the album’s 45-minute runtime, and I can’t find a single song that I would skip on future play-throughs.
Obviously, all music is subjective, but I can say that this is the blink-182 album fans wanted back when Tom, Mark, and Travis got back together for the first time in 2009. This time around, however, blink-182 is just three friends creating music they want to dance to, sing to, and have fun with, with no added baggage.
Stream blink-182’s fantastic new album, ONE MORE TIME… on Spotify & Apple Music
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